The scarlet ibis is a symbol for

The dying scarlet ibis that the family encounters in the final section of the story is a clear symbol for Doodle. Just like Doodle, the ibis's strength has diminished, and though it has fought through a terrible storm it simply cannot hold on any longer, alone and weak. The narrator does not realize just how alike Doodle and the ibis are until he holds Doodle's body in his arms at the very end, noticing the red of Doodle's blood and the thinness of his limbs. The story builds up to the appearance of this powerful symbol at the climax.