The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck The Moon is Down opens with the invading of a small sleepy town by a large assumed National force. The invading nation is later to be identified as Nazi Germany (circa World War II) whose goal is to occupy and extract all of the coal located in the town without resistance. The Nazi’s had a intricate and subsequent invasion plan that had been setup with the help of a inside man, George Corell, who befriended all of the towns people while symmetrically relaying vital information about the town and its people to the Nazis. After the initial invasion of the town, the Germans transitioned to phase two of there plan which included submitting the current towns governing body into helping the invaders and keeping the citizens at peace and orderly. The third phase of the plan was to extract the coal from the town using its people. With little to no resistance and full cooperation from the townspeople, the plan seemed to work for the few following months but soon it went downhill. With the coupling of several unexpected deaths and killings, harsh treatment of citizens by the troops, homesickness by the soldiers themselves and little news from the leadership in Berlin, the whole occupation unraveled. A David vs. Goliath esque battle ensued in which David (the people of the town) win with the later help of Allied Forces, who were tipped off by members of the town that escaped into England. The other major group or antagonists of the story are simply dubbed as the “Invaders.” Two major figures associated with the antagonists are Colonel Lanser and George Corell. Lanser is the commanding officer of the Nazi troops, the head honcho. Colonel Lanser can be a puzzling character. To his soldiers it may appear as he was a stereotypical stern military leader but to the reader he can sometimes show signs of compassion and heart which are qualities usually assumed not to be associated with a person of his nature and occupation. These traits shine...