The Drummer Boy Of Shiloh Summary

Do you know what a Drummer Boy is? They only have a drum and no weapons during a battle. Drummer boys will drum out a beat that is a command from the general. In “The ‘Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury, a boy named Joby ran away from his home to be a drummer boy. The soldiers were camped at a peach orchard waiting for the battle in the morning. Everyone was restless that night, not knowing if they’d die or live. That night Joby was scared to fight because he wasn’t prepared. The General realized this and comforted him. When you read the story you can tell there are many signposts of literature written into it. Some signposts that might catch your attention are Aha Moment, Words of the Wiser, Again and Again. Aha moment is when a character realizes something important,Words of Wiser is when someone that is older in age and has gone through stuff gives advice to a young character. Also, Again and Again is when something is repeated a lot in the story, emphasizing it is important. In the Aha Moment, Joby realizes something that

Again and again is when something is mentioned several times throughout the story. Since, it’s mentioned so many times you have to assume it’s important. Sometimes you have to interpret what it means in the story. For example, the peach blossoms are used in the beginning, middle, and end of the story. On page 333, lines 43-45, it says, “The boy turned on his side. A moth brushed his face, but it was peach blossom. A peach blossom flicked him, but it was a moth. Nothing stayed out nothing had a name. Nothing was as it once was.” That means nothing is as it seemed to be since he left home. He was scared, confused, and lost. He hadn’t realized what he’d gotten himself into. Also on page 335, lines 164-165, it says that the peach blossoms fell on the drum. The peach blossoms are young, so you can only interpret that it represents the young soldiers who will