The Drummer Boy of Shiloh Response

     I recently read the short story;"The Drummer Boy of Shiloh", by Ray Bradbury. Through mostly detail, and some dialogue, the conflict began to resolve. I think the conflict didn't totally resolve until we saw a change in Joby's attitude. At the beginning of the story Joby is very unsure of himself, or his position as the "drummer boy" in the war. He begins to cry, as he thinks of home. In a stern, but genuine, and sweet voice, the General begins to convince him that he is the heart of the army.
    As the story begins to climb up the mountain, Joby begins to listen in on what the General is saying. Joby is a fourteen year old boy who wants to be just as tough as all the men. Joby wants to gain hope. I know this because, at the beginning of the story he guesses that all the men are whispering, "Me, I'm the one, I'm the one of all the rest that won't die. I'll live through it. I'll go home. The band will play. And I'll be there to hear it." Joby thought, "Yes, that's all very well for them, they can give as good as they get!" Thinking and feeling this way makes Joby want to believe what the General is saying, which is that the drummer boy is the heart of the army. The General tells Joby, "If you beat your drum slow than all the hearts of the men will beat slowly with not much energy, but if you beat your drum a steady fast rythm than all the hearts of the men will beat fast, and their knees would come up in one long line over the hill."
     As the story mountain begins to descend down, Joby's beliefs start to rise up. It's what we call negative correlation on a scatter plot. At the heart of the climax the General asks Joby if he will beat his drum to make the army go, or really, take over the army if he dies. Joby nods mutely in response. "You'll run them through for me then, boy?" The General aks. "Yes, sir," Joby responds. After those words come out Joby no longer makes himself want to belive, because he truthfully does believe. 
     I think this connects to the world because the theme I discovered here is everyone is important in their own way, you just have to belive in yourself. There have been many dance recitals for me in front of a huge audience where I just have to convince myself repeatedly that I will do great, and I believe in myself to do just as good as everyone else because I am just as important. If I didn't believe that, then I would never make it through my shows. And if Joby never gained the confidence he did over the story, than he would have never made it through The Battle of Shiloh.