FREE ESSAY ON "SHILOH" BY BOBBIE ANN MASON

"SHILOH" BY BOBBIE ANN MASON

ENG 113-
Essay 1
September 28, 2000
"Shiloh" - And Norma Jean
"Shiloh" by Bobbie Ann Mason represents a change over the course of a young woman's life.
Bobbie Ann Mason uses Norma Jean to help clarify that relationships can fail and that
roles do change in today's relationships. Mason uses the character Norma Jean to give her
audience an idea how times have changed as well as people. Norma Jean, who was forced to
marry at a young age, sees a new path as the modern days draw near. Norma Jean is a woman
who has very low confidence, very dependent on her mother, her husband, and is motivated
to change her life. As time passes, she begins to change from being dependent on everyone
to a woman who is very independent and gains confidence in herself. 
Norma Jean has many traumatic events in her life. At the age of eighteen, she was
pregnant and was forced to marry Leroy, the baby's father, because of "southern
traditions". When the baby, Randy, was four months and three days, Randy died of sudden
infant death syndrome, as Mable thinks Randy died of neglect. As they took Randy to the
emergency room, the doctor told them, "It just happens sometimes" (Mason 48). Here she
was married to a man that she made a mistake with and lost the baby that brought them
together. What would happen to them now? Would they stay together or would they go their
own ways? On top of dealing with her husband, and the death of her child, Norma Jean's
mother is very controlling over her life. Norma Jean is often felt intimidated by her
mother. When her mother visits, "she inspects the closets and then the plants, informing
Norma Jean when a plant is droopy or yellow" (Mason 48). When Norma Jean was thirty-four,
her mother caught her smoking. Mabel does not like the fact that her daughter is smoking
and she brings up a story about a dog that chewed the baby's legs and is on trail for
neglect. Later that night when Mabel leaves, Norma Jean tells Leroy "She just said that
about the baby because she caught me smoking. She's trying to pay me back." (Mason 52)
Bobbie Ann Mason is using Norma Jean to show how relationships between her mother is
becoming tense and is making Norma Jean realize how controlling her mother is over her
life. Leroy is not doing anything to help the relationship between Norma Jean and her
mother better. Mabel is sitting with Leroy and tells him "I don't know what is going on
with that girl" (Mason 52). Mable wants to be controlling over Norma Jean, but Norma Jean
wants her freedom. 
Norma Jean is a typical American woman. She stays at home, while Leroy is away working,
she cleans the house and cooks. She has no job, and no activity she can turn to until
Leroy buys her an electric organ for Christmas. Norma Jean used to play the piano is high
school. She told Leroy "It don't leave you, it's like riding a bicycle." (Mason 47) She
bought a songbook and learned every tune in it. As she began to play, she cried, "It's an
orchestra!" (Mason 47) she was so excited she had something she could do, she did not
have to have anyone else, it was all her. At this point of her life, this is the only
thing she can turn to. Leroy had an accident and injured his leg, now he stays at home
all the time. Norma Jean begins to build her confidence level up. She realizes she
doesn't have to depend on Leroy, and now Leroy is dependent on her. Norma Jean got a job
at a cosmetics counter, she begins to exercise, and begins to do things for herself. Her
relationship between her and her husband begins to grow further apart. Leroy is staying
at home while Norma Jean is off at work, exercising, and doing her own thing. She begins
to get frustrated with Leroy and wants him to start looking for a job. She reads Leroy a
list she has made, "Things you could do," (Mason 49) as she reads the list, he says,
"Don't worry, I'll do something." (Mason 49) 
The basic, overall changed that Norma Jean goes through is changing into a person that
was very dependent on her husband, into a person who in very independent. She thought
that she needed Leroy to pay the bills, and to have a job so that she could have a life.
When Leroy was finally at home with her she got to see his true side, she came to a
realization. Norma Jean finally realized that she did not need Leroy in her life in order
for her to survive. She was a strong woman mentally. Norma Jean had graduated from a
six-week bodybuilding course and now is taking an adult-education class at the local
community college. To Leroy, she is intimidating him with the English lessons. Leroy
asks, "What are you doing this for, anyhow?" (Mason 52) as she shrugs, she says, "It is
something to do." (Mason 52) The relationship between Norma Jean and Leroy is becoming
non-existing. Since she has realized that she doesn't need him, she is going out and
making a life for herself. She felt that she had the power while she left Leroy at home
while she went off to work. She is finally gaining the power she always wanted. 
Although Norma Jean is motivated by the changing times, by herself, and by Leroy, Norma
Jean's and Leroy's trip to Shiloh, seemed to bring Norma Jean to the truth. This trip
brings Norma Jean to see the truth. She realizes that they are two different people. As
they were sitting in silence staring at the cemetery, Norma Jean says, "I want to leave
you" (Mason 54). After silence Leroy finally says, "No, you don't" (Mason 54). Leroy is
trying to deny it. He doesn't want to face the fact that she is going to leave him. What
will Leroy do? There is not going to be anyone to support him. Norma Jean wanted this
change in her life for the longest time. She did not want to be in the "woods" her whole
life. Norma Jean did not want to die before it was too late. Shiloh helped her spread her
wings and leave Leroy. 
Mason's character, Norma Jean, is a character that goes from an unconfident teenage
mother to a confident woman who does not depend on a man. The relationships between Norma
Jean and her husband, and mother make her realize that she does not have to be dependent
on anyone. She has to be strong and make her own decisions. They were running her life
and not Norma Jean. As she told Leroy at Shiloh, "She won't leave me alone-you won't
leave me alone. I feel eighteen again. I can't face that all over again. No, it wasn't
fine. I don't know what I am saying. Forget it." (Mason 55)