The fifth chapter of the Moon is Down talks of the soldiers wearing down. They have been in this town for months now. The townspeople hate them for being there. Food is being rationed and used as an incentive for the townspeople to behave. The soldiers want to go home, or hear good news about the war. "Thus it came about that the conquerors grew afraid of the conquered and their nerves wore thin and they shot at shadows in the night. The cold, sullen silence was with them always." (Steinbeck 59). These soldiers want to go home, they want this invasion to end. They miss their families and want to hear what things are like in the other towns.
On the other hand, chapter six talks about how some of the townspeople are reacting to the soldiers being in town for so long. They hate it. If they act out they will get get their food taken away or worse, shot and killed. Molly is adjusting to her new life since her husband was killed when Annie comes for a visit. She says that two boys are leaving to sail to England to escape after their brother was shot and the Mayor is coming to Molly's house to talk with them and her. After Annie leaves to go and get them Lieutenant Tonder stops by. He wants to talk with Molly because he finds her lovely. Molly does not want anything to do with him, but she says she will if he gets her some food. In their discussion you can tell that the loneliness is eating away at Molly and she seems crazy. At the end of the chapter, after Orden and the Anders boys leave, Tonder comes back. Before letting him in, Molly grabs a sharp pair of scissors and hides them in her skirt. Molly is probably going to kill Tonder and this will have terrible results. The soldiers are going to retaliate hard after another hit to an officer.
Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Penguin Classics, 1942. Print.
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