Individuality
Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor company, states “Individualism is what makes cooperation worth living” (Ford). That is to say, without people working individually, the process of working as a community is not efficient. When everyone’s individual thoughts are contributing to the goal or task of the community, a positive outcome will be achieved. In the book The Moon is Down it shows that individualism is imperative when working in a community. In Steinbeck’s novel he illustrates when a society values individualism, the community thrives and grows stronger.
The townspeople in The Moon is Down portray the free individuals who value morals and thoughts and work for the good of the community. When a community works as individuals …show more content…
When society aims to keep everyone the same, the people grow lonely and frustrated. Lancer receives the orders from the headquarters about how the invaders should handle the townspeople, and he tells Hunter, “I’m a good, loyal man, but sometimes when I hear the brilliant ideas of the headquarters, I wish I were a civilian, an old crippled civilian” (Steinbeck 95). Lanser believes that the orders sent out by the headquarters are very ignorant ideas. He does not think the headquarters know how smart the townspeople are. Lanser has no choice though. The headquarters will not listen to his ideas or thoughts at all because that values individualism. Individualism is not their goal and this makes Lanser frustrated knowing he will be ignored. When the interlopers become hateful they gradually become depressed and lonely. Tonder innocently explains this feeling to Molly by saying, “maybe I want to make love to you. A man needs love. A man dies without love. His insides shrivel and his chest feels like a dry chip. I'm lonely” (Steinbeck 77). Tonder is tired of being seen as the bad guy. Tonder does not see himself as a bad guy but because of the group mentality of the invaders that is how he is represented. People don't want anything to do with the invaders, making Tonder feel extremely ostracized. With this goal of working only for the community people are not seen as who they are
Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor company, states “Individualism is what makes cooperation worth living” (Ford). That is to say, without people working individually, the process of working as a community is not efficient. When everyone’s individual thoughts are contributing to the goal or task of the community, a positive outcome will be achieved. In the book The Moon is Down it shows that individualism is imperative when working in a community. In Steinbeck’s novel he illustrates when a society values individualism, the community thrives and grows stronger.
The townspeople in The Moon is Down portray the free individuals who value morals and thoughts and work for the good of the community. When a community works as individuals …show more content…
When society aims to keep everyone the same, the people grow lonely and frustrated. Lancer receives the orders from the headquarters about how the invaders should handle the townspeople, and he tells Hunter, “I’m a good, loyal man, but sometimes when I hear the brilliant ideas of the headquarters, I wish I were a civilian, an old crippled civilian” (Steinbeck 95). Lanser believes that the orders sent out by the headquarters are very ignorant ideas. He does not think the headquarters know how smart the townspeople are. Lanser has no choice though. The headquarters will not listen to his ideas or thoughts at all because that values individualism. Individualism is not their goal and this makes Lanser frustrated knowing he will be ignored. When the interlopers become hateful they gradually become depressed and lonely. Tonder innocently explains this feeling to Molly by saying, “maybe I want to make love to you. A man needs love. A man dies without love. His insides shrivel and his chest feels like a dry chip. I'm lonely” (Steinbeck 77). Tonder is tired of being seen as the bad guy. Tonder does not see himself as a bad guy but because of the group mentality of the invaders that is how he is represented. People don't want anything to do with the invaders, making Tonder feel extremely ostracized. With this goal of working only for the community people are not seen as who they are