Democracy

From the Introduction portion that accompanies the novel, "The Moon Is Down," the reader learns that this work is considered one of the best works of Allied propaganda during World War II. The story beings with the invasion by foreign soldiers of a small, unnamed European town. A conflict between two of the main characters is immediately brought to the forefront. The conflict is much broader than the two men, however, as it represents the clash between democracy and fascism.

When Colonel Lanser, the leader of the invading forces, pleads with Mayor Orden to be cooperative, his Excellency responds that "authority is in the town." He tells the Colonel that when the town sets a direction, he will follow it. Steinbeck is contrasting the brute force of military occupation against a democratically-elected government which must bend to the wishes of the people. He tells Lanser that while some...