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.