Shiloh Season

As Judd demonstrates cruel behavior to both his dogs and the local squirrels, these chapters highlight the complex issues surrounding The Ethical Treatment of Animals and clearly establish that Judd is in the wrong. For example, when Marty and his dad deliver mail, the three dogs are chained up and snarling, presenting an imminent threat to Marty and Dad. Even so, Marty thinks first of the dogs’ well-being, commenting, “I wonder if [Judd has] even fed his dogs this morning” (23). While Marty has done much to reverse the trauma that Shiloh suffered while he was with Judd, Judd’s remaining dogs are brutally abused and neglected, and Judd’s generally poor treatment of animals is reiterated when he shoots the squirrel. Marty tries to understand the underlying reasons for Judd’s cruelty, asking, “How can he do that? […] To watch a living thing die slow, […] shot for no good reason at all? Wasn’t as though Judd needed [the squirrel] for food […] because he don’t even get off the step” (35). As Marty astutely observes, killing the squirrel for no reason and taking “delight” in the squirrel’s death are signs of Judd’s consistent mistreatment of animals. The author uses these brutal instances and Marty’s resulting horror and sadness to emphasize that all creatures should be treated with affection and respect, and this theme is interwoven throughout the entirety of the novel.

Marty’s empathy and bravery to stand up against animal abuse are important aspects of his personality. Even though he is terrified by the threat that Judd represents, he still raises his voice and stops Judd from killing another innocent squirrel for pleasure. Just like with Shiloh, Marty cannot stand by and allow animals to be abused; even when his options are extremely limited, he always takes action to protect them. In this particular instance, he is well aware that Judd is breaking the law by shooting squirrels out of season; his actions are illegal and have deadly consequences for wildlife, which further solidifies him as the villain and justifies Marty’s decision to stand up to him. In this scene, establishing Marty’s empathy for a squirrel shows his commitment to defending animals at all costs. It also illustrates his growing determination to face Judd and his empathy for all living things—empathy that he will rely on to earn Judd’s trust and end their conflict at the novel’s conclusion.

By communicating directly with Judd about playing in his yard, Marty again displays his bravery and morality while illustrating his ongoing commitment to Discerning Right from Wrong and acting accordingly. Knowing that it is his duty to apologize for venturing onto Judd’s property, Marty courageously talks to Judd in a mature manner and admits that he and David were playing in his yard, but instead of accepting his apology, Judd turns to anger and outright threats, stating, “You and that boy come over here once, you’ve been here more’n that. […] I catch you over here again, I just may pull the trigger” (44). This aggressive reaction causes Marty to wonder whether his attempt to do the right thing has only made matters worse, leading him to question whether honesty is always the best policy. This uncertainty reflects Marty’s internal battle with an array of ethical issues around the finer points of justice and integrity. As the conflict between the two characters escalates, the scene effectively adds depth to Marty’s questions of morality and ethics, and as he navigates each difficult encounter with Judd, he develops new theories and ideas about the best way to define his own set of ethics.

Unlike Marty’s attempt to make peace, Judd remains dishonest and confrontational, and his lies highlight his fundamental immorality even when he is given the chance to reconcile with his neighbors. For example, Judd lies to Ray about the details of his deal with Marty, falsely claiming that he can take Shiloh back for hunting purposes at any time. This blatant lie shows that Judd is selfish and never apologizes for his actions; instead, he is willing to use any means necessary to get what he wants. At this point in the novel, Judd wants to use Shiloh for hunting just as much as he wants to get revenge on the Prestons for not letting him hunt on their land, even though their request is reasonable. Judd’s cruel words and actions demonstrate his volatile nature, for as Ray explains, “[W]hen I was up to see Judd last week, I lost my temper. […] I showed him the beer can, and reminded him our woods and fields are posted, and all he did was cuss me out” (45). By swearing at Ray and disparaging Marty’s name, Judd displays his deceitful, uncaring nature. Ironically, Marty is also dishonest about some things; he lies by omission about the real deal with Shiloh and avoids telling his family about sneaking onto Judd’s land. This overlap between Judd’s outright dishonesty and Marty’s avoidance of the truth creates an implicit study on the true definition of honesty.