Shiloh Season

Marty’s school assignment is a realistic plot device that lets Marty learn more about becoming a vet, and this new information will eventually help him to realize that Judd is symbolically like a mistreated dog. When Marty asks John Collins questions about how and why dogs act mean, the vet’s answers are informative and hopeful. As he states, “Once [a dog] starts accepting your food, he’ll listen for the sound of your voice and get to know you. And after he learns to trust you, he’ll let you pet him. Just takes time” (80). Since John makes it clear that any dog can be reformed through love, kindness, and patience, Marty realizes that the same idea can also apply to people. Once people are treated with care and respect, they can earn each other’s trust and live happily together. The insight from John foreshadows the fact that just as Marty can save animals like Shiloh, he can also make steps toward building a more positive connection with difficult people like Judd.

Furthermore, Marty’s questions about reforming mean-tempered dogs who have been tied up highlights the recurring theme of The Ethical Treatment of Animals. Within this context, the imagery of chains symbolizes the mistreatment, oppression, and fear that dogs like Judd’s experience upon being perpetually confined. The vet John explains that keeping dogs on chains makes them feel “trapped,” which leads to negative behaviors like snarling to signal the dog’s distrust. Because Judd’s dogs are always chained up, they are unfairly deprived of their freedom to run, play, and have independence. The subtext of this aspect of the novel is that because Judd himself has only ever known mistreatment, he continues his personal cycle of abuse with his dogs. As Marty brainstorms ways to reform ill-tempered and mistreated dogs, the author foreshadows Marty’s future attempts to initiate a bit of reform with Judd himself, implying that only through Marty’s determined kindness will Judd choose to become a better, gentler caretaker for his dogs.

However, before this moment arrives, Dara Lynn’s encounter with Judd’s dogs highlights a different angle of The Ethical Treatment of Animals. When Judd’s dogs get loose and attack Dara Lynn, this action-packed scene uses conflict and suspense to create a shift in their relationship dynamics with Judd. Connecting Marty’s conversations with the vet and his ideas about Judd, the attack illustrates that Judd’s dogs have become just as violent as he is. In this scene, the author uses fast-paced action with short phrases and verb-centered descriptions to build the conflict and mood of panic. As Marty states, “Dogs are yelping, Ma is shouting, Dara Lynn’s screaming, Shiloh’s yipping, Becky’s standing at the screen squalling, and the hens are all carrying on in the chicken coop” (72). This first major act of violence against Marty’s family creates a shift in their wary but amiable approach to dealing with Judd. Because Dara Lynn has been badly bitten, the danger has risen to higher levels, causing Marty’s family to become firm and adamant with Judd when he tries to blame them for letting the dogs loose and then tries to take Shiloh. Although the Prestons are too nice to press charges against Judd for Dara Lynn’s injury, they refuse to yield to his cruelty or accusations, and their long-standing tolerance of Judd’s behavior transforms into active defiance.

When Judd actively shoots at Marty, this violent action raises the stakes to the highest degree—life and death—and challenges Marty’s ability to have any degree of empathy for Judd. Dara Lynn was accidentally injured by Judd’s dogs, but this time, Judd purposely shoots at Marty and Shiloh, terrifying the boy. Marty’s shock is a realistic reaction to the attack, increasing his dread and aversion. The author also turns Judd into an undeniable villain in this scene because he could have murdered Marty and/or Shiloh. The tension cannot rise any higher, because their lives are at stake. After this point, it seems Judd may not be redeemable—but the author effectively develops Judd’s drinking habit to show he was impaired when shooting and employs Marty’s empathy to make peace with Judd later. Judd’s evil actions are balanced out by Marty’s forgiveness, showing Compassion and the Road to Redemption through Marty’s trying to understand and befriend Judd to conquer their conflicts, rather than hate Judd forever and live in fear of his attacks.