Readers see his transformation from a just kind-hearted child to a boy who knows what it means to be responsible for his own actions and words. Marty doesn’t only become fond of the dog over the summer, he grows up too. The way he mistreats his dogs and enjoys killing innocent animals just for fun, just because he has a rifle, seems that he needs to prove to everyone that he is not weak anymore. Judd even believes that he became a really decent person, ignoring the fact that he clearly has problems with anger management and rather strong inclination to sadism. Of course, he had never been fond of it when he was a child, but then when he grew up and the memories of his own helplessness evaporated, the man came to a conclusion that his father was right. The worst thing is that Judd approves of such barbarism. Judd, the antagonist of the story, used to be abused by his own father, who thought that there was nothing wrong with beating his son. But not everyone is like Marty’s parents. Marty is lucky, for his parents never turn to violence they prefer to discuss a problem and to find solution later. First of all, the novel questions traditional ways of bringing up children such as physical abuse and emotional manipulation.

One might assume that Shiloh is just a story about the boy who is kind and hard-working enough to save a dog, but there is more to it. Don’t look at it upon as a simple story for children, for it has more to offer, for the questions it raises are both thought-provoking and deep. Written by people who wish to remain anonymousĮven if Shiloh by Phyllis Reynold Naylor doesn’t make one’s eyes prickle with tears, it might definitely evoke a strong array of emotions. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.

Shiloh by phyllis naylor