The Moon is Down: The Invaders

            In The Moon is Down, some of the major characters are the invaders. In the novel, a small town is invaded and taken control of by a Colonel, the captains, the lieutenants, the major, and the soldiers. The captains play a major part in the novel because they are in charge of making sure the townspeople are on task. Captain Loft is very into being in the military and is a stickler for the rules. Loft does not want anything to go wrong or anyone not doing anything exactly what is asked or told of him to do (Steinbeck 631). Captain Bentick was an older man compared to his fellow captains. Bentick loved his family and anything related. While finishing a shift, Alex Morden went towards Captain Loft with an ax. Bentick jumped in front of him and ended up being killed from the stab wound (Steinbeck 858).  There is only one major in the invaders. Major Hunter was the engineer of the group, and he often made sketches of things to be done around the town and in the mine. He did not have a humor, and had several wives that did not work out (Steinbeck 631). The lieutenants of the invaders are like the grunts of the group. Lieutenant Prackle was a nice, protective family man. He was a very good artist, but got involved with the army instead. Lieutenant Tonder is a lover and a poet. He often lets his emotions take over (Steinbeck 631). He falls for Molly Morden, without knowing who she was, and ends up getting himself killed (Steinbeck 1532). Both of the lieutenants are lovers and were young, so they sometimes got their priorities mixed up. The invaders played a major role in the novel, because their attitudes often got in the way of the mission. This resulted in two of their deaths and several other conflicts.   

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

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