Journal #3

I think that the main emotion I would feel if I got held hostage is fear. All consuming fear. I'd be frightened and terrified, and i'd probably miss my family terribly. It would be super hard to cope with something like that, especially in today's world. Most hostages end up dead anyway because the kidnapper gets tired of taking care of them, or is a psychopath and is out of their mind. I guess it would depend on who the kidnapper was. If it was someone really mean and violent it would be even harder to cope with the situation. But if they were more civil and I could see that they were in a terrible jam that drove them to something as severe as a kidnapping, I would feel more pity than fear probably....but that still doesn't compensate for the fact that the person was holding me against my will. I'd do my best not to show weakness, and maybe even try to negotiate with the person. Most people who take hostages do it because they are scared and frightened and don't want to get hurt or get in trouble. They do it because they sometimes don't know what else to do. Sometimes they need money or have a family problem that drives them to do drastic things. I would try to negotiate with them, and try to make them see that doing what they are doing isn't right.  The biggest coping mechanism I would use is probably prayer. I'm a  religious person, and i'd use prayer to help me stay strong in my situation. I'd also hope that someone would save me. That would be a seriously driving goal that would keep me going. I might even plan an escape, and that would also help me cope because i'd feel like I had something under my sleeve 'just in case' , and i'd plan it very carefully and wait for the right moment to do it.  I'd also use my own inner thoughts to keep me going. I'd think of my family and remember the good times. I most likely though, out of all the coping mechanisms, would use hope to keep me going. I'd just keep hoping that someone would come help me, or come get me out of my situation.

Homework: How do the two authors reflect the Puritan writing style in their works?

I really enjoyed the literature by Rowlandson and Bradstreet. Their writing was very heartfelt and emotional, and they did wonderful at describing what happened to them and narrating their personal stories. I noticed many times that Rowlandson and Bradstreet’s writing reflected the Puritan style of writing. Both have a strong Christian background, clearly, and they often mention God in their writing. Most of all, they praise him and thank him in their times of trouble, rather than scold him for their misfortune. They give him utter authority, and many times they connect their domestic life with their religious and spiritual ones. Their religious beliefs affect how they react to the harsh and cruel situations that they go through, which is a strong characteristic of a Puritan. Mr. Langley’s presentation on Puritans says that Puritans used their writings to explore their inner and outer lives for signs of workings of God, and also that they commonly wrote diaries and histories that directly expressed the workings of God. I saw all of these typical Puritan writing techniques in these two works.                                                               

  First of all, Rowlandson’s story A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson was extremely reflective of Puritan styles. From the very beginning she compares her current situation to a biblical one, and quotes something that Job said in the bible, comparing her life to that of his because Job was tested and went through many hardships, but continued to rely on God (Rowlandson, 82). Right from the start she connects her situation with a Bible story, which is very reflective of the Puritan style. As the story continues, she continues to mention God, saying once, “but God was with me in wonderful manner, carrying me along, and bearing up my spirit, that it did not quite fail” (Rowlandson 83). She recognizes God’s authority in her life, and her religious belief reflects how she views her situation. Another thing occurs and shows how her beliefs affect her views. When her child dies, she mentions having thoughts to kill herself, and claims that it was only God who ‘preserved’ her from ending her ‘own miserable life’ (Rowlandson 83). This shows how her belief in God changed her perspective on the situation, and she doesn’t take her own life. Later she describes a direct ‘working of God’ in her life, and tells readers how she got lost on her way to see her son, and though she met many new Indians she didn’t know, none of them harmed her (Rowlandson, 84). She directly gives God the credit for this miraculous situation. At the end of the story, she describes how the Lord dealt with her ‘mercifully’ and how she had ‘been in the midst’ of ‘roaring lions’ and ‘savage bears’ and how none of them offered her any ‘abuse’ (Rowlandson 85). She trusts in the Lord and believes that Her brought her out of her pit with his mercy and preserved her life. Her writing is very reflective of the Puritan style from beginning to end.                                                                                                         

  The other writer, Bradstreet, also had many Puritan writing characteristics in her work. She expresses a strong belief and reliance on God in her writing, which is a very common Puritan characteristic, and is constantly seen throughout her poem. She starts out describing how she saw her house burning and says that she cried out to God to strengthen her in her distress (Bradstreet 91). Rather then call on  anyone else, she first cries out to God, which shows her utter devotion and trust in him. As she watches her house burn to the ground, I noticed how she drew God’s divine plan out of it, and how she had a simple understanding of her situation because of her belief in God. She mentions blessing his name because he is a giver and a taker, and the one who provided her with the means to even have a house in the first place (Bradstreet 91). This, again, reflects the Puritan style of writing because Puritans linked situations in their life to direct workings of God. She describes her sorrow and grief for losing everything that she ever owned, and you think that the story is going to end on that melancholy note, but instead, she talks of God’s heavenly home that he is building for her in heaven (Bradstreet 91). She has a positive outlook in this harsh tragedy, linking it to God, again reflecting the Puritan characteristics.

Rowlandson, Mary. "A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson." Glencoe    American Literature. N.p.: McGraw-Hill, n.d. 82-85. Print.

Bradstreet, Anne. "Upon the Burning of Our House." Glencoe American Literature. N.p.: McGraw-Hill, n.d. 91. Print.

Journal #2

Out in the wide savanna of Africa, there lived a family of elephants. They treated each other as family, and each one loved and cared for the rest. There were many elephants in this large family, and in the summer, they all took a trip to the water pool to celebrate and enjoy one another's company. It was a yearly excursion, and all the young elephants looked forward to it and talked about it all season long. One young elephant, named Willow was especially excited for this trip, and he asked his mother every single solitary day how close they were to going. "We'll leave there in a few weeks, Willow," his mother said to him, smiling. "Just you wait. You will have a wonderful time, I’m sure." Willow could barely contain himself. "Mom! Mom!" he asked the next day, "How many more days? How many?!" he was jumping up and down with excitement. His mother, again, told him, "Just wait, Willow. Just wait." so Willow waited. And waited. And waited. And each day it got harder and harder for him to hold in is excitement. When he asked again, his mother scolded him and told him to find someone to play with, so he would have something to do to take his mind off. So Willow went out to find someone who would help him pass the time. He asked many of his fellow elephant friends if they could spare some time to keep him company, but all were preparing for the upcoming trip. Willow sunk his head low, gloomy and sad, and walked on, raking his brain for any other friends that he hadn’t thought of. All of a sudden, he remembered his friend Anita, a zebra who lived nearby. "Anita surely isn't busy right now! She's a zebra, so she doesn't have to prepare for the trip to the water pool!" He thought happily. He made his way to the zebra herd. When he arrived, he found Anita off by herself; her graceful neck bent low, her warm eyes droopy and melancholy. Elephant raced up to her, full of excitement, "Hey! Anita! Do you want to play with me?" He barely wanted to hear her answer. He just knew she'd say yes. Anita regarded him sadly, her face still downcast. "Sure. I'll play with you, Willow." She murmured. Willow was surprised at her tone. She was usually so happy and energetic. He stopped jumping and instead went to her, carefully asking his next question. "What's the matter, Anita?" She lifted her eyes to his. "The other young zebras went out to play and they didn't ask me to come," Her eyes brimmed with tears. Willow felt sad for her, then angry at the other zebras. "Why would they DO that?! You are so much fun to play with!" He exclaimed. "I don't know." Her voice was nothing but a whisper. Willow was overcome with anger, and all he could think about was getting back at the zebras who had hurt her feelings. Just then, Willow had a better idea. "You don't need to go with the other young zebras, Anita." He said, watching as her eyes lit up with curiosity. "Because you are coming with the elephants on our trip to the water pool!" Anita stood up straighter, her ears perked in listening. " But that trip is only for elephants. You couldn’t possibly bring me along. I'm not part of your herd," she noted, her eyes becoming gloomy again. Willow considered what she said. "No. It doesn't matter. We’ll take you in. We'll take you with us. It's never been done before, but the other elephants won't mind." Anita was still anxious. "But......but that wouldn’t be right...that's something special only the elephants do." Willow was firm with his next answer. " Not anymore." He smiled, and Anita's downcast face lit up and her mouth twisted into a grin. So Willow went home and asked his mother elephant if Anita could come with them on the trip. "Well, it's never been done before, but I’d love to have her with us. I'm sure the rest of the elephants will treat her as family." So Anita came with Willow and the herd of elephants on their trip to the water pool, and they treated her as one of their own, loving her and including her like she was part of them. Next time Anita was upset, or anytime she felt left out, she knew just where to go. She went to Willow and the elephants, who welcomed her into their family and never made her feel alone.

 

Journal #1

Why the Sun Sets in the West


Once there was a beautiful bird named Fiero, with wings crimson as the reddest ruby. He was one of the most important animals in the entire forest, and each day he had a special job to do. Fiero was the fire-bird, and every day he would fly as high as he could to wake up the Sun and tell her to start a new day. The Moon would leave, and the Sun would rub her eyes and rise from her dark slumber, but only to the sound of Fiero's call. In the evening, Fiero would repeat the process, and go to the Sun to send her to sleep. Fiero was much esteemed and felt so important and needed because of his job, and because he was the only one in all the forest who could do it, he had control over the passing of day into night. One day, right after he rose, and before Fiero could fly to the Sun to rustle her from her bed, another bird stopped him, splaying her magnificent wings in front of him, blocking his way. "Why are you up so early, Gale?" Fiero asked the wondrous bird, who dwelt on the western side of the forest. "Why are you trying to stop me? If I don't wake her, who will? She won't be able to start the day without my call!" He said confused. The magnificent orange bird, named Gale, stared at him, her eyes yellow and bright. "The Sun stays up in the day too long, Fiero. Many animals, especially ones from the west side where I reside, need the coolness of the Moon and long for the darkness of night to hide them so they can get their food. You wake the Sun too early and send her to bed too late, making the day much longer than the night. The animals of the forest have asked me to intervene for them, and they ask you to let the Moon stay out longer, and send the sun to bed earlier. There must be a balance" She calmly said. Fiero was appalled. "Why would you ask me to do such a thing? So many animals love the warmth of the Sun and need her light to see during the day! Why not wake her up at the usual time? The animals love the Sun! They love the day!" Fiero was utterly confused. Gale continued to look at him gently, and layed her wings at her side. “Why don't we make an agreement? I live on the west side of the forest, and you on the east. How about this: I will fly to the Sun from the west in the evening and tell her when she many rest. My call will alert her so that she may know it is time for her to settle down and go into slumber. Then the Moon can come out and shine down on the forest. You, on the other hand, may fly from the east in the morning hours and tell her when to rise. This way, we can both control the Sun and both sides of the forest will have a say in the passing of day and night." Fiero knew that Gale was a wise bird, and that she was known for her courage and intelligence, so he considered her idea. He paced the forest floor, casting knowing glances at Gale, who quietly perched and waited for his answer. Finally, he made one. "If what you say is true, then I will grant you permission to send the Sun to bed each night in the west, and I will wake her in the east. She will set in the west from now on, and the hours of day and night will be equal so that all animals will be pleased." Gale nodded and the new decision was announced to all of the forest. Everyone agreed. Fiero's decedents from the West still carry out this occupation even today, as do Gale's decedents in the east. Now the daylight hours and the night hours are mostly equal, and all animals of the forest can agree when more daylight is needed, like in harvest, or when more night is needed, like in the winter. And that is why the Sun sets in the west.

 

Bravery in Death: Mayor Orden

 It is hard to be noble in the face of death, and to most people, it is a very frightening thing. But there was one person in this novel who was brave even though he knew he would die, and in his last few words, he said some of the bravest things of all. The thing that really stood out to me about Mayor Orden was how bold he was in the face of death. He knows he will die, but when Lanser asks him to tell his people to halt the explosions, he refuses and when asked if the people will light the spark, he says to Lanser, “Yes, they will light it. I gave no choice of living or dying, you see, sir, but—I do have a choice of how I do it. If I tell them not to fight, they will be sorry, but they will fight. If I tell them to fight, they will be glad, and I who am not a very brave man will have made them a little braver. You see, it is and easy thing to do, since the end for me is the same" (Steinbeck, 111). The most courageous thing of all is that Orden DOES NOT ask his people to stop continuing their attack in order to save his life. What he did there was something a true leader should do.  He believes in his people, and he tells Lanser that in the end, the townspeople will win. He encourages his people to fight, and he wants them to be free.  He also tells Lanser that the people don’t need him because they are ‘freemen’ and that ‘they can fight on in defeat’ and that ‘Herd men, followers of a leader cannot do that, and so it is always the herd men who win battles, and the free men who win wars.” (Steinbeck, 111) In the end, it is assumed that Lanser will follow through with killing Orden. But Orden made a difference in the end. He was the voice of his people, and he believed as strongly as they did that they would overcome their enemies. He discouraged Lanser by telling him the truth. He also spurred his people on to fight. Though Orden died, I think he DID leave a legacy. He was a true leader, and I think people who read this book can learn a thing or two about leadership from the character Mayor Orden.

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: Mayor Orden Character analysis

In the last blog, I planned to talk about my thoughts and notes on the death of both Alex Morden and Mayer Orden, but I decided to split it into two portions because I had a lot of notes and things I thought about when reading. Mayor Orden was one of my favorite characters because I viewed him as a very wise and thoughtful leader. He wasn’t selfish, and he considered the wants and needs of the town over his own opinions. He also dealt with many hard situations in careful and considered ways. He deals with the death of Alex Morden extremely well, and like I mentioned in the last blog, he tells Alex that he “made the first clear act’ and ‘made the people one’ (Steinbeck, 54-55). He doesn’t scold Alex, but rather tells him, “Good work, Alex!” to much surprise from Colonel Lanser and Loft (Steinbeck, 53). That was a courageous thing to say, and especially in front of the invaders. He makes Alex braver, and comforts him, and tells him how his death will not be in vain.  Orden doesn’t put on a show for anyone, and even from the very start of the story he considers the people. He understands that he’s not just to be a leader, but also a listener, and he admits openly to Lanser that the ‘authority is in the town’ (Steinbeck, 18). Throughout the novel, he remains that same calm, courageous, and collected leader. He doesn’t sway, even when he faces his own death. I really admire that about Mayor Orden, and I think he left a legacy behind when he died.  The part where Orden recites Socrates’ speech, the one he gave before he was killed, was really powerful to me. He knows he’s going to die, and at this point in the story, he says some of the most important things in the entire novel. He quotes something that Socrates said about death, “There you are mistaken: a man who is good for anything ought not to calculate the chance of living or dying; he ought only to consider whether he is doing right or wrong.” (Steinbeck, 106) I believe in this quote whole-heartedly.  It’s really true. Mayor Orden’s character just really stood out too me. He stays brave and makes his people brave.

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: Legacy In Death--Alex Morden

 

 Death is a very real and common occurrence in The Moon is Down. Not only do invading soldiers die, but so do countless other citizens that try to stand up against the conquerors. There is no such thing as a war without death, and The Moon is Down doesn’t differ from that fact. Tonder is murdered (Steinbeck 86), and Captain Bentick dies defending another (Steinbeck , 37), to name a couple mentioned. Death is a very touchy subject for many, but there are two deaths in this story that really stood out to me and I received something meaningful from them. I once read a book series, and when someone in the story died, or was going to die, the family and friends, and even respectful strangers would make something called the death-touch sign. This sign meant “even in death, may you be triumphant.” It was a wish that even though that person died, their death would mean something, or become significant and for a cause. I kept thinking about this phrase as I read this story, and the death of Alex Morden and the foreshadowing death of the Mayor Orden really stood out to me. Firstly, the death of Alex Morden. Alex was the killer of Captain Bentick. Some might say that his murdering of Bentick was a terrible act, and that he made himself the same as every other soldier, but I think differently. Alex was the first of the townspeople to stand up for himself. He was a killer, and was killed in return, but his execution was something like a wake-up call to everyone. Alex didn’t mean to kill Bentick, he just wanted to stand up for himself (Steainbeck, 52) Orden, when talking to Alex about his execution, says something that I think summed up the legacy that Alex began. “When they came, the people were confused and I was confused. We did not know what to do or think. Yours was the first clear act. Your private anger was the beginning of a public anger.” (Steinbeck, 54). He also says, “Alex, go, knowing that these men will have no rest, no rest at all until they are gone, or dead. You will make the people one. It’s a sad knowledge and little enough gift to you, but it is so. No rest at all.” (Steinbeck, 55) What Alex did, I found to be very brave.  He sacrificed himself, and did something drastic, but like Orden said, it made the people one. His one act of anger ignited the anger within the rest of the people. It gave them courage. It made them think ‘if Alex would give up his life to fight for freedom, then so can I.’ It also made them see that their own freedom was worth fighting for, and that it was time to start striking back.  Alex, like he said, didn’t mean to murder Bentick, but this event let the people know that the time had come. The people, like Orden said, were confused about what they should do because the situation was new to them all. I thought it was just so brave that Alex made the first move, so that the rest of the people could follow after him, and have the courage to get back their home.

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

Symbolism in The Moon Is Down

‘The girl looked up, for the room had suddenly darkened, and she seemed to be afraid. “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” (Steinbeck, 44). There is a lot of hidden symbolism in The Moon is Down, but this particular example was one that I found to have a deeper meaning. I believe that the characters are comparing Alex Morden’s trial, and the fighting and death ahead of them to a snow cloud. At first this comparison sounds odd, but as I re-read this particular part, I started to find the reason and meaning for this particular symbolism. This small paragraph is spoken by Molly Morden, Alex’s wife, at a random time during her visit with the Mayor and Doctor Winter, so it stood out to me. The “snow” that both Molly and Winter mention is referring to the time when the people will begin to rebel against the invaders. Because both Molly and Winter know Alex will die, they think that the people will start uprising against the invaders. “Snow is on the way” is Molly’s way of saying that she thinks it won’t be long before the people begin to resist. Doctor Winter comments and says “maybe it will pass over” because he doesn’t know if they will actually do anything, or if they will wait longer. Later, after Lanser tells the Mayor that Alex will be shot and that Orden must pass judgment and go along with it, he says “It will snow tonight.” (Steinbeck, 47). Furthering the assumption that Alex’s death will ignite the uprising within the people. Everyone is pretty much just waiting to see what will happen. The Mayor, Winter, and Molly know the people will rebel soon, but they aren’t sure when. They represent this thought with their talk of a looming snow cloud, full of snow and waiting to let loose on the town. They know that with this “snow” death and a lot of fighting and struggle will come, along with Alex Morden’s execution. At the end of the chapter, Mayor Orden speaks one last melancholy phrase referring to the ‘snow cloud’. “It’s started to snow. It didn’t wait for night. I like the sweet, cool smell of the snow.” (Steinbeck, 50). At this point, Orden finds that there is no more persuading Lanser to spare Morden. He will die, and his death will spark the beginning of the rebellion. He is sure of it. Later in the story we find out that he was indeed correct. The cloud let the snow loose, and it fell on the town.

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: What responsibilities does the author believe exist between various groups in society, such as workers and bosses, men and women, blacks and whites, etc.?

This book doesn’t mention a lot of relationships because it doesn’t really focus on them. There are two groups of people in this story: the invaders, and the invaded. Naturally, they both hate each other’s guts, and I don’t believe Steinbeck’s reason for this was to make a point and say “ If someone conquers you, you should hate them.” That wasn’t what he wanted at all. But I do believe Steinbeck believed that as a conquered country, your responsibility is to fight back and stand up for your freedom.  You shouldn’t just sit back and watch everything wash away, you should fight back, and that is exactly what the townspeople did. There was another relationship I noticed in this story. Mayor Orden is (guess what?) the Mayor of the town, and I really liked what he believed his responsibilities were. He truly understood his job as a leader, and he knew that the people had elected him and could easily un elect him if they wanted. He knew the people trusted him, but he took into account what the people wanted before making any decisions. Orden has a discussion about this with Colonel Lanser. Here is the dialogue they have. Lanser starts.  “Will you try to co-operate?”  “I don’t know. When the town makes up its mind what it wants to do, I’ll probably do that.”  “But you are the authority.”  “You won’t believe this, but it is true: authority is in the town. I don’t know how or why, but it is so. This means we cannot act as quickly as you can, but when a direction is set, we all act together. I am confused. I don’t know yet.” (Steinbeck, 19)  Orden understands his responsibility as Mayor. He listens to the people, and then makes his decision. This is how democracy should run, and Orden understands this. He also accepts the fact that even if he dies, the people will still go on and fight. He says at the end of the story when Lanser arrests him in attempt to make the people behave, “ But that won’t stop it. You don’t understand. When I have become a hindrance to the people, they will do without me.” (Steinbeck, 109) As the leader, he tells Lanser why the people will keep fighting. “If I tell them not to fight, they will be sorry, but they will fight. If I tell them to fight, they will be glad, and I who am not a very brave man will have made them a little braver. You see, it is an easy thing to do, since the end for me is the same.” (Steinbeck, 111) I think Steinbeck believes this is the relationship people should have with their leader.

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: What techniques does the author use to engage the audience and make the story effective? Give examples to support your analysis (mystery, humor, symbolism, suspense, etc.)

Steinbeck uses mystery and suspense to make this story engaging and interesting to read. I really enjoyed this book, and it was my favorite out of the required reads. I enjoyed it mainly because I was always wondering what would happen next. I wanted to know if the townspeople would win the fight or not. The really suspenseful part for me was when Mayor Orden, Molly,Winter, and the Anders boys meet inside Molly’s house and discuss how they are going to get weapons, explosives, and poison. Annie waits outside as soldiers walk by, and the whole time I was really afraid that they would all get caught and killed! (Steinbeck, 79-85) The part where Molly grabs scissors before meeting Tonder was really scary and suspenseful too. ‘Her voice was strained and sweet. She called, “I’m coming, Lieutenant, I’m coming!”’ (Steinbeck, 86) Then it leaves off! It’s really mysterious because you have NO IDEA what happened! You don’t know if she killed him or if she chickened out, or if he killed her or if they even fought! It doesn’t address the issue till later in the story when Lanser talks to Prackle about being on his guard against women. He says, “No, you thought it would be fun, didn’t you? Lieutenant Tonder went to pieces and then he went out and they got a knife in him.” (Steinbeck, 99) After he said that I was so surprised I had to set the book down. Molly actually killed him? I couldn’t believe it.  So after it mentioned previously that Captain Bentick died, and now Lieutenant Tonder , everything gets even more suspenseful and mysterious because now readers want to know if the rest of Lanser’s crew are going to get killed off. People are dying everywhere and now readers wonder who’s next. I just wanted to know if the townspeople actually won, but the book ends before you really know. Mayor Orden claims that yes, the people will eventually drive out the ‘Nazi’ people but you never really know. It ends, just like that!  

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: Why do we still read this book? What is so timeless about its message and characters? What can we learn from reading this novel?

I think we still read this book because it shows us that everyone is only human. It shows the brutality of war, and Steinbeck wrote it as propaganda to show how worthless and useless it is—everyone suffers and everyone gets hurt! The ‘opponent’ is just as scared and worried as the other. Steinbeck even shows who made up the invading army in The Moon is Down: sentimental young men, an ambitious captain , a bitter poets with a dream,  and an experienced Colonel who’d seen so much” killing, torture, sickness, and tiredness over his life”.(Steinbeck, 20-23) He describes them like ordinary soldiers. With dreams and hopes, and a  wish to be home. He shows their fear and in dialogue describes their misery of not being accepted by the people. He shows their loyalty to each other, and describes how Captain Bentick jumped in front of Loft and died to save him. (Steinbeck, 37) War is terrible for everyone. Characters like Colonel Lanser and Mayor Orden were timeless characters too. Lanser was the leader of the invading people, and was trying desperately to get the ‘job’ done with as little blood shed as possible. He even begs Orden to cooperate so that no one will have to get hurt anymore.(Steinbeck, 16) Though in this story he’s on the ‘bad’ side, he still, even in his state, doesn’t want innocent people to get killed, but he can’t avoid it. Colonel Lanser is a timeless character because he was on the ‘bad’ side but was represented as a normal human being. Readers aren’t used to that. We see the ‘bad guys’ as evil, vile people who deserve to be hurt and killed, but in this story, you can’t really choose a side because we get to SEE that both sides are suffering and have families and homes to go too and don’t WANT to hurt one another, but they have too because it’s their job or duty. Mayor Orden is another timeless character. Though he is the elected ‘leader’ he admits that he is not the one in full control, but that it’s the people.(Steinbeck, 19) He is a great example of what democracy should be. He understands that he is the leader, but that he has to take account of what the people want, not just what he thinks should be done. And even in death he accepts his fate and says that it doesn’t matter if he dies, his people will still light ‘the flame’ and will continue to fight even harder than before. (Steinbeck, 110) He has ultimate faith in his people. We really can learn the truth about war and freedom from this novel. How much freedom means to people, and how death can’t stop people from fighting for their freedom. We also learn that war is all about perspective, opposite sides see the other as ‘bad’ and themselves as ‘good’ but in the end, everyone is the same. Each army is made up of regular people with homes and families.

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: How does this novel reflect the history, behavior and social issues of the time period and setting? What is this book's symbolic and thematic significance?

Though the story this book tells is really fiction, I’m sure it wasn’t very far off from what conquered countries had to go through when Germany was invading them during WWII. This book was written “at the zenith of Nazi Germany’s power” as it says on the summary of my copy, which means when Germany was brought to the highest state and had conquered the majority of Europe. That was around 1942, literally, and that was when this book was first published. This book is very reflective on the history, behavior and social issues of the time period and setting. The setting is a small country in Europe, and the time is during WWII. At this time, many European countries were living in fear, and were being invaded by Germany. People would wake up one day, free, and wake up the next I n oppression from invading Nazi’s. The country this book revolves around goes through the same thing. They all start out having a perfectly fine day, and Mr. Corell, a friendly storekeeper (and spy), plans a shooting competition for the soldiers. All is well until another country uses their distraction as a time to invade. (Steinbeck, 1) Things like this happened all the time when Germany invaded countries. The historical problems of the time period and setting  in the story are true to what happened in real life. The behavior and social problems can be found in the relationship between the soldiers and the people of the conquered country. “ I think all invaded people want to resist” (Steinbeck, 83) Doctor Winter says this. This part of the story was true to life also. The people of the invaded country did resist, as did so many others against Germany in WWII.The people also had a strong hate and revengeful spirit against the conquering soldiers, and these feelings led to murder and psychological distress. Lots of European countries resisted Germany too, and had a secret hate for the Nazi soldiers ruling over them. So socially and behaviorally, there was a lot of resentment between conquering soldiers and conquered people.

Symbolically, I think this story really represents freedom, and humans striving for it. It can’t be quenched, and sometimes, the bullys don’t always win. If someone believes enough in something, and in this case, that something is the townpeoples want for freedom, then they will do anything to achieve it. Man will always strive for freedom and resist against invaders. Thematically, I think this story can teach the reader that sometimes there must be sacrifices to achieving freedom, and that war, in the end, only leads to a lot of hurt, but that you should continue to fight for your freedom and not lose faith.

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: Who is the "hero" in this book and what are some of his/her traits? What does he/she accomplish, and how is he/she portrayed? Does the hero represent an abstract idea such as goodness, truth, courage or evil?

Usually most books I read have a distinctive hero. This book, however, as I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, isn’t like the ordinary novel. The Moon is Down doesn’t revolve around a certain character. Many different characters are mentioned, and none of them is placed higher than any other. Normally I would pick one, and at first, I thought I would use Mayor Orden as the ‘hero’ of this novel. Then I got to thinking: he really isn’t  the hero at all. Yes, he is an important character, but he isn’t really the hero here. All people interpret books differently, and I’m sure someone will use a different hero, but to me, I think that the ‘hero’ of The Moon is Down is the people of the town. They are the brave ones who fight for their cause and never give up. Every single one of them is a hero. From the beginning, even though Mayor Orden is the mayor and ‘leader’ of the town, he admits that the people are the ones in control. When Lanser asks Orden to convince the townspeople to cooperate, Orden says he’ll have to wait to see what the people think. Lanser thinks it’s absurd and mentions that Orden is the authority. Orden simply says, “You won’t believe this, but it is true: authority is in the town. I don’t know how or why, but it is so. This means we cannot act as quickly as you can, but when a direction is set, we all act together.” (Steinbeck, 19) The part that I find most important is “we all act together”. It’s true. They do act together. Everyone works for the greater good, and for what’s best for the town. They accomplish much. They resist, they fight the soldiers psychologically, and they ask for help from England, and use explosives and poison to fight back.  People like Alex give their lives for their cause, and take drastic measures to rally on the rest of the people. (Steinbeck, 55) Many give their own lives to protect their families and fight for their freedom. Even the small and meek fight, and Molly is an example of that. She kills Tonder because she knows that’s her part. (Steinbeck, 86) Orden and the Doctor give their own lives too, but when thinking about his death, Orden says something quite profound, “ I am a little man and this is a little town, but there must be a spark in little men that can burst into flame.” (Steinbeck, 106) Later he says to Colonel Lanser, “You will be destroyed and driven out. The people don’t like to be conquered, sir, and so they will not be. Free men cannot start a war, but once it is started, they can fight on in defeat. Herd men, followers of a leader, cannot do that, and so it is always the herd men who win battles and the free men who win wars. You will find that is so, sir.” (Steinbeck,  111) The people of this town truly are the ‘free men’ here. They light the spark, and though they know the consequences, they fight on anyway.  I think that the townspeople represent the abstract idea of freedom. They get crushed down by oppression, but they get back up again and fight. They make many sacrifices, but in the end, though everything looks hopeless, they don’t quit. They keep on fighting. If that is not considered heroic, I don’t know what is!

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: What universal themes does this book address? What does the author understand about human nature?

  There are three major themes that Steinbeck adresses in his novel: War only leads to suffering, Everyone, no matter what side they are on, is only human, and oppresion will drive all people to achieving freedom. Everyone suffers in war. It doesn’t matter who you are, who you work for, why you do what you do, or if you are the winner or the looser. Everyone suffers. War is a worthless and futile thing that only ends in death and misery.  No one is less human than anyone else. Steinbeck really hits home in this book. His themes are very serious, and the reason for this is because he wrote this book to show how terrible war really is. The glory means nothing when everyone ends up hurt in the end. “The men of the battalion came to detest the place they had conquered…and gradually a little fear began to grow in the conquerors, a fear that it would never be over” (Steinbeck pg. 65-66) “This is no honorable war. This is a war of treachery and murder.” (Steinbeck pg. 83)  “Thus is came about that the conquerors grew afraid of the conquered and their nerves wore thin and they shot at shadows in the night. The cold, sullen silence was with them always.” (Steinbeck pg. 59) These are just a few quotes that demonstrate the terribleness of war. Steinbeck also describes the “enemy” soldiers, the conquerors in a whole new light. He shows  that they, like everyone else, are simply human beings that want the same things as everyone else. They want love, warmth, home, and safety, just like the next man. They have personalities, they get homesick, and they get their feelings hurt.  Steinbeck describes them all in his story, revealing the fact that they are only human too. (Steinbeck 21-23) The third major theme it adresses is that oppression will drive all people to achieving freedom. The townspeople, though at first they follow the orders of the invaders, are always planning and fighting for freedom. THey start out will little public dispalys of unrest, a murder here, a murder there. Soldiers go missing,and this sparks a fear within the soldiers hearts. Innocent people like Molly join the fight too. Everone works together to fight back.  Steinbeck understands human nature a lot. He understands that all humans want to feel safe and want to have freedom. All the characters on both sides of this story get that taken away. The people of Mayor Orden lose their freedom, and they are never safe, and must always watch their back and control their anger in fear of being killed. Colonel Lanser’s soldiers suffer the same. They are controlled by their leader back home and the people they have conquered. Their feeling of safety and control leaves them, and they aren’t free to express themselves or relax in fear of being taken down by the people. The people will do anything to gain their freedom back, and they no longer NEED a leader to achieve that. They will fight till they recieve it.  It is  only human nature.

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: What are the causes, gains, and losses of the conflict dealt with in this book?

The conflict of this story is really complex because the focus isn’t just on ONE side, but both. We get to see into the minds of the conquered and the conquerors, and each side has its own conflict. The conquered people want to over throw the conquerors, and the conquerors want to keep the conquered people controlled and get them to mine coal for them. This is war. Fascism against democracy. So basically the conflict is this: A country invades another and the invaders face resentment, while the invaded  gets freedoms taken away.Both sides equally want to struggle to win. The cause of this conflict is that the conquerors invade because they need the towns “coal mine and the fishing” as Colonel Lanser says. (Steinbeck pg.14) They place a spy, Mr. Corell, into the town and break in while the whole town is completely distracted. Apparently, the whole country is invaded also. They were directed by their leader to conquer the country, and they did what they were told. That is the cause of this conflict. Both sides of this conflict suffer and lose a lot and gain very little.  The conquerors at first gain power and land and have control of the little country. They gain the coal that they came for, but they suffer more than they gain. The conquerors, or I like to identify them as Colonel Lanser’s people, lose the optimism and feeling of control they arrive with, they lose many soldiers and friends that are killed by townspeople, they lose their reputation, they lose health and happiness and become lonely and homesick, and they lose their sense of safety, and suffer from psychological stress. Captain Bentick is severely beat to death with a pick (Steinbeck pg. 37) and poor Lieutenant Tonder is murdered in cold blood. ( Steinbeck pg. 86). Some soldiers go crazy and the soldiers live in constant fear and misery. “Now it was that the conqueror was surrounded, the men of the battalion alone among silent enemies, and no man might relax his guard for even a moment. If he did, he disappeared, and some snowdrift received his body.” (Steinbeck pg. 58) The people do the work in silence, but slowly kill them off. Mayor Orden’s people gain very little too.  They find a deep resentment inside them, and while this conflict continues, they gain a hate for the invaders along with a driving need to earn they're freedom back. They lose their freedom, their privacy, their safety, their family members, and at the end, their Mayor. But, despite the losses, the people still find in themselves the strength to keep fighting.

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

The Moon is Down: What does the writing reveal about the author's values and attitudes? From what perspective does he/she write?

I really got a very strong message out of this story. It was seriously like nothing I have ever read, and there were several things in the text that revealed the authors values and attitudes. One thing that I think the author really believed is that everyone, no matter what side they are on or what they are fighting for, is human. Everyone longs for love, for comfort, for hope, for home, and for safety, no matter who they are fighting or what country they are from. Steinbeck writes from the perspective of people from both the opposing sides, and just like in real life, he described them as regular people. He didn’t describe the conquerors to be these evil, vile creatures. He described them for what they were: simple men doing what they were told to do, fighting for a cause they believed was right. Because he writes in these different perspectives, readers gain an understanding of what the people on each side is going through.  He describes members of the conquering party, calling one Major Hunter a “haunted man of figures,” Captain Bentick a “family man, a lover of dogs and pink children at Christmas”  and Lieutenants Prackle and Tonder “sentimental young men, given to tears and to furies” and so on.( Steinbeck pg. 21) He describes them like regular people, doing what they are being told to do because they are trying to help their country. The writing also reveals that Steinbeck believes there is a time for everything. There is a time for peace, and then for war, and in this case, there is a time to lay low, and a time to fight back. The people of this “country” (I read in the intro that it is believed to be Norway) start out laying low and causing no attention to come to themselves. They do what they are told with hateful spirits, and as the story goes on, it begins to frighten the people of the conquering country. Tonder even says, “These people! These horrible people! These cold people! They never look at you.” He shivered, “They never speak. They answer like dead men. They obey, these horrible people.” (Steinbeck pg. 63) But then, when the time is right, the people fight back! They devise plans and cause unrest and frighten the soldiers. They catch them off guard, and it proves to work. They begin to uprise.

Steinbeck, John. Moon Is Down. N.p.: Penguin Group, 1942. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: Is Holden really Crazy? Continued…

Shortly after Holden’s fight with Sally, Holden’s thoughts become significantly darker. One comment really surprised me. “Anyway, I’m sort of glad they’ve got the atomic bomb invented. If there’s ever another war I’m going to sit right the hell on top of it. I’ll volunteer for it, I swear to God I will.” (Salinger, pg.141) To me, this comment appears very suicidal. In fact, this was the second suicidal comment he makes. Earlier in the novel, when he’s in the hotel he mentions thinking about suicide. But at this point in the story, he seems more unstable than before. Things just keep getting worse, and Holden starts to recognize his mind getting jumbled. After fleeing from Mr. Antolini’s house, he finds a magazine and starts reading it, and starts really freaking himself out, thinking he’s got cancer and is dying. By the time he puts it down he says, “I figured I’d be dead in a couple of months because I had cancer. I really did. I was even positive I would be.” (Salinger, pg.196) He’s thinking outside of his head at this point. Next, as he’s walking through town he says “something very spooky started happening.” (Salinger, pg. 197) “Every time I came to the end of a block and stepped off the goddam curb, I had this feeling that I’d never get to the other side of the street. I thought I’d just go down, down down, and nobody’d ever see me again.” (Salinger, pg. 197) “Every time I’d get to the end of a block I’d make believe I was talking to my brother Allie. I’d say to him, “Allie, don’t let me disappear. Allie, don’t let me disappear. Allie, don’t let me disappear. Please, Allie.” And then when I’d reach the other side of the street without disappearing, I’d thank him.” After, he mentions not remembering how long he walked or where he was going. (Salinger pg 198) That same day he creates this idea of running away, and as he delivers a note about it to Phoebe’s school  he keeps seeing F-you everywhere and his mind goes into lockdown and he passes out in the museum later. Those are just a few examples of times when Holden’s mind seems not in the right place. Now, what do I think? I think that Holden actually loses his grip because he has a stress induced panic attack. On top of that, he’s also getting sick and mentions feeling like vomiting and feeling feverish more than once at this time in the story. I think his wandering and loneliness finally gets to him, and he realizes that he’s going to have to face his parents eventually. He’s also suffering from lack of sleep and also most likely a hangover also, while this is all going on. Personally, I don’t think Holden is crazy. I think he has a panic attack because he gets over-stressed. If his nerves were shot before he even left boarding school, then three days of him wandering New York will have destroyed his nerves completely. So, in my opinion, I don’t think he’s completely crazy. I just thing he snapped and lost it for a little bit. I think Holden is suffering from alot of stress and his body and mind eventually can't take it anymore.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: Is Holden really Crazy?

Okay, so, I’m just going to get straight down to the nitty-gritty here. I’m sure everyone can admit that throughout this whole novel, one question just kept digging at you with every single page turn. That question is this: Is Holden Caulfield crazy? I’m dedicating my next two blogs to this topic, and I’m going to analyze it to come up with a solution for myself.  From the first page Holden already admits that he isn’t at home or at school like a normal adolescent would be. “I’ll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around Christmas just before I got pretty run-down and had to come out here and take it easy.” (Salinger, pg. 1) He then begins telling his story, and by the end, he mentions a psychoanalyst and a lot of people asking him a lot of questions. (Salinger pg. 213) Throughout the novel, you notice that some of the things Holden describes (especially the things that happen to him) aren’t exactly normal. He can’t really see it himself, but as a reader, you start to pick up on some odd things that happen to him. Right before he leaves the school he says that his “nerves are shot” (Salinger pg. 51) and he up and leaves school, not really sure where he’s going to go at all. He wanders New York and stays at different hotels, trying to mix with adults, but not really succeeding. He seems pretty sane so far, and I got used to how he talked and how he socialized with people and was just so random.  Everything changes on his date with Sally, and I think that it is this event where Holden begins to break down.  He and Sally Hays go ice- skating, and at this point, Holden’s grip on the world starts to tip. During the meal they have together after skating,  He  launches into a rant about school and life and how much he hates everything, making all these crazy notions and getting severely hostile with every word.  Sally asks him not to shout, and he thinks “Which was very funny, because I wasn’t even shouting.” (Salinger, pg.130) He is completely un aware that he his yelling very loud and getting really worked up. Next he gets this crazy idea, and  asks her to run away with him, spinning this outrageous tale, and Sally, this time, asks him to stop screaming at her. He again denies that he is screaming at all. (Salinger, pg 132) He gets hostile with her after that, and calls her a “pain in the ass, then laughs maniacally at the whole fight and ends off with “I swear to God I’m a madman.” (Salinger pg 134) At this major event, it seems that Holden is quite crazy. But these aren’t the only events that occur, and in the next blog I’m going to target other occasions where Holden’s mind isn’t in the best sorts, and I’m going to conclude what I think.

            Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.