The Moon is Down

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The Moon is down

by John Steinbeck

Summary:

The story plays in a small Norwegian town during the second World War. George Corell an inhabitant of this town helps the German conquerors to invade in this district. After the invasion, Mayor Orden and his friend and adviser Doctor Winter wait for an audience with Colonel Lanser. Lanser expects the Mayor to try to reassure the people of his town and he hopes that his ( Lansers comrades ) do not have to force the inhabitants to get coal out of the mine which belongs to this community. The colonel explains to Orden that he just wants to finish his business without much trouble. But the Mayor and Winter know very well that the population will defend themselves against the conquerors because of two reasons: first, they are all very surprised because of their new situation and second, they will not obey the new orders given by strangers.

Upstairs in the little palace of Mayor Orden the staff of Colonel Lanser makes its headquarters. There are five other soldiers beside the Colonel: Mayor Hunter, the engineer; the old Captain Bentick; the strict Captain Loft and two sentimental second Lieutenants Prackle and Tonder. Suddenly George Corell enters the room. Lanser thanks him for the excellent work he did and advises him to leave the town because of peoples hate. But Corell first does not want to go to another city, because he wants to get the job of Mayor Orden. But then, Loft can persuade him. The conversation is interrupted by Captain Loft who reports that Captain Bentick has been killed. It turns out that the murderer is Alex Morden who does not want to obey the orders of the soldier. Mayor Orden tries to avert Alex’s execution but it’s too late. For the conquerors this situation is what they never wanted. First: because of the death of Alex Morden people are furious and second: the conquerors want them to get coal out of the mine. Now Lanser takes command and expects that every house in the town is combed for weapons. So the whole time soldiers patrol through the snowy streets, English planes bomb the coal mine to destroy the enemy, and little by little dread grows up among the conquerors. A few soldiers are sent home others cry all night and long for their homes, friends and families. Lanser knows that if his men go daft he has not only to fight the people in the town but his own men, too. Lieutenant Tonder, who begins to get crazy needs a little bit distance after a quarell with Lanser. So he goes to Molly Morten to speak with her and to make her love to him. But it does not work because Molly knows that Lieutenant Tonder killed her husband. Tonder disappears and soon Orden arrives with Winter, his housekeeper Annie and two fishermen at Molly’s house. The fishermen want to leave the town to get help from England and at the same time they have to remove George Corell. Now Orden tells them that they should askEngland for weapons. When the group is gone Tonder visites Molly again. Before she opens the door she takes shears and when the Lieutenant wants to enter she kills him. The days go by. One night bombers fly over the town and drop little packets full of dynamite and chocolate. Immediately people start to search after these little boxes, read the instructions, eat the chocolate, begin to test the TNT and start to carry on attack. Captain Loft, Colonel Lanser, Prackle and Hunter become nervous now and they realise that their men would desert if they can not control the inhabitants. So they arrest Mayor Orden and Doctor Winter and threaten people to kill them. But both, Orden and Winter know that their people won’t stop the attacks and that their deaths will grant them the liberty.


Interpretation:

The story contains one main subject: The relation conqueror – inhabitant. After the invasion, the conqueror is the boss. He gives the orders and the inhabitant has to obey. If the inhabitant doesn’t o...