The Moon is Down: The Townspeople

In The Moon is Down, the townspeople also play a large role in the plot. All of the townspeople revolve around Mayor Orden. Mayor Orden is a very good mayor because he is truly dedicated to his people. He does not want to make decisions without their input, such as when the invaders come and they ask the mayor whether he will cooperate or not, he says he will have to see what the people of the town think and go from there (Steinbeck 606). The mayor’s wife, Sarah, plays a very small part and does not really impact the plot of the story. Dr. Winter is the town doctor and historian. Dr. Winter is a very close friend of the mayor, and goes to meetings with the invader with him (Steinbeck 506). Winter is very much concerned about the invaders, but unlike the mayor he seems to care more about the town than the people as a group. Joseph and Annie are servants and cooks for the mayor and his wife. They are rather nosey and like to be in the center of the action and know exactly what is going on. The two of them help the mayor sneak around town and contact the townspeople without getting into trouble from the invaders. Alex Morden is one of the townspeople. He was a kind, gentle man. He was assigned to work in the mine. One day while working he was very upset that one of the guards was telling him what to do and he was a free man. He got very upset and went at him with a pick and another guard stepped in front and was killed. Next thing the town knew, Alex was shot and killed by the invaders, which started the rebellion (Steinbeck  1105). Alex’s wife Molly was also a sweet, young lady. In the anger of her husband’s death she kills a lieutenant who tried to pursue her (Steinbeck 1524).

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

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