The Moon is Down question #4

I do not think there is a particular hero in "The Moon is Down", but if I had to choose any of the characters to fit this category, it would be Mayor Orden. I would say this because he is the most influential of the townspeople and all of the Nazi leaders and soldiers, although powerful, are more of enemies than heroes. At the beginning of the book, Mayor Orden is characterized as rather childish. He acts in this manner when his wife has to help him get ready and the way she orders him around. He is very caring though and genuinely loves the townspeople. An example of this is the way he is anxious when he hears that some of them have escaped. Another example is how he truly does not want Alex to be shot and the way he is concerned for Molly when the Lieutenant visits her house. Another trait of Mayor Orden is that he is brave and professional. An example of this would be how he is always calm with the Nazi intruders. He also never acts cowardly. Even when he knows he is about to be executed, he does not give in with what he believes. " 'You see, sir, nothing can change it. You will be destroyed and driven out' " (Steinbeck). In "The Moon is Down" the mayor himself, does not accomplish much since he is pretty much controlled by the Nazis. However, Mayor Orden represents the townspeople, and the townspeople do accomplish some victories. They accomplished killing two of the soldiers, and later accomplish blowing up the Nazis' rail road tracks with the dynamite they were given. Mayor Orden is portrayed as a good old man who really does care about his townspeople. Even though he may not seem like the most well fit for being the mayor at first, he really was a great mayor for the town. I think an abstract idea that would represent Mayor Orden would be goodness.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, by John Steinbeck,... Stockholm: Continental Book C°, 1949. Print.