The Moon Is Down - Tone

The tone of The Moon Is Down is rather depressing.  It made me feel really sad through the whole thing.  I wish Colonel Lanser would have not been such a downer.  He is the whole reason that everyone was so unenthusiastic and scared through the entire book.  There is not one real moment of joy through the whole book.  Everything seems so dark and ruined.  I think this book would have been better if there was some kind of source of happiness, although that probably would not have been historically accurate.  I know that it really would not be possible to change something like that now, but that is something I probably would have included if I were writing a book set in the World War Two era.
Everything also is very secretive.  Like the way that Joseph is always seeing things happen in the mayor's house, but keeps it to himself (Steinbeck 31), or how Annie is a quiet activist for the resistance (Steinbeck 21).  Everyone is constantly keeping secrets because everyone is constantly listening!  That is just the way that war is.  Rights are gone, laws are gone, values are gone.  Everything is back to basic essentials during war, which feels wrong to me.  The whole book is a foreign concept in my mind, which makes it difficult to relate to for me.  
Overall, the tone is simply depressing.  I felt sad reading it, and no one really likes feeling that way over a book, or at all for that matter.  This made the book difficult for me to get into because I did not like feeling that way.  Although some parts were good, and the books was extremely well written, I just could not get comfortable reading about such awful things.  I am glad that I do not have to read that book anymore, because feeling that way is not something I much enjoy.  Although these feelings were awful, I suppose I am glad I got through the book and learned something new.  It is good to leave your comfort zone sometimes for the sake of understanding.  

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