"The Moon Is Down" by John Steinbeck.
Just before Banquo encounters Macbeth on his way to kill Duncan, he asks his son, Fleance, "How goes the night, boy?" Fleance replies, "The moon is down; I have not heard the clock." (Act II, Scene i).
Ref: See quotation from Macbeth
The book was written as a way of encouraging resistance in the face of forced military occupation.
It is fictionally set in Northern Europe without specifically naming Germany as the invaders and Norway as the invaded.
In this story the invaders wish to “employ” the local workforce in their existing roles, and to take their produce in the form of fish and coal for the invaders’ own use. In so doing they propose to use the existing trusted hierarchy (mayor).
Mayor expresses reservations from the outset, and the story shows how the relationship gradually breaks down and turns into guerilla warfare.
The characters and their interactions are cleverly interwoven with the events to illustrate the view that, in spite of hardship and oppression, the human spirit which values loyalty and freedom in a democratic setting, will not be broken.
Most club members read this as a short novel reacting to the various characters and their activities as would be expected for a war novel with its futility and brutality.
And so it was with the afterword and reading research that the novel could better be evaluated.
It was written in America at a point in the war where it was unclear what direction the war would take.
Hitler had failed to invade Britain and had become embroiled with Russia; America had yet to be drawn in to the European conflict.
The battle of Midway was not until June of 1942.
Whilst written by such a famous author, most Club Members had never heard of the book.
Most members found it to be a good reminder of the futility and brutality of war, and some characters were seen to be shallow and understated.
The resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity was well portrayed.
NB: One member reacted negatively; she evaluated the book as a cross between Dad’s Army and a Carry-On film, the humour caused further irritation.
Doorly score: 3.75
PC. May 15th, 2024
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