Imagine a town in which the people are free and given the rights to work without being forced to, bear arms to protect themselves, and eat the food they choose to every day. Then all of a sudden, those rights are taken from them. Their town is invaded by soldiers who disarm all of the people and round up the guns. The soldiers know who have weapons because a local storekeeper, a man once everyone in the town’s friend, provided them a list. They tell the mayor that they are now in control, and they expect the people to do what they are ordered to. The army is determined to get coal and will stop at nothing to receive it. This is exactly betides in John Steinbeck’s novel, The Moon is Down. As the town was being occupied, “policeman and the postman
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He listened to his people and comforted them in times of need. He understood his people and knew that they elected him and made him, and that they could unmake him. Mayor Orden did not think for the people, he thought with the people. “When the town makes up its mind what it wants to do, I'll probably do that” … “authority is in the town” (p. 21). This did not make him weak or incompetent, he proved to be very tactful and calm when handling the invaders. He genuinely cared for his people and this showed at times, for example, when he sent his wife to look after Molly when her husband was being executed. He was far from selfish and considered the wants and needs of the town over his own opinions. Throughout the fight for freedom, Mayor Orden remained this unselfish, brave leader even when faced with death. Colonel Lanser took him hostage and let it be known that any action of resistance would lead to his execution. He asked the Mayor if he thought the people would still light another fuse knowing that it would result in his death. “The Mayor spoke proudly. 'Yes, they will light it. I have no choice of living or dying, you see, sir, but—I do have a choice of how I do it. If I tell them not to fight, they will be sorry, but they will fight. If I tell them to fight, they will be glad, and I who am not a very brave man will have made them a little braver’” (p. 124). The Mayor told his wife that while he can be killed, the idea of “Mayor” and freedom and democracy cannot be. He did not try to tell the people to stop as an attempt to save his life, he instead told Dr. Winter in the end to make sure the resistance and rebellion
He listened to his people and comforted them in times of need. He understood his people and knew that they elected him and made him, and that they could unmake him. Mayor Orden did not think for the people, he thought with the people. “When the town makes up its mind what it wants to do, I'll probably do that” … “authority is in the town” (p. 21). This did not make him weak or incompetent, he proved to be very tactful and calm when handling the invaders. He genuinely cared for his people and this showed at times, for example, when he sent his wife to look after Molly when her husband was being executed. He was far from selfish and considered the wants and needs of the town over his own opinions. Throughout the fight for freedom, Mayor Orden remained this unselfish, brave leader even when faced with death. Colonel Lanser took him hostage and let it be known that any action of resistance would lead to his execution. He asked the Mayor if he thought the people would still light another fuse knowing that it would result in his death. “The Mayor spoke proudly. 'Yes, they will light it. I have no choice of living or dying, you see, sir, but—I do have a choice of how I do it. If I tell them not to fight, they will be sorry, but they will fight. If I tell them to fight, they will be glad, and I who am not a very brave man will have made them a little braver’” (p. 124). The Mayor told his wife that while he can be killed, the idea of “Mayor” and freedom and democracy cannot be. He did not try to tell the people to stop as an attempt to save his life, he instead told Dr. Winter in the end to make sure the resistance and rebellion