The Drummer Boy of Shiloh

   In The Drummer Boy of Shiloh by Ray Bradbury the main character Joby has many mixed feelings. He is only 14, first of all and he is risking his life to be in the Civil War. Joby is scared to death the night before the battle at Shiloh and the fact that he is so young to be in the army, even as a drummer boy, probably plays a role in that frightfulness. He also doesn't know where his family is and he is nervous about what the next day holds.

   The way the author, Ray Bradbury's voice shows through throughout this story is beautiful.He makes every bird chirping and peach blossom dropping sound poetic and unique.He uses language that really impacts the effect of reading this for the reader. Although such a sad story should be a melancholy thing to read the way he uses language and the way he makes everything sound so beautiful makes it a uplifting story in a way. The words he uses to describe the actions within themselves, the relationships he built between five and a half pages is heartwarming. The way the the story ends makes you want to research the Battle of Shiloh further and find answers and dig deeper and find out if here was a real Joby and what happened to him. I just wanted to dig deeper into the outstanding setting this magnificent man has built within a mere five and a half pages!

   It is set on an April night and the author describes the setting in a spooky sort of way. He makes you think that the other army could attack any minute and sets up a mysterious feel. He describes a

"vast wind come up and gently stir the air".

   He uses language that really keeps you on the edge of your chair.

   I think language plays a big part in this story because without the descriptive words he uses to make you feel  afraid and curious the reader would have a totally different perspective on reading this story about the Battle of Shiloh.

   The character development within this story is also remarkable. The general comes and convinces Joby that he is most important, that everybody is going to be relying on him tomorrow. Without Joby the army would loose in a second. By telling Joby all this the general gives him responsibility. He gives Joby a reason to think that he is there for a reason, that he has purpose there, that he is needed. The power that the general instills on Joby gives him so much confidence. It is almost like he woke up in the middle of the night a scared little boy but when he reawakens in the morning he will be a man.

   The war had a negative effect on so many thousands of people and the way Ray Bradbury gives Joby and the general this relationship and the way he uses such descriptive language and a detailed setting makes this one fictional story stand out. The Civil War was a devastating time for so many people and no piece of writing could ever change that but this story based on a drummer boy that we don't even know if ever existed, comes really close in my opinion.