The Moon Is Down
by John Steinbeck
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Book Summary Information
Author: John SteinbeckIntroduction: Donald V. Coers
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1995-11-01
ISBN: 0140187464
Number of pages: 144
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Book Reviews of The Moon Is Down
Book Review: "People don't like to be conquered."
Summary: 5 Stars
John Steinbeck wrote this propaganda novel shortly after the Nazis had occupied most of Europe. A belief became prevalent, in Steinbeck's eyes, that much of the world was beginning to think the Nazis invincible and undefeatable, and to Steinbeck this was ridiculous. He wanted to portray them as mere men, evil and cruel and certainly overpowering at the moment, but human beings and not infallible. This novel was the result.
The story centers around a town that has been occupied by an invading army (Steinbeck never identifies the soldiers as Nazis nor what country the town is in, but it's obvious that they are just that and the country is Norway). The invaders also plan on occupying the local coal mine; soon after coal miner Alexander Morden kills one of the soldiers with a pickax. Morden is sentenced to be shot, but his wife pleads with the mayor of the town, Orden, not to pass sentence. A battle of wills develops between Orden and Col. Lanser, the commander of the army. Lanser is a war-weary leader and Orden assures him he and his invaders will be "destroyed and driven out" by free men. In the meantime explosives have been acquired from England and are used to commit sabotage. Lanser wants Orden to put a stop to this, but Orden says it's beyond his control. The book ends with a large explosion in the distance.
Although the book had a propaganda intent, Steinbeck does not demonize the enemy. The invaders are shown becoming homesick and disillusioned; one character, Lt. Tonder, is a lonely poet who is quite tender in his dealings with Alexander Morden's wife Molly (she kills him with a pair of scissors). (Some people at the time thought Steinbeck was TOO kind to the invaders.)
Steinbeck's message is that free men working for a common cause will always be victorious. The book was, of course, banned by the Nazis, but was widely pirated and smuggled into all the occupied countries - and gave many in the resistance movements courage and hope. An important book then, and maybe worth looking at again as a reminder of the "durability of democracy."
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