In the short story “The Drummer Boy Of Shiloh” Ray Bradbury shows character change. The main character overcomes his fears and gains courage even when times are rough.
The character, Joby, is a young boy who is struggling with facing the deathly civil war. In the beginning of the story Joby is hiding and camping out on the battle field. Although he is hesitant to participate in the war, we realize that the war is of some importance to him because he is a runaway. I believe the fact that he ran away shows that he feels he must drum for the soldiers and help them do their best. He questions whether he will be able to survive. “Me, thought the boy, I only got a drum, two sticks to beat it, and no shield.”
Later on, Joby is found by the General of the army. Although Joby had limited hope, the General gave him an inspiring talk. He reassured him and told him that he was the “heart of the army.” I think this was a big turning point in the story. Joby’s character changed because he started to see that engaging in the fight and risking his life was not so bad. It was for a good cause. All of a sudden his fears went away. If he was risking his life for his nation, it was worth it.
By the end, the boy was ready to face the one thing that scared him the most: death. “Then at last, very slowly and firmly he turned the drum so it faced up toward the sky.” This quote proved that he was a true hero. With his drum beats, he could help the soldiers take on any fight and earn victory.
Although Joby had no hope in the beginning, it progressed throughout the story and the Generals talk encouraged him to face his fears. Joby changed a lot during the story. He was set on the idea that he would die but, was able to pu that behind him and fight. He gained self confidence. Therefore, Ray Bradbury showed tremendous character change.
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