After reading "Shiloh" by Bobbie Ann Mason, I couldn't help but think of all the times my mom would tell me, "Things aren't like they were in the good ole days." Sure, I love my iPad and Tivo and Xbox, but I am really jealous that I never got to live in time period where time went slower, you only saw 4 cars pass by the whole day, and no one was afraid of terrorist attacks. It seems as though Leroy sees how much his hometown has changed since coming back permanently, and throughout the story Leroy laments the loss of the good ole days.
Since Leroy has come home to stay permanently, he "notices how much the town has changed" (3). Even though it seems as if the population hasn't ballooned as much as it has in other areas, he still realizes that the "farmers who used to gather around in the courthouse square on Saturday afternoons to play checkers and spit tobacco juice have gone" (4). This realization is tough for Leroy, as it signals the loss of the good ole days when he and Norma Jean were young and life was slower paced.
One of the major causes of the loss of rural America is the explosive trend of urbanization and industrialism. In "Shiloh," Stevie Hamilton, the doctor's son, is essentially a drug dealer, something that is very common in the urban areas. I feel that his inclusion in the story shows that times are changing, where in the 1960's marijuana was more accepted, but now drug dealers are the only suppliers of illegal drugs. After his interaction with Stevie, Leroy thinks back to his teenage years, and the situation in which their son died while they were at the drive-in movie theater (4-5). Leroy is constantly reminiscing about the past, showing that he yearns for the good ole days.
I feel that the ending of the story is actually quite ironic. He does again think back to his younger years, when Norma Jean "married Leroy and they had a baby" (16). However, Leroy thinks to himself that history "was always just names and dates to him" (16). Ironically, Leroy basically lives in his own history, showing that it indeed does have a much greater meaning that just names and dates. He can remember minute details, such as the exact age of Randy when he died-"four months and three days"- and what movies they were watching at the drive-in when he died- "Dr. Strangelove and Lover Come Back-" (4). Leroy's own history seems to mean a lot to him, so it is strange that he nonchalantly tosses it aside as just "names and dates."
I guess the question I would pose is whether or not you agree with me that Leroy lives in the past to escape the present. Also, is there anyone else out there that would want to live back in the good ole days? Maybe it's a time I would like to visit, but I think I would find out I wouldn't want to stay in that time period!
I've read one other piece by Bobbie Ann Mason - her short story "Wish." The characters in "Wish" (Sam and his sister Damson) definitely live in the past, but it almost makes more sense for them to do so because Sam and Damson are 40-50 years older than Norma Jean and Leroy. But it's clear that the past features prominently in Mason's works. As to whether Leroy's living in the past is a conscious method of escapism - I'm not sure. Some people are generally more past-focused than present- or future-focused. See my blog post for more details :)
ReplyDeleteRyan, I completely agree with you about the "good ol' days". I too often find myself wishing for simpler times. I find it interesting, though, that although Leroy constantly yearns for these times from the past, and how things were then, his whole persona does not seem to match with those times. In the centuries before, men were viewed as the ones responsible for obtaining the income and providing for their family. However, Leroy seems to be content with just laying around the house smoking weed while Norma Jean does all the work. So, in a way, Leroy is a bit of a hypocrite for even contemplating and wishing for the whole concept of the past.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think about that aspect of the story - that Leroy wants to go back in time, but he doesn't seem to want the responsibilities of the past. I can totally understand why Leroy doesn't want to drive a truck anymore, but it's so true that it's not as if he is actively seeking a new job.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point Ben, I had not thought of that either. It seems as though Leroy wants the best of both worlds. He yearns for the nostalgia of better days that have passed, but seems perfectly content letting Norma Jean better herself while he sits back and chills all day. Interesting point!
ReplyDeleteI think it all goes back to the trauma of his truck accident. That single event radically altered his life. He was no longer capable of driving a truck--whether physically or mentally--and it altered his personality in odd ways. Though it doesn't mention the accident much, I don't think he ever got over it, really, which could be why he "lays around the house smoking weed". If the accident had such a huge impact on him, it would only be natural for him to wish for the good ol days before it happened, to wish he could go back to his pre-accident life.
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DeleteI think for Leroy to essentially live in the past is his way of coping with his accident and the fact that his life changed so much in the blink of an eye. I think anyone that goes through a traumatic event always thinks about the past and how things used to be as well as becoming extremely observant of how much things have changed and I would agree that he is living in the past to escape his present because his present isn't as great as he thought it would be.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bennet and Brittany. I think Leroy misses what once was. The truck accident took a lot away from him. I' sure it injured his pride. He not only lost his job he lost his ability to support his family. I think that caused a lot of strain on his marriage. The fact that he went from being away because he was on the road all the time to always being at home also seemed to have put a strain on their marriage because both of them had to readjust to a new lifestyle. That being said, Leroy seems to be suffering from the physical and psychological repercussions of his accident. It does not surprise me that he would want to escape his current reality.
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