Bobbie Ann Mason's Shiloh

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Bobbie Ann Mason's Shiloh In the story "Shiloh" by Bobbie Ann Mason, The reader gets different points of view and different feelings about the characters and the story. In this story the narrator explains how time and distance can create a gap between two people. It also talks about how naïve Leroy really is and also how self-centered he is. It allows the reader to understand that sometimes in doing something good people could be doing something that hurts others. This story reveals to the reader how distance and low communication can separate individuals from each other. Leroy, the narrator, is a person that has lived separated from his wife Norma Jean for a lot of time because of the job he has. This has created a gap between the two of them. After the accident when Leroy has to stay in the house to recuperate, they find out that they both really don't know each other. He is having a lot of time on his hands, so he decides to build a model of the house he promised Norma Jean when they got married. This only creates a problem since his wife doesn't want a log cabin. Leroy is finally noticing that everything has changed, that nothing is the same as before. He was to busy or hardly ever in town to realize all the changes that where happening around him. When he tries to get closer to Norma Jean, apparently it separates them more. During their trip to Shiloh, Norma realizes that everything is going back to the way it was before Leroy started his trucking job. This makes her feel eighteen again and she is not willing to do that again. This creates a confusing situation for Leroy because he does not understand why Norma is acting that way. Finally he realizes that all that time apart has created a relationship where Norma pre... ... middle of paper ... ...with the cabin and has forgotten what Norma wants. He has ignored what Norma thinks about the cabin, and has become determined to build it. Like it says in the story " "I don't want to live in a log cabin." "It's not a log cabin. It's a house." "I don't care. It looks like a cabin."" (49) This clearly states Norma Jeans's feelings towards Leroy's plans about the cabin. So the story really leads the reader to believe and understand the points shown. The story explains in various points how time and distance can break up the link between two people in a marriage. It also show how naïve Leroy really was, and how self-centered he became in his effort to make Norma Jean happy. It clearly states the way they both felt and the difficulty all those years apart from each other affected them. It also explains how loneliness became an obstacle in their relationship.

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