The
universal themes addressed in The Moon Is
Down include Democracy, the power of unity, and the nature of war. Democracy is seen as being an incorruptible
power in this book. “’But they can’t
arrest the Mayor,’ she explained to him.
Orden smiled at her. ‘NO,’ he said, ‘they can’t arrest the Mayor. The Mayor is an idea conceived by free men. It will escape arrest.’” (Steinbeck
112). Even when the mayor was sentenced
to death, the idea of democracy lived on because it is controlled by all
people, not just its leader. The theme
of unity also played a role in The Moon
Is Down. When the citizens of the
town banded together, the invaders lost hope, and became the victims of their
own conquest. This unity came at the
cost of the martyr Alex Morden who killed a commander out of anger. When he was sentenced to death, the people
realized they must find a way to fight to earn their freedom back. A final theme addressed in The Moon Is Down is the nature of
war. There is no good side of a war;
both are at fault and do morally wrong things to each other. What Steinbeck tried to point out was that
the enemy is also human despite being an opposing force. “Steinbeck depicts his putative Germans as
human being with normal feelings. They
offer the citizens of the conquered country justifications for their
invasions. They plead for understanding. They miss their families. They want their victims to accept them. Yet nothing can disguise their theft of
freedom, and eventually the local patriot’s desire to regain it impels them to
resist” (Steinbeck xi). Steinbeck understands that every human needs
love and compassion. The soldiers lost
their confidence and nerve because the felt alone in their quest. This psychological need is almost as
important as food and water. In war,
this is often times the deciding factor of the overall outcome. It does not matter who wins the battle, the
true victory lies in the end of the war.
Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.
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