The Moon Is Down - 4

4) Who is the "hero" in this book and what are some of his/her traits?  What does he/she accomplish, and how is he/she portrayed?  Does the hero represent an abstract idea such as goodness, truth, courage or evil?

I feel like each of the characters in The Moon Is Down is a hero in his/her own different way, but the real hero in my eyes was Mayor Orden.  As his duty states, he really stepped up to help his town through such a difficult time.  He is respectful and kind to his people, and he truly cares about what he is supposed to be doing.  Another thing that I liked about Mayor Orden is that he is very observant.  He knows that Colonel Lanser needed to have an eye kept on him, or else he would end up causing trouble; an accurate prediction considering the rest of the story (Steinbeck 17).  He had all the characteristics needed to do his job correctly.
His initial goal was to keep the people safe and united, which could or could not have been accomplished, depending on how you think of it.  I have come to the conclusion that he did what he could, when he could, with what he had, and that is all that could possibly be asked of him.  Although he is portrayed as a kind, gentle old man longing for peace, he would do whatever he needed to to get through the hardships of war.  A good example of this is when he intimidates the Colonel (Steinbeck 111).  He knows what he needs to do, and he does it, which is something that I admire about this character.  
One of the things that I love about the mayor is that he never backs down from anything.  He protects his people as best he can, and is not afraid to use all the help he can get.  I also noticed that he was never cocky, and he was able to choose his battles effectively.  I just like that he did everything in his power to save his town and that nothing stopped him from doing so.  He did not leave them in time of need, nor was he apathetic by any means to the situation.  Everything that he did, he did with care and caution.  This character is without any doubt the hero of the story.  

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