Background of the author
Bobbie Ann Mason comes from Kentucky and is a writer of short stories and novels. Her love for writing was nurtured by her parents who always gave her stories to read. Mason wrote her first story as a teenager; her stories were based on the books that she had read since childhood (Mason, n.p). She graduated with a degree in English from Kentucky University after which she proceeded to get a master’s degree from New York State University (Mason). Mason started working as a feature magazine contributor. She has written several short stories, many novels, a memoir, biography of Elvis Presley and two critiques (Mason).
Introduction
This expository is on the short story, Shiloh, by Bobbie Ann Mason. The story is about a modern couple, Leroy Moffit, and the wife, Norman Jean, who are undergoing strife in their marriage due to pressures from life, a lack of understanding between the two of them and differences in opinion and issues. The theme of gender roles is brought out through the third person narrator and Leroy’s observations, seen in the modern town setting, which brings the conflict of opinion between the two characters.
Plot summary
The story is set in a modern city in Kentucky. Having married as teenagers, the couple, Leroy, and Norma lost their baby, Randy, at four months of age. The conflict happens when Leroy loses his job and is forced to stay home as Norma works to keep the family going. Both of them notice changes in each other. They, however, differ on how to handle the differences in their marriage and have trouble agreeing. While Norma is open-minded and willing to experiment, Leroy is stuck in mostly traditional roles in marriage. They attempt to repair their marriage by visiting Shiloh, but this does not work out.
Theme of gender roles
Mason brings out the theme of the struggle with gender roles in this story. When Leroy loses his job and is forced to stay home due to his injury, Norman is turned into bread winner. Despite staying home all day, Leroy does not help with the chores and Norman is forced to pick the chores at home alongside her daily work schedule. This does not go well with her and changes her loving attitude towards her husband. Leroy is obsessed with building a home and does not notice that the wife needs immediate help in managing their home. This conflict in roles is a significant contributor to the couple's break-up and forms a primary focus for Mason.
Setting
The modern setting in the small Kentucky town brings out the emergent issues in relationships. Small modern towns are characterized by people with jobs and modern families who share roles. When Leroy does not step up to help around the home and also fails to maintain his role as the provider for his family, the roles do not match the expectations in the small town modern set-up, leading to the conflict in this story. This strain leads to the failure of their marriage.
Point of view
The story is told through a third person narrator, majoring on observations by Leroy. The third person narrator gives a clear picture of the turmoil in the characters, giving readers a background on issues which helps in understanding their source of conflict and unresolved pain. Through Leroy, we get to see the conflict in their perceived roles in the family.
This story reflects Mason's life; having grown up in a modern world in Kentucky, Having grown up in a similar place, Shiloh is a representation of the issues in urban homes and the conflict that people got through as they try to embrace new things.
Works Cited
Mason, Bobbie. "About Bobbie Ann - Bobbie Ann Mason." Bobbieannmason.net. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.
