Shiloh Bobbie Mason Analysis

Do you ever fear that the people around you are progressing leaving you behind? In the short story “Shiloh”- published in 1982-Bobbie Mason gives her reader a look into what that feels like. In the beginning of the story, an issue presents itself; Leroy becomes injured no longer able to continue his job as a truck drive. He comes home to his wife who has been living without him for so long;that she became comfortable with it.

Through the conflict, we see a struggle between stagnation and progression. As a reader, it is evident that through Leroy’s struggle with stagnation, through Norma Jean recognizing that she needs to change her life, and through Mabel's(Norma Jean’s mother) insistence upon uniting the couple, that stagnation, and progression does not mix well.

Leroy’s stagnation begins when his injury causes him to discontinue his job and return home to Kentucky. He returns to his wife Norma Jean; who has been working, and going about her life without him. Settling back into this new chapter of his life; not only has he noticed the

So Maybel attempts to build a bridge between Norma and Leroy, to make up for the ever growing gap between the couple. She earnestly beckons the Norma and Leroy, to visit Shiloh. “I tell you what... Take her to Shiloh. Y’all need to get out together, stir a little. Her brain’s all balled up over them books.”(369) Mabel's plan did not help, so much as bringing the problem to head, and made them address their problem. So the conclusion? Norma Jean wanted to leave Leroy. There are forces that work behind the scenes and these are, as previously stated stagnation and progression. They are comparatively like a pond and river. Ponds tend to be a bit more smelly because the water does not go anywhere it sits, but rivers are constantly flowing as if the water has a destination to get too, rivers generally do not smell because of the constant