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.
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