A Speck of Dust

            “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury is about a fourteen year old boy who is a drummer boy in the civil war. He doesn’t think he is much use to the army at first, but then he begins to recognize his value. The theme of “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” is that in a big project or movement, even the lowest ranked person can making the difference between winning and losing, life and death. Everyone is moving towards the same goal, no matter what.

            In the beginning of the story, the drummer boy, Joby, doesn’t consider himself very useful to the army. He has low self confidence and he feels like an outcast. He doesn’t feel connected to the rest of the army.

            By the end, Joby realizes that he is one of the most important people in the army. His drum beats could make the difference between life and death, winning and losing, for hundreds of men. He realizes that even though he is just a small part of a huge army, he is important, just like everyone else.

            This reminds me of a quote I once heard-- “Everyone should keep two papers in their pockets. One says, ‘The world was created for me,’ and the other says, ‘I am only dust and ashes.’” This quote means that every single person is extremely important, but in the big picture, we are only specks of dust. We each could be the one to make a big change, but we always need to remember that we are only part of a whole. In my life, I do my best because I know that I am important, but I try to remember that I am only a little fluff under someone’s bed compared to the whole world.