Shiloh Essay, Research Paper
SHILOH
Wow, this is a fantastic book. Shiloh was well-written by Phyllis Reynols Naylor. This
book good for any age, go to your library and get Shiloh.
This book takes place up in the hills of Friendly, West Virginia. The two main
characters are Shiloh a mistreated hunting beagle with ticks and fleas and a caring, loving
boy named Marty, and eleven-year-old from a very poor West Virginia family.
Marty’s mom is a homemaker and Marty’s dad is a mail carrier. He has two sisters
Becky, who is three and Dara Lynn who is seven.
It all started when Marty went up in the hills for a walk, and to shoot his gun for some
target practice. He sees a young beagle dog. The dog cringes and sinks to the ground
when Marty calls it. He can tell the dog has been abused. His ribs are sticking out.
The dog follows him but doesn t get to close, not quit trusting Marty. He follows Marty
most of the afternoon keeping a safe distance from him, Until Marty whistles, the dog
comes running up to him then and they become friends. He decides to take him home,
even though he knows the dog has on a old collar and belongs to someone.
When his Dad gets home and sees the dog he ask the boy were he found him. Marty
tells him by Shiloh school house. This is how Shiloh got his name.
He only gets to keep the dog a little while before his Dad makes him take him back to
Judd Travers, his owner who has a bad temper, and mistreated and abused dogs that
belong to him. He is mean to Shiloh and will not feed him but makes him watch the other
dogs eat. Shiloh runs away form Travers, when he takes his dogs hunting and returns to
Marty. Marty decides to hide the dog from Travers. He builds a pen in the woods where
he thinks Shiloh will be safe and sneaks food for him from home.
Unfortunately he does not build it high enough and a German shepard dog jumps in the
pen and attacks the beagle. Marty has no choice but to tell his parents and take the dog to
the vet or it will die.
Judd Travers is told by someone that sees the dog lying on the vets porch, that Shiloh is
there. He then goes to claim his property.
Marty talks Travers into letting him work of the cost of the dog Travers agrees. He
makes Marty into his slave. He has to work very hard to pay of the dog. He learns from
talking to Travers reasons from his past that he acts the way he does.
Finally Marty gets to keep the dog Shiloh and bring him to a safe and happy home.