The Drummer Boy of Shiloh

   In the story "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh" by Ray Bradbury, Joby is the main character and is in the war. Another character, the general, helps Joby through the war and ease the fear.
   The first way that the general helps Joby is he tells him he's not the only one that is scared. The general says "You want to cry some more, go on ahead. I did the same last night" then he says, "It's the truth. Thinking of everything ahead." This helps Joby understand that he isn't the only one who is scared. Everybody fighting the war is scared.
   Another way the general helps Joby is he tells him how to be confident. The general thinks that if you are confident you may get through the battle. I get this feeling from the general because he seems to have faith in Joby, and he lets Joby know that. Letting him know that definitely raised his confidence level.
   The last way the general helps Joby is that he says to Joby why he is so important to the army. He says that Joby is the "heart of the army". Before the general talked to Joby, he thought his job was useless and not important. The general lets Joby know that isn't true. This helps Joby stay confident as well.
   Even though the general may not have thought he helped Joby, he really did in many ways. The general and Joby really connect in the story. In a father-son type of way. The general acts as a mentor toward Joby, and talks to him heart-to-heart. When i finished reading the text i felt like I experienced it as well. I think this story explains how an army should be in real life; an army should be like a family.