The Drummer Boy Of Shiloh

                I think that the theme of the story The Drummer boy of Shiloh is that no matter how small or insignificant your roll in life may seem you can always make a huge difference.                        In this story, the drummer boy Joby does not think that he matters at all in this war. He sees himself as a small, unimportant toy in the midst of a vast, bloody battle. Even one soldier, out of thousands has the capacity to save a life, take a life, or both. Joby can do neither. He just beats the drums. He has no weapons, no shield or protection of any kind from the enemy army. He feels like he is not doing anything to help his side of the army. That he can only watch as the battle plays out, without being able to help or make a difference. He feels like no more than a bystander. Each soldier plays his own part in the war, but Joby cannot help them. He just gets to watch.                                                                                                                                      It is only when the general tells Joby exactly how much he contributes to the outcome of the war that Joby believes that he has a purpose. The general tells him that he is like the base, the foundation on which the soldiers fight on.  He is the person that subtly affects the potential of which side wins. He tells him that he needs to beat his drum, loud, energized, and confident. If he beats it morosely, doubting himself, so would the soldiers. The soldiers fought the battle,   but Joby pushed them forwards.                                                                                                     If the general had not helped Joby to understand just how much he needed to believe in himself, how in fact, he was a very crucial part of this battle, then Joby would have beaten the drum without confidence and energy, and the soldiers would have walked into battle, scared, slowed, and dimmed.  In a way, Joby was more important than the soldiers, even if he does not fight.

            You need to believe in yourself and have confidence that you can make an impact on the world.  Take recycling, for example. Many people do not compost and recycle because they do not see the point. How, they say, is really going to help the planet? If I do or don’t recycle, it isn’t going to, make a difference. Well it does make a difference. If everyone thinks like that, and no one recycles, then you do matter, and you do make a difference. Even if it seems like you don’t really matter, then think again, because you probably do.