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Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. John Steinbeck died in 1968 of arteriosclerosis.
After his death, his wife, Elaine collected letters he had written throughout his life in a volume entitled Steinbeck: A Life in Letters. Steinbeck’s manuscripts
can be found in many different collections across the United States, the most prominent of which, is the Steinbeck Research Center at San Jose State
University. Several manuscripts are held in the University of Virginia’s Special Collections at Alderman.
B. The Works of John Steinbeck
- Cup of Gold 1929 - The Pastures of Heaven 1932
- To A God Unknown 1933 - Tortilla Flat 1935
- Dubious Battle 1936 - Of Mice and Men 1937
- Their Blood is Strong 1938 - The Grapes of Wrath 1939
- Sea of Cortez 1941 - The Moon is Down 1942
- Cannery Row 1945 - The Wayward Bus 1947
- The Pearl 1947 - Burning Bright 1950
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- The Log from the Sea of Cortez 1951 - East of Eden 1952
- Sweet Thursday 1954 - The Short Reign of Pippin IV 1957
- Once There was a Was 1959 - The Winter of Our Discontent 1961
- Travel with Charley 1962
C. Plot Summary
The Moon is Down is a story that we can viewed from both sides. The main characters include both the townspeople and the officers of the occupation
force who are basically conscripted mining engineers. John Steinbeck’s “The Moon Is Down” is a novel about human relationships, the relationships between a
small town and its invaders, the relationships between town officials and the townspeople, and the relationships between the members of the invading army.
In the story, an invader force arrived at a seaside coal-mining town and took it over. Their goal was to take over the coal mine and to organize increased
production and export of coal to support their war effort. The invaders who were in charge of the occupation soon find themselves in conflict with the townspeople,
especially as the resistance movement begins a campaign of sabotage of coal production. The conflict is triggered by one of the townspeople, Alexander
Morden, who killed one of the invaders, Captain Bentick. He killed Captain Bentick because he did not like to be ordered. He thought that he is a free man, so
nobody can force him to do something. Then, the invaders decided to sentence PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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death to Alex. That is why the townspeople were so angry to the invaders. The townspeople are starving rather than cooperate with the invaders. The
townspeople decided not to have any communication to the invaders. They said “yes” and “no” if the invaders commanded them. It made the invaders got
frustrated. At first, everything has done well. The townspeople are stunned and
confused, and the invaders busily plan and carry out expansion of coal production. Soon enough, a slow, burning anger replaces the peoples fear and a ragged
resistance movement forms. Random acts of sabotage occur against soldiers and the coal mine. The invaders, under orders from above, impose repressive
measures to keep the production going. Their commander follows his order knowing that, in fact, there is little hope of stopping the sabotage for more than a
few days at a time. The occupiers feel isolated and surrounded by hate. As coal production grinds to a halt and several of them are murdered. They try to combat
the resistance and force the inhabitants into submission, but quickly realize the failure of this, especially as it becomes clear that the war has been already lost.
D. Characters in The Moon Is Down Townspeople
