Bobbie Ann Mason-Shiloh- Setting Analysis Essay

Leroy states multiple times throughout the story that he wants to build Norma Jean and himself a log cabin. Hestates to Norma Jean in the story, "I 'm going to build you this house," and "I want to make you a real home"(649). Norma Jean constantly shuts down Leroy with his dreams of building this log cabin. Norma Jean replies to this quote stating "I don 't want tolive in any log cabin" (649). Norma Jean ignores him every time he brings up the idea of this log cabin. She also previously said "They won 't let you build a cabin in any of the new subdivisions" (646). Leroy constantly wants to build this log cabin to fill the emptiness in their marriage, but it would not fulfill what Norma Jean wants in their marriage. Norma Jeans mother, Mabel, also shuts down Leroy 's dream of building this log cabin. Leroy explains to Mabel, "I 'm aiming to build us a log house," "Soon as my plans come" (648). Mabel then replies to him "Like heck you are," "You have to find a job first. Nobody can afford to build now anyway" (649). All Mabel brings up to Leroy, and Norma Jean is to drive to Shiloh and see all of the historic things it has to offer. At the end of the story while Leroy and Norma Jean are in Shiloh, Leroy realizes everything about the log cabin. He finally realizes that building a house out of logs is similarly empty. He also realizes that it was

In the book, The Short Bus, Jonathan Mooney’s thesis is that there is more to people than their disabilities, it is not restricting nor is it shameful but infact it is beautiful in its own way. With a plan to travel the United States, Mooney decides to travel in a Short bus with intentions of collecting experiences from people who have overcome--or not overcome--being labeled disabled or abnormal. In this Mooney reinvents this concept that normal people suck; that a simple small message of “you’re not normal” could have a destructive and deteriorating effect. With an idea of what disabilities are, Mooney’s trip gives light to disabilities even he was not prepared to face, that he feared.

In the story of "Young Goodman Brown" setting plays an important role. It provides symbolism to certain events and provokes emotions amongst the characters, especially those of Goodman Brown. The story of "Young Goodman Brown" is that of a man on an adventure to feed his curiosity and to visit the dark side of his Puritan town. Once he arrives at the destination of his adventure, he realizes that many of his elders have followed in the paths of evil and that holiness and innocence has been vanquished from his once thought to be holy Puritan town. The central idea of "Young Goodman Brown," is the conflict in Goodman Brown between joining the devil and remaining

For instance, the story begins with Leroy’s wife, Norma Jean, supporting Leroy during his physical therapy sessions while getting in shape herself (616). As well as the fact that Leroy wants to fulfill his promise and build Norma Jean her own house, even if she rejects to the house being a log cabin (617). However, as the story progresses it seems as though Leroy’s love for Norma Jean is not reciprocated. It is also evident that there is an emotional barrier which neither of them wish to cross because of the loss of their infant son (617). Leroy even admits that the loss of a child can cause a marriage to fall apart, but he is still blind to the fact that their marriage had already begun to deteriorate during his long absences. However, he still believes that they can start over and create a better marriage

Leroy and Norma Jean married each other at the age of 18 and shortly before they graduated high school together. A few months later, the two had a child and named him Randy. The child died only four months after his birth of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Leroy, being on the road so much, did not think that the death of their child affected Norma Jean much, but in all actuality it did. Leroy did not start to notice this until after being immobilized by his accident and having to be around his wife more often.

Have you ever felt that you knew you your home but then realized that it actually wasn’t what you thought it really was? Well, that’s how Jacqueline Woodson felt. As we grow and change, so do our perspectives on a variety of things that we experience in life. In, When a Southern Town Broke a Heart, Woodson introduces ideas changing as you get older as a central idea of the story.

In “Shiloh,” by Bobbie Ann Mason, the reader is able to glimpse the beginning of the end of a marriage. Mason allows the audience to see the different strings unravel as the character’s separates from each other, emotionally, mentally and physically. In “Shiloh,” a woman’s husband, Leroy, has been in an accident and is no longer able to continue with his work of truck driving. The woman, Norma Jean, is unable to cope with her husband being home all of the time and begins to find ways to get away from him and her overbearing mother, Mabel. Throughout the story we see Leroy’s struggle to stay with his wife and Norma Jean’s struggle to break away from her husband. As Leroy and Norma’s marriage continues to drift apart, Mabel

Leroy could be said that he is a little naïve because he thinks that nothing has changed and that everything is the same as before. What he doesn't realize is that what has changed the most is his wife. In this story the reader gets the impression that Norma Jean and Leroy are living in a lie. Although Norma Jean has found other things to do while he is away she feels lonely and trapped. Leroy on the other hand feels that she is happy with the life style they have. But what Leroy does not realize is that they have grown apart. Leroy is having a hard time realizing that his relationship with his wife is not as strong as he thinks it is. He feels the need talk about their dead son, but doesn't know if he should mention him to Norma Jean. As it says in the story "and Leroy wonders if one of them should mention the child."(47) This crates a complicated scenario for Leroy who is having trouble understanding what has happened between him and his wife. This allows the reader to think badly about Leroy, and also lets the reader judge the way Leroy is acting. But the reader also understands him since he has been talking about his son for a long time with other people. As it says in the story " Leroy used to tell hitchhikers his hole life story-about his travels, his hometown, the baby." (51) This is why Leroy feels the need to

The log cabin is connected to the next symbol of the story, Shiloh, the Civil War Battle site. Mabel, Norma Jean’s mother, is constantly trying to talk her daughter and son-in-law to go visit the town from basically the second

In Bobbie Ann Mason’s “Shiloh”, after Leroy’s accident in his truck, the pleasant illusion that he is in a perfectly functioning marriage is shattered leaving the reality that he and Norma Jean have ongoing issues that have been hidden and ignored for the majority of their marriage. The log cabin he never builds, the couple’s new hobbies, the baby they lost, the dust ruffle Mabel makes for them, and the trip they take to Shiloh ultimately cause Norma Jean to decide to leave Leroy. “Shiloh” is laden with symbols for the state of Norma Jean and Leroy’s marriage, and each situation introduced since Leroy’s accident forces them to look at how little they know about each other.

Disabilities within the characters of “The Life You Save May be Your Own” by Flanner O’Connor

In “Shiloh” by Bobbie Ann Mason setting plays an important role in understanding the meaning behind the short story. Knowing that Shiloh is a battleground makes the reader pick up on fights they wouldn’t normally notice. Since there are no big outbursts or complications, people might not have clued in to all the subtle hints of fighting.

Lucy Grealy tells a story about not fitting in, unbearable pain that takes up residence in one’s head as loneliness and confusion, questioning what things mean, being scared and lost in your family, enduring intense physical pain, and most importantly, figuring out who you are. Lucy had no idea she might die, even though the survival rate for Ewing’s sarcoma was only five percent. She does not present her parents as overly afraid for her life, either. Her autobiography is not a story about the fear of death, but about such courage and anguish. Lucy shows how she falls under the spell of her disability, allowing it to control her life and dictate her future to a greater extent than it would otherwise. Having a disability means that

On the other hand, Norma Jean is out and involved in life and the world around her. This is a key difference between the couple. The reader sees a strong example of how they differ as individuals when it states, “She saves bread heels for the birds. Leroy watches the birds at the feeder” (72). Norma Jean comes across as more of a go-getter who wants to be taking charge of things. Leroy is referred to as, “always flying past scenery,” (68) and not caring about being involved. Another example of Leroy’s simple thought process concerning life comes with his new idea to build a log cabin for them to move into. Leroy seems to think that this new house will be a way for them to start over again. Never does Leroy directly ask Norma Jean if a new house is really what she wants. However, throughout the whole story, Leroy never really makes any progress with his plans. Leroy is so caught up in the idea of the house that he sees it as a sort of shelter for their relationship, but in reality the house will still be empty, much like the marriage. Leroy finally becomes aware of their growing apart when, “It occurs to him that building a house out of logs is similarly empty- too simple” (77). At the end, Leroy seems to finally realize that building a new house cannot take away the problems that are already present. Small details such as these give insight into each character’s

In the story Shiloh, Norma Jean faces many dilemmas involving gender roles. To begin with she got married when she was 18 which resulted in her having a baby. Her mom, Mabel, didn't want her to have a kid knowing that it wasn't going to turn out good, which was proven correct when Norma lost her baby at 4 months old. Since then she had been living with her husband Leroy, who happened to hardly be home due to work. Throughout that whole time while Leroy worked, she stayed home like a typical housewife but things started to change after some time. Norma started getting used to his absence, provoking her to do her own thing and to become her own person. For once she had felt independendent like she was able to do her own things instead of living up to everyones else expectations. When Leroy got into the car accident at work that drastically affected Norma preventing