A Call to war can be an unsettling feeling. In the “ Drummer Boy Of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury, “ Beat! Beat! Drums!” by Walt Whitman, and “ An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” directed by Robert Enrico, each story contains a symbol represented by the beat of a drum. In “ The Drummer Boy of Shiloh,” Joby’s drum is one representation of hope. The soldiers know they are going off to war and some of them will not return. Their futures are uncertain and Joby does not know what is going to happen to him. When the soldiers march to Joby’s drum, the constant beat makes the soldiers feel strong. The rhythmic beat of the drum reminds them of their own heartbeat. Powerful and sturdy, the drum is a constant reassurance that everything is under control,