The Moon is Down #4

The hero of The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck is Mayor Orden. I consider him the hero because he stands up for what he believes is right for his town and standing against Colonel Lanser's bullying. He does not order them to follow what Colonel Lanser and his men want, he understands that being a good leader involves letting the people decide how to feel about getting invaded. Some leaders would become very afraid if enemy soldiers invaded their town or country, and some might even flee. Mayor Orden changes nothing about how he oversees his town. He lets his people decided how to fight back against the enemy. when he and Doctor Winter get arrested because of his people's actions, Orden knows that he will probably get shot at the next act of uprising. He understands that he his life may have to be sacrificed to really stir the fire under the townspeople and start a revolt to get the enemy out of their town.  Colonel Lanser is a good leader too, I have to say. He oversees his men with many years of knowledge and makes good decisions towards his cause with the townspeople. His faults are with obviously the fact that he fights for the "bad guys", and that he does not understand Orden letting his people act of their own will. "They are orderly under their own government. I don't know how they would be under yours." (Steinbeck 16).

Mayor Orden represents the idea of good, he is a figure most of the townspeople look up too, and have great respect for. He has been in office for many years and prior to the enemy arriving, he probably would have held the office for many more years. With the enemy comes a great burden on Mayor Orden. He knows that he himself can not do anything against the enemy publicly and risk more people's lives. He sneaks around helping a few boys in the night leave to sail for England to get away from the enemy. He holds this burden well until most likely he will be shot by the enemy.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Penguin Classics, 1942. Print.