In Bobbie Ann Mason's "Shiloh", after Leroy's accident in his truck, the pleasant illusion of having a perfectly functioning marriage is shattered leaving the reality that he and Norma Jean have problems in course that they have been hidden and ignored for most of their marriage. The log cabin he never built, the couple's new hobbies, the baby they lost, the dust ripple Mabel makes for them, and the trip they take to Shiloh ultimately push Norma Jean to decide to leave Leroy. “Shiloh” is loaded with symbols for the state of Norma Jean and Leroy’s marriage, and each situation introduced after Leroy’s accident forces them to consider how little they know about each other. The house that Leroy intends to build but never does is symbolic of how their marriage exists but they have never truly settled down and made it permanent. Their marriage never finds solid ground and Leroy believes that the idea of ​​having a house built would validate their marriage and make it seem more authentic. The shaky foundations are revealed when Leroy has an accident and returns to being close to Norma Jean all the time. Another key issue is the fact that Leroy not only maintains the idea of ​​one day building the log cabin, but repeatedly ignores Norma Jean when she tells him that she really doesn't want that kind of house, but keeps saying she'll make it . He knows she doesn't want it: “I'm going to build myself a log house as soon as I have time. My wife, though, I don't think she likes the idea” (302), but he wants the idea of ​​a place that expresses their marriage. Leroy and Norma Jean's desires do not coincide and they are unable to deal with the problem. Their lack of effective communication and productive problem solving is also a factor that leads the marriage to di...... middle of paper ......on a layer of symbolism embedded in the events of the story that illustrates this that is happening in the marriage of Leeroy and Norma Jean. “Shiloh” proves that open communication is necessary to have a healthy marriage, and acknowledging problems doesn't hurt a couple either. Another lesson to learn is that part of being human is that change will happen, however, everyone has a choice to either internalize their knowledge and fear change like Leeroy, or experience the world, make change a positive thing, and thrive like Norma Jean did. It hasn't been easy or comfortable for her, but sometimes recognizing that situations are harmful and moving on to more beneficial situations requires an uncomfortable outlook. Work Cited Mason, Bobbie Ann. “Shiloh.” Literature: A Pocket Anthology.Ed. R. S. Gwynn. 4th ed. New York: Penguin-Longman, 2009. 300-313. Print.