Subject Matter Approach of the study

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CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

This chapter consists of three parts. They are subject matter, approach of the study, and method of the study. Subject matter covers the brief description of the novel. Approach of the study describes the approach employed in the analysis and the reason why the approach was used. Method of the study explains the steps in analyzing the novel.

A. Subject Matter

In this study, The Moon is Down is the subject matter. It is a novel by John Steinbeck, an American author. It was written in 1942 during World War II when Steinbeck worked as a reporter. The publisher of this novel was the Viking Press and it was released at the same year. It is a short novel of 188 pages and divided into eight chapters. The Moon is Down received many reviews upon its publication during the war in 1942 due to John Steinbecks incredible popularity at the time. The Moon is Down was one of the American Best Selling novels at that time. It was also made into movie and theatrical adaptations in 1943. It is because Steinbeck tells his story with simplicity, force, dignity, and even beauty Wikipedia. org. The story details a military occupation of a small town in Northern Europe by the army of an unnamed nation at war with England and Russia. It is very transparent reference to the occupation of Norway by the Germans during World War II. Interestingly, a French language translation of the book was published PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 30 illegally in Nazi-occupied France by Les Edition de Minuit, a French Resistance publishing house Wikipedia. org.

B. Approach of the study

This study is aimed to analyze John Steinbeck’s The Moon is Down which deals with a period of defeat, occupation, ruthless brutality, moral compromise, and near total control under German occupation during the World War II. Therefore, I used the socio-historical approach which investigates the social, culture context that produced the culture itself. Moreover, the socio-historical approach often seeks to understand the impact of a work in its day. I consider taking the historical approach because it relates to the problem formulation. I have to know the situation during the World War II. Therefore, I believe that John Steinbeck brought American propaganda through The Moon is Down, and according to some references state that John Steinbeck was the type of author who liked to know his material firsthand. He was not content to narrate a story which had no basis in fact. The Moon is Down is one of his masterpiece which based on the situation at that time, situation where Nazi was in charge in the World War II. Moreover, John Steinbeck wrote this novel when he worked as a reporter and he usually wrote based on what he knew from the firsthand experience and inserted propaganda into his novel.

C. Method of the Study