John
Steinbeck uses many techniques in The
Moon Is Down to keep the reader interested and convey his message of the
importance of democracy and freedom.
These techniques include symbolism and Steinbeck’s use of multiple
character perspective. The most common
symbols seen in The Moon Is Down are
light versus darkness. From the
beginning of the novel these symbols are used as foreshadowing for the invasion
and the future rebellion seen in this book.
“’It’s a cloud,’ she said.
‘There’s word snow is on the way, and it’s early, too.’ Doctor Winter went to the window and squinted
up at the sky, and he said, ‘Yes it’s a big cloud; maybe it will pass
over.’ Mayor Orden switched on a lamp
that made only a little circle of light.
He switched it off again and said, ‘ A light in the daytime is a lonely
thing.’” (Steinbeck 44). The symbolism
of light and dark is seen plainly in this quote. The coming of an early winter symbolized the
hard and evil times waiting for the citizens of the town. The lamp symbolizes the comparison of the
amount of good versus the amount of evil they are dealing with. The lamp hardly makes a mark on the storm
brewing, but it is enough to spark the hope of the people. The other technique that Steinbeck commonly
used in The Moon Is Down was telling
the story through multiple people. He
did not only focus on one character but included conversations and feelings
from a whole range of characters including Mayer Order, Colonel Lanser, many of
the majors, and Annie. By using so many
perspectives, Steinbeck allowed both sides of the invasion to be
understood. This created a sense that
the reader could feel linked to the side or people they felt most in common
with. By using this writing style,
Steinbeck was able to build suspense at parts because the reader new something
that another side did not. Overall
Steinbeck has used all these techniques to make The Moon Is Down into the great novel that it is.
Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.
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