Setting Essay, Research Paper

The story “Shiloh” is about two people who feel in love many years ago and have fallen apart since Leroy, the husband, was a truck driver. While Leroy was gone Norma Jean always put herself to work to keep herself busy. She also spent a lot of time with her mother, Mabel. Mabel always talked about this place Shiloh where she and her husband took their honeymoon. She always said that it was such a beautiful place, but I’m sure Leroy and Norma Jean will remember it in a different way for a couple of reasons.

One is the fact of Norma Jeans mother and father had taken their honeymoon at Shiloh. This was very important to Mabel but Norma Jean could care less. I think this was because Mabel talked about Shiloh constantly to the Moffit’s. Even though the Moffits could have used a trip to Shiloh right after Leroy got better they didn’t take it. Instead Norma Jean took more on; she joined a weight-lifting class, and then started taking night classes. Which left no time for her and Leroy to get reacquainted. So Leroy final talked Norma Jean into going to Shiloh.

The second important reason for Shiloh is that at Shiloh Norma Jean told Leroy she didn’t want to be with him anymore. This almost seem so out of place because at Shiloh her parents had such a special day but I guess this was a special day to her too. At the park Norma Jean waited until they were all the way through the park and done eating their picnic to tell Leroy. Leroy also noticed that they just happened to be sitting next to the cemetery, maybe to bury the end of their relationship before they left.

Of course Shiloh had a big impact on all the characters in the story, especially Leroy and Mabel. Leroy because he ended a relationship here and Mabel, who started a very special relationship at Shiloh.