Summary Of 'The Drummer Boy Of Shiloh'

Both the narrator and Sonny have experienced upsetting events that have made them into who they are. Sonny was a drug addict that went to prison but found himself through music and the narrator broke his promise to his mother but restores the relationship with his brother, which renews the promise he had made. A moment of redemption happens in the story when the two brothers are saved during Sonny’s jazz show. For Sonny, his moment of redemption happens through the music he is playing. Although his brother thinks it is silly for him to be so involved in it, this is Sonny’s way of battling his demons. He is basically able to put his heart and soul into music rather than putting his time into drugs and other corrupt things. For the narrator, his salvation comes a little differently.

The Civil War just like any other war there ever was has caused many soldiers to become desensitized. Making the soldiers believe that they were just “...born to drill and die.” What Stephen Crane meant with this quote was that the soldiers were all born to drill which means practice and die fighting the war. In “A Mystery of Heroism” Collins of A Company was a desensitized soldier because throughout this short story he was unphased by every passing bullet that went by

Have you ever walked into 1,200 guns aiming straight at you? Drummer boys in the Civil War have, some even did it more than once. Drummer boys, who also served as soldiers, were some of the bravest boys in the country during the Civil War. These boys walked at the front of the marching column beating their drums to regulate soldiers’ marching steps. They were also the first ones to be shot if there was an ambush. Drummer boys sometimes fought too, but most importantly they always looked out for each other.

Symbols are deliberately used in stories to add deeper meaning, not only for the readers but also for the characters themselves. Michael Meyer defines symbol as, "A person, object, image, word, or event that evokes a range of additional meaning beyond and usually more abstract than its literal significance" (Meyer 972). In "Battle Royal" by Ralph Ellison, the narrator struggles to understand his grandfather 's advice, he tries to live by it only to feel as if his grandfather mocks him for it. Throughout the story there are many symbols which seem to suggest a connection to the circus but are not understood by the narrator until he a dreams of them once more. The dream highlights these symbols that compare the lives of African Americans to a

From the Revolutionary War and the beginning of America’s independence to the conflict we face today combatting terrorism, American civilians have been at war. In today’s society, war headlines our newspapers and is broadcasted and televised daily on the news for the world to see. Through the media, we Americans are placed into the shoes of a soldier’s daily life and are able to witness the experiences and firsthand accounts of what fighting on the front lines is like. Due to this, Americans have become immune to the troubles and violence of war we are shown by news anchors and told by journalists today and therefore neglect the long term effects such as post-traumatic stress disorder, defined as “a complex and chronic disorder caused by exposure

presents a believable portrait of a Civil War drummer boy. The characters, their role in battle, and the dangers they faced are some of the reasons why I believe the story is historically accurate.

The very first symbolism noticed in “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” was when the soldiers were being compared to peach blossoms. First of all, they were being compared to peach blossoms because it was spring and during the spring, plants usually bloom. They were being compared because the plants bloom out and its shows symbolism for maturity for the men. Next, they were being compared to peach blossoms because it shows a sign for men that testosterone. They were being compared because testosterone builds up and they're anxious to go fight, they wanna go kill some people. Finally, they were being compared to peach blossoms because it shows that they are young and they get anxious. They were compared because do to testosterone builds up during the spring, they will get so anxious to go out and fight.. All in all, the soldiers were compared to peach blossoms do to the signs of maturity.

For thousands of years the stench of gun powder and drying blood has burned the innocence out of boys, turning them into men hardened by years of violent warfare. Joby, a young drummer boy in the American Civil War, is just one example of a young man being greatly impacted by events that occurred in the war. The short story follows Joby’s fears before the Battle of Shiloh, he feels defenseless, hopeless, and scared as he believes his position as the drummer boy is all but preferable. Joby’s attitude changes after a well-respected general comes to speak with him at night while Joby is crying out of fear. The General offers Joby support and reassures him of his importance, leaving Joby feeling important and confident. In “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury, Joby comes of age by accepting responsibility, overcoming

In the novel The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien introduces Jimmy Cross, who is the Lieutenant of the platoon and who is also in love with virgin Martha,a friend from back home. She sent him letters signed ‘love’ which only played with his head, causing him to think lascivious thoughts about her, “slowly, a bit distracted, he would get up and move along with his men”(2). He was never fully in the war with Martha buzzing through his mind every waking second. When the men were on a mission, Jimmy Cross was examining a tunnel “and then suddenly, without willing, he was thinking about Martha...he tried to concentrate on the war but the love was to much for him” (11). When one of his men, Ted Lavender had left to go pee he was shot on the back of his head, at this moment Jimmy still was thinking about Martha and how he hated her but loved her for the distractions she was bring him:“He hated himself. He had loved Martha more than his men,and as a consequence lavender was now dead”(16). Martha has been a distraction for Jimmy and know he has to face the truth that he isn't fit to watch over his men. The love for Martha is irrevocable. Although Jimmy has killed a man from his repetitive thoughts I felt it was almost necessary for him, war is a miserable thing and what kept him going was the thoughts of Martha. This is seen with other men in the war as well like Henry

Life is presented with a turning point, or life changing experiences, whether it is good or bad. Some people who had a life changing experiences had changed their lives, and also their countries’ lives. Three people that had a turning point in their lives are, Melba Pattillo Beals from memoir Warriors don’t ryWarriors Don’t Cry, Jackie Robinson from autobiography I Never Had It Made, and “The Father of Chinese Aviation” by Rebecca Maksel, which highlights Feng Ru. Melba Pattillo Beals, Jackie Robinson, and Feng Ru had affected their country, and their lives. They affected their country and their lives because they inspired many people, faced life changing experiences, and made an achievement for their own country.

“At that time, it was the bloodiest battle in American History.”(Bradbury 167) In, “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury, Joby, the drummer boy, wants to be more than just a drummer boy. He wants to be a soldier. The general talks to Joby saying “you are the heart of the army.” At first Joby didn’t believe the general, but the general convinces him that the drummer boy is what makes the army. Joby stays a drummer boy. In this story, there are symbols of importance & bravery, father figure & inspiration, and death. A symbol is something that has a meaning beyond itself. In Ray Bradbury’s story, Joby, a drummer boy, symbolizes importance and bravery, the general symbolizes a father figure and inspiration, and The Battle of Shiloh symbolizes death.

All of these reasons and details in the fictional story, “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” add up to a very historically accurate story in my opinion. Hope you give me a good grade on this essay Mr. Mancini, thanks for

“A happy childhood is one of the best gifts that parents have their power to bestow”(Mary Cholmondeley).Someone’s youth can determine what kinds of paths or decisions someone makes. Childhood is an important time in a person’s life. Many kids do not get to have a happy and long childhood because it was cut short for various reasons. Poverty, war, sickness, and a bad homelife are some ways someone’s childhood could be cut short. Patsy Barnes from “The Finish of Patsy Barnes” by Paul Laurence Dunbar and Joby from ”The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury both experienced having their childhoods cut short. Patsy is a 14 year old African American boy that went through a drastic change when he moved from the South, to Dalesford. His father died when he was 13 and he now has to take care of his sick mother. Patsy is determined to ride the son of the horse that his father died riding.Joby is a 14 year old boy who is a drummer boy during the Civil

In "If I die in a Combat Zone: Box Me Up and Ship Me Home", Tim O’Brien gives the readers a unique insight into the Vietnam War from a soldier’s perspective. He uses dark humor to describe his firsthand experience of combat and the feelings of fear, bravery, and loss. Drafted into the war, O’Brien begins his journey in a training camp in Washington, making a close comrade who shares similar views with him. During his time at the camp, he considers the senselessness of the war and thinks of fleeing the country with his comrade, Erik. O’Brien was surrounded by the era of protest and arguments on the war. Faced with the moral decision of fight or flight, he opts for the former and chooses to stay and fight for his country. Shipped off to the battlefront in Vietnam, his life in combat is drowned in constant fear and anxiety. In fear of death, O’Brien and his fellow soldiers practice courage and bravery every day. They do this while watching American soldiers die in combat from bombs and landmines. Fighting for the Alpha Company, O’Brien witnesses violence and inhumanities of war. He lives in a revolving door of valor and danger as young men fought and died for the country on both sides. Even after O’Brien leaves the frontlines to

The ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ is a poem written by Wilfred Owen on September 1917. Wilfred Owen was born on 18th March 1893, in Oswestry, United Kingdom, and his poems are famous through the use of descriptive words to portray the pity of the war, which is a common theme throughout all of his poems. Owen wrote most of his poems between August 1917 to September 1918 before he was killed on 4th November at Sambre-Oise canal in France. ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ is a poem about a soldier dying in foreign country, and no one is praying for them; at the same time, the family in home country just can pray and do nothing other than that. Owen describes the theme of this poem agony of forgotten soldiers by using several literary devices such as imagery,