The Drummer Boy of Shiloh, written in 1960 by Ray Bradbury, describes the true story of a young drummer who fought in the Battle of Shiloh. This short story shows the hardships of war through the eyes of a fourteen-year-old boy. The violence and pain often depicted in war stories are replaced with the idea of ​​masculinity. This theme of masculinity is explored thoroughly in The Drummer Boy of Shiloh, distancing itself from exclusively clichéd masculine traits such as courage, emotionlessness, bravery, and strength. Masculinity is introduced in The Drummer Boy of Shiloh through the characterization of the two main protagonists and the use of symbolism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Joby, the fourteen-year-old protagonist of The Drummer Boy of Shiloh, is portrayed as a scared and emotional boy at the beginning of the story. The fear and emotion that most soldiers must feel the night before a battle is depicted through Joby. Bradbury uses the innocence of youth while showing emotions not usually seen in male figures. Joby is by no means physically considered a man, but due to his presence in the war environment he is expected to represent typically masculine attributes. Therefore, the theme of masculinity is not as evident at the beginning of the story, as Joby is discovered crying by the General. Having discovered the boy, the general states: “here is a soldier who cries before the fight. Well. Get it over with." (l.52). This complete disregard of emotions is a common trait linked to masculinity. The other soldiers who "cannot sleep for romantic dreams of battles not yet fought" (l. 15), counteract the emotion shown by Joby. At the end of the story, Joby spins the drum again. This is an indication of the progression of the protagonist's development throughout the story beginning of the story. The General in The Drummer Boy of Shiloh portrays masculinity in an original way that challenges the male stereotype. After the introduction of the General, Bradbury describes this character as a very masculine figure: "He smelled like all fathers they should smell, of salty sweat, ginger tobacco, horse leather and boot leather and the earth he walked on." (l.62). As the general continues his conversation with Joby, the audience learns that he not only encompasses all the clichéd traits that a man usually has, but also some stereotypically feminine attributes: “If you want to cry some more, go ahead. I did the same last night." (l.78). After the emotional support just shown by the general, Joby still sees him as a very masculine figure: "And, tobacco, brass, boot polish, salty sweat and leather, l 'man walked away through the grass.' (l. 156) . Bradbury blurs the line between feminine and masculine, and instead intertwines and overlaps the two to create an atmosphere very rare in stories of war or conflict. This unconventional depiction of masculinity gives audiences a different interpretation of each man who went and fought in war The Drummer of Shiloh is set in a peach orchard, peaches can symbolize purity and youth Joby shows. The protagonist wakes up when a peach pit hits his drum. The panic he experienced causes him to “turn the drum on its side, where its large moon face peers at him every time he opens his eyes.” (l.7).This suggests that he is afraid of the drum and not.