Why was Doodle considered a disappointment at birth in "The Scarlet Ibis"?It would be so mean if his parents actually said that to his face.

The great sadness in this story lies in the fact that Doodle's family failed to cherish him as the wonderful little boy he was. Doodle was sensitive and compassionate, brave and loving. Nobody may have told Doodle he was "a disappointment" in those exact words, but he knew. Throughout his short life, Doodle tried with all his might to live up to his brother's unreasonable expectations of him.

Doodle's birth was difficult. He was physically misshapen with a big head and a shriveled body. His family expected him to die; his father made a coffin for him. His mother cried, saying that Doodle might not be "all there," meaning that he might be mentally impaired. At one point, Doodle's brother makes plans to kill him.

Today, Doodle would be diagnosed as a special needs child. His development was delayed. He didn't crawl until his third winter. At the age of five, he could not walk. Since Doodle's brother was embarrassed to have a brother start school without being able to walk, he set about teaching him to walk, pushing him very hard. This led  to Doodle's tragic death at the end of the story.

Doodle was considered to be a disappointment when he was born because he was different. His family did not realize what a special gift he was to them.