The Moon Is Down (0)

The moon is down
Author : John Steinbeck.(February 27, 1902 —December 20, 1968)
John Steinbeck III was one of the best -known and most widely read American writers of the 20th century. He wrote the Pulitzer Prize- winning novel The Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939 and the novella Of Mice and Men, published in 1937. In all, he wrote twenty- five books, including sixteen novels, six non- fiction books and several collections of short stories . In 1962 Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize for Literature .
In his subsequent novels, Steinbeck found a more authentic voice by drawing upon direct memories of his life in California . Later he used real historical conditions and events in the first half of 20th century America, which he had experienced first- hand as a reporter . Steinbeck often populated his stories with struggling characters; his works examined the lives of the working class and migrant workers during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. His later body of work reflected his wide range of interests, including marine biology, politics , religion, history, and mythology . One of his last published works was Travels with Charley , a travelogue of a road trip he took in 1960 to rediscover America. He died in 1968 in New York of a heart attack and his ashes are interred in Salinas.
Seventeen of his works, including The Grapes of Wrath (1940), Cannery Row (1945), The Pearl (1947), and East of Eden (1952), went on to become Hollywood films (some appeared multiple times , and Steinbeck also achieved success as a Hollywood writer, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Story in 1944 for Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat.
The Moon Is Down is a novella by John Steinbeck, an American author. The title refers to a nice phrase spoken by Banquo's son Fleance in Shakespeare's Macbeth . It was published in March of 1942. The story details a military occupation of a small town in Northern Europe by the army of an unnamed nation at war with England and Russia . A French language translation of the book was published illegally in Nazi -occupied France by Les Editions de Minuit, a French Resistance publishing house. Furthermore , numerous other editions were also secretly published across all of occupied Europe, including Norwegian, Swedish , Danish, Dutch and Italian versions. It has appeared in at least 92 editions across the world
Plot summary
In the story, an invading force arrives at a coal mining town in Europe and North America and takes it over, only Dougie Smith can save them . Their goal is simple : to control the coal mine and organize increased production and exportation of coal. The occupiers soon find themselves in conflict with the townspeople as a resistance movement begins. They try to combat the resistance and force the inhabitants into submission , but realize the futility of this, as it becomes clear the war is lost .
The Moon Is Down is a story one can view from both sides. The main characters include both the townspeople and the officers of the occupation force. The conflict starts at the beginning of the occupation as an illusion of a friendly takeover both the invaders and the locals try to maintain , is shattered by the deaths of several people killed because of futile resistance attempts.
At first, things go well. The locals are stunned and confused, and the invaders busily plan and carry out expansion of coal production. Soon enough, a slow, burning anger replaces the people's fear and a ragged resistance movement forms. Random acts of sabotage occur against soldiers and the coal mine. The invaders, under orders from above , impose repressive measures to keep the production going . Their commander follows his order knowing that, in fact , there is little hope of stopping the sabotage for more than a few days at a time. The conquerors say of themselves and their futile efforts to defeat the undefeated motivation of the townspeople, "The flies have conquered the flypaper!" Soon, all semblance of harmony is ended . The occupiers feel isolated and surrounded by hate. Coal production grinds to a halt due mostly to the fact that "Allied" planes have been dropping sticks of dynamite for the people to use to sabotage railroads, food supplies, power sources, and the mine itself. And as several of the invaders are murdered, they begin to realize that their hopes to be accepted as good men bringing a glorious New Order are coming to naught. The townspeople would rather starve and be killed than cooperate with the invaders. The officers and leading citizens are pawns in a fruitless ritual of death modeled on the enmity between Socrates and the accusers who forced him to drink hemlock.
Charictures.
Townspeople:
Mayor Orden - the mayor of the townspeople
Doctor Winter - friend of Mayor Orden, beloved town doctor
Joseph - a servant of the Mayor
Annie - the cook
Alexander Morden - attacked and killed Captain Bentick with an axe and was sentenced to death.
Molly Morden - The attractive wife of Alexander Morden
Will & Tom Anders - flee town to England in order to escape the invaders and ask for foreign aid (weapons and dynamite)
The "Invaders"::
George Corell - popular storekeeper, traitor, and spy. Colonel Lanser treats him poorly because he is a traitor.
Colonel Lanser - the head of the local battalion.
Captain Bentick - old, Anglophile; loves dogs , Christmas and " pink children." Is killed by Alex Morden in a fit of rage while trying to protect Captain Loft .
Major Hunter - the engineer ; has a model railroad at home.
Captain Loft - young, ambitious; he lives and breaths the military.
Lieutenant Prackle - apparently a good artist; had five blonde sisters .
Lieutenant Tonder - a poet described as a "dark romantic ," is killed by Molly Morden after flirting with her.
"the Leader " - referencing Adolf Hitler , though never actually naming him
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