Shiloh

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Summary: Dustin's Review Of Shiloh
Review: The book Shiloh is a good book. It is about a boy getting a dog and he does not want to give him up. I don't read very often but I read Shiloh and it was a very good book. I would read it again but I don't have it.

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Summary: Shiloh
Review: When I first read Shiloh it was the most heart pounding story I ever read.What I liked about Shiloh is how skillful and helpful he is:

When Marty's parents let him keep Shiloh.
When Marty helped Shiloh when he was in trouble.
When Marty saved Shiloh from Judd.
When Shiloh was free to stay with Marty not Judd.

I do not like this book because:

Judd threatens Shiloh.
When Marty had to give Shiloh back to Judd.
When Judd almost kicked Shiloh.
When Judd gave Shiloh no food to eat.
When Judd gave Shiloh scrapes of meat instead of what the other dogs got.

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Summary: The bond between a boy and a dog
Review: "Shiloh," the novel by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, received the 1992 Newbery Medal "for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." While the book is certainly ideal for younger readers, don't be misled by either the award or the publisher's marketing approach: this moving, well-written book is good for adults, too.

"Shiloh" takes place in rural West Virginia. It tells the story of Marty, an 11-year old boy who seeks to shelter an abused beagle from his hard-hearted owner. Reynolds lets Marty tell his story in the first person, and her excellent prose captures the rhythms of rural West Virginia speech (and I say this because I spend a lot of time there with my extended family). Reynolds had me hooked with her opening sentence: "The day Shiloh come, we're having us a big Sunday dinner." Reynold's skill at rendering American vernacular speech evokes, in my mind, favorable comparisons to such authors as Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker.

"Shiloh" is rich with the details of life in that region: the food, the hunting, and social customs. Reynolds creates a wonderful portrait of a poor but loving family. But the heart of the book is the way she captures the special bond between a boy and his dog.

"Shiloh" is an "issue" book in the sense that it deals with animal cruelty, but Reynolds wisely tells a realistic story without overtly preaching at the reader. But the book still raises very relevant issues. Marty's moral dilemma is not presented as an easy "black-and-white" situation. Shiloh's owner, Judd, is not a cardboard villain. Marty's ethical and theological inner struggle is comparable to that of the title character in Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Like Huck, Marty is a compelling hero: courageous, loyal, and thoughtful.

In short, "Shiloh" is a contemporary classic, a book with true moral and psychological resonance. Naylor's portrayal of the enduring ties between a child and a beloved animal is comparable to such enduring works as John Steinbeck's "The Red Pony." This moving book deserves a wide audience.

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Summary: Rescue of an Abused Beagle -- Touching Story
Review: Just when you thought there are no more stories about a boy fighting for his dog, here's another one; and a great one it is! "Shiloh" tells of a disadvantaged boy named Matt from the rural South who repeatedly witnesses how a small hunting dog is abused by his master, a rough old man who doesn't seem to get along with any of his neighbors. Determined to save the suffering animal, Matt first hides, then offers to buy the dog, but the mean old man won't hear of it. Finally the man agrees that Matt can work off what the dog is worth. The surprise ending is beautiful! -- This is one of very few books written specifically for 9-12 year old children, containing vocabulary that can actually be comprehended by a child. I have used many so called "children's novels" which required explaining hundreds of vocabulary words; "Shiloh" is a rare exception. This book receives my highest recommendation! -- A film version of this book exists, but it does NOT cover all of the story. Many scenes are completely omitted, along with other discrepancies.

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Summary: powerful story, cotton candy ending
Review: The story of an earnest and lovely little eleven year old boy who comes from a VERY REAL po' white trash West Virginia family and who befriends and protects an abused beagle. It's a surprisingly powerful and universal story, as the little beagle really represents not only the boy's wounded inner self who he wished his shut-down parents would protect...but the wounded, neglected and abused inner selves within each of us. The boy's love and protection of the beagle represents the parents we always wished we had had, and perhaps even thought (or still think) we had.

Book's weak point: The author sacrificed potential emotional depth for the smiles and hugs of a happy ending. I think a much more realistic ending would have been the father disregarding the feelings of his sensitive son and sending the dog back to the abusive owner, the mother not lifting a finger to protect her son's feelings, and the owner killing the dog as he promised all along. Basically, I think the author didn't have the guts to do it, and thus be able to transmit a real message to the audience about how the world is - essentially how cruel and uncaring parents really can be. The boy becoming aware of such things would have hurt (him and us), but would at least have been REAL and given us the base of potential from which to GROW and not just keep our heads in the sand, leading us further down the path of denial...and ultimately toward perpetuating the same patterns those parents did. Only emotional honesty (as opposed to the fantasy ending of this book) will break such cycles.

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Summary: The Beagle Named Shiloh
Review: Shiloh, A magnificient book about a dog name Shiloh and an eleven year old boy named Marty.Wondering behind his house up the hill. One day Marty was on on the way home near Shiloh school. Then along came a beagle following Marty on the way home. Marty and the dog he named shiloh had became friends on Marty's way home. Marty thinks the dog is being abused by its owner. Marty takes Shiloh home and askes his parents if he could keep the dog. Marty's parents disagree that he keeps the dog because he would have to do lots of things for the dog. Marty's Dad thinks that Shiloh belongs to a grumpy man named Judd Travers. Marty's parents doesn't want Judd to get angry at them. Marty had no choice but to return Shiloh. Marty has feelings for Shiloh and would do anything to get Shiloh back from Judds Abusements. I like this book because, this book has alot of action and I hope you like it too.

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Summary: A really good book!
Review: Jeffery Magee, a boy who received a nick-name Maniac, spent some of his life without a home.His parents died, and then he went to live with his uncle and aunt. They always fought about things so he ran away. This book got my attention in the first chapter. I recommend this book for at least teenagers and adults. There are some complicated parts in the story. The story stays on track and always tells about the same thing. This was one of the best books I have ever read.

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Summary: Shiloh
Review: Charlie Wiggins English 385 Dr. Martin Sec. 5 3/15/01 Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Shiloh. Dell Publishing. 1991. New York. Mills, Claudia. "The Structure of the Moral Dilemma In Shiloh". Children's Literature Annual. 1999. Vol. 27. p185.

When It's Okay To Lie

The story begins when eleven year old, Marty Preston, comes across a skinny malnourished beagle. Marty learns that a man who doesn't take good care of his dogs, Judd Travers, owns the Beagle. Marty refuses to return the beagle, names the dog Shiloh, and hides the dog from his parents. Marty is forced to lie, to protect Shiloh.

The main theme in Shiloh is the moral dilemma that Marty faces. He comes face to face with a "question that professional philosophy literature has been struggling to answer. Is there always a right answer to the question "What should I do?" (Mills185-186). Marty has to decide between the law and what he feels is right. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor uses Marty and his situation to answer the age-old question "What should I do?"

Marty narrates the story of he and Shiloh. This first person point of view lets us get a better idea of what Marty is going through. We get to see how he feels about each situation in which he is involved. It also allows the reader to side more with him than any other character because the reader do not know what the others are thinking and how they feel about things. With insight into Marty's feelings, the reader becomes concerned with Shiloh's well being; the reader wants to help Marty rescue Shiloh from Judd. Marty lies to Judd to save Shiloh from being kicked. He states that "a lie don't seem a lie anymore when it's meant to save a dog, and right and wrong's all mixed up in my head" (Naylor 80). We tend to agree with him on this stance because Marty makes Judd out to be such a terrible person, that Marty is made out to be in the right. He realizes that he should not be lying, but he would do anything for Shiloh. Marty feels does what he is the right thing to do; this means Marty must lie.

Marty is brought up in a religious household. His mother tries to instill in him what is right and wrong. She believes that lying is wrong and tells Marty this. His mother tells him that the worst thing a person can do, is "become separated from God's love" (Naylor), and lying will do that. Marty's mother uses religion to show Marty and her other children what to do when faced with a dilemma. Marty uses his mother's beliefs to help him find out what to do with Shiloh. "Jesus" he whispers "'which do you want me to do? Be one hundred percent honest and carry that dog back to Judd so that one of your creatures can be kicked and starved all over again, or keep him here and fatten and glorify your creation?"(Naylor 57). He answers his question with his question. Marty feels that it would be better to keep Shiloh and keep him healthy, than to return him to Judd Travers, where Shiloh would be mistreated.

Marty is also faced with the problem of obeying the law. By him keeping the dog he is breaking the law, since he basically stole Shiloh from Judd. After a neighbor's dog attacks Shiloh, the family learns that Marty has been lying to them. Marty's father says that Shiloh must be returned. He says that the dog is not Marty's; he belongs to whoever has paid for him. "Marty claims that it is love, not money, that should establish ownership" (Mills 192). Marty says "Mine more than Judd's! . . . . .He only paid money for him. I'm the one who loves him" (Naylor 82). Marty also uses the law to get what he needs. One day he comes across Judd shooting a deer, which are out of season. Since Judd has already said that he would not sell Shiloh, Marty bargains with Judd. He ends up convincing Judd to sell Shiloh, but only if Marty works twenty hours at Judd's house (Naylor 125-126).

Marty is trying to separate what is right from what is legally and religiously required (Mills 193). Marty's dad tells him, "I want you to do what's right" to which Marty responds "What's right?"" (Naylor 94). His father has no answer. There is no finite response to the question "What should I do?" You have to look into yourself and decide what is right; the only thing to do is to go with your gut.

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Summary: Shiloh
Review: I had just got done reading the book called Shiloh and I thought it was a great book. When I read the book I was amazed about how Marty had got Shiloh from Judd and all the adventures he had to go through. When Shiloh was free from Judd he had had a great time untill........ If you really want to know what had happened to Shiloh get this book and see for yourself what happens!!! Hope you enjoy this book.

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Summary: Good Book!
Review: This book was really good! It was a little hard to follow at times, but it has a really good story line and is well worth reading.