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Analysis Of Shiloh By Bobbie Ann Mason

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When I hear the word Shiloh, I automatically think of the Battle of Shiloh along with the children’s novel Shiloh; either a full-blown war or an abused beagle. However, Bobbie Ann Mason’s “Shiloh” took an interesting twist to the name. I feel, in a way, Mason was able to incorporate both the war aspect and a form of abuse, neglect, and intertwine it into making a beautiful short story. The way Mason could withhold important information until the very end is remarkable. “Shiloh” keeps the reader invested in the story by having the person who reads the piece of literature guess what is really going on between the characters and wondering the ‘what if’s’ of the story. The plot of this short story is wrapped around a couple who has been through a great deal in such a short time frame. Norma Jean is married to Leroy Moffitt, a truck driver who “injured his leg in a highway accident” (Mason 645). This causes Leroy to be home resting and recovering for months on end instead of on the road for his job. Any wife would feel safe and happy to have their man around, but Norma Jean is not like a typical wife. When Norma Jean was eighteen she became pregnant and married Leroy because it is frowned upon to be with child out of wedlock. However, shortly after Randy their son was born, he passed away at “four months and three days” due to “sudden infant death syndrome” (Mason 648). Without Randy, Norma Jeans and Leroy’s life turned out completely different than what they had

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