The moon is down

13.50

Title: The Moon is Hidden

Author: John Steinbeck

Translator: Parviz Dariush

Publisher: Amirkabir

Subject: American stories

Age category: Adult

Number of pages: 153

Language: Farsi

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Description

 The moon is down by John Steinbeck
“The Moon is Hidden” is a short novel by the famous American author John Steinbeck. This work is written about World War II and warns of the rise of fascism in Europe.

This work was once one of the most widely read underground books in Europe, and thousands of copies of it were secretly published in France, Germany, the Netherlands and other European countries, and played an important role in boosting the morale of the people.
A small town is occupied in Europe but its location is unknown. The invading forces conquer the city with careful and calculated planning and with the help of a bloodless spy. A city with people who had not known the war for years and had not been attacked by anyone.

The mood of these people is so calm that the occupiers decide to move there after the war to live. The commander of the occupiers asks the mayor to ask the people to extract coal without war and bloodshed, but the mayor, who is popular and considers himself their equal, says that the people are free to do whatever they want. Meanwhile, an attack by an attacking force on a man in the mine leads to his murder, and this destroys the city.

“Many people did not stay in the streets, but went through the doors into the houses and the doors were closed. It was as if eyes were staring out from behind the curtains.
Cold, angry glances follow as soldiers roam the city and patrols the main street. People came to the shops to buy something for lunch. “They would take the sex they wanted, pay for it, and go to the seller without any favors.”

A film based on the novel “The Moon is Hidden” was made in 1943, which is a pleasure to watch, but we suggest you read the book first.

About the Book of  The moon is down
Let me mention at the outset that if you are interested in books related to World War II and the literature of the resistance, the novel Hidden Moon is one of the best possible options for reading. This short novel, even though it is only 160 pages, will undoubtedly remain in the minds of those who are interested forever.

The focus of this novel is based on interpersonal dialogues, in which the effects of the war can be clearly seen on both sides. The war and its violence do not matter who you are or on which front you are.
In this novel, we see soldiers who are victorious in the field and are happy that they have easily taken control of the city. They are satisfied with the calm of the people and when they hear the good news, they think that the war will end soon and they can return to their families. But is that really the case? In contrast, we have people who do not know how to be harsh.

They do not know how to fight and resist and disobey. They have lived in peace for years. But when they are deprived of their freedom, these same people change quickly and are willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of freedom.

In my opinion, the most important message of the book is that free people, and those who have understood the meaning of freedom and tasted it, will not submit to slavery in any way. Such people will eventually shout and defend themselves.

I think one of the most memorable parts of the book was when the colonel, in his own mind, went to the mayor for justice and asked him to try Alex, the same free man who had killed an officer, as mayor. Sentenced to death.

But the municipality, which considers itself to be of the people, does not accept this. So the colonel thinks he should make Corel – the spy of the occupying forces in the city – the mayor.

Excerpts from Colonel Lancer and the Mayor:
“I knew it from the beginning,” Lancer said. “Apparently there is no choice, Corel should become mayor.” He quickly raised his head and said, “Where are you going to stand trial?”
“Yes, I will stay. “I do not want to leave Alex alone.”
Lancer looked at him and smiled more or less sadly.
“We have a duty too, don’t we?”
“Yes, the only impossible task in the world, the only thing that is not possible,” the mayor said.
“And what is that?”
“Breaking the human soul one after another.”

Parts of  The moon is down

And those men were constantly remembering the house. The battalion members gradually became disgusted with the land they had occupied and became big with the people. The people also grew up with them. Gradually, fear fell into the hearts of the conquerors, the fear that the war would never end and that they would never return home and see comfort again, the fear that one day they would be exhausted and hunted like rabbits in the mountains, because hatred The people whose land was occupied never sank.
They think that because they have a leader and a head, we are like them. They know that if ten of them are hanged, they will be destroyed.

But we are free people and we have the size of our population and leaders like mushrooms will grow among us when necessary.
Failure is a temporary concept. Defeat in a battle does not last. We failed and now we are attacking. Failure means nothing. Can’t you understand this? Do you know what is whispered in the back door?

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