The Moon is Down vs. The Old Man and the Sea

If I were to make a venn diagram to compare and contrast the novels The Moon is Down and The Old Man and the Sea I would have something to write in every section. Let's start with the simple things that are similar. Both books were written by male authors, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway. The two men are considered two of the greatest authors of all time. Their work was very influential. The next similarity is that the plot of both stories has to do with fighting to get what you want. Some people might contrast the theme or plot of the story because one is about war and the other is not, but I see similarities in them. Santiago, from The Old Man and the Sea. is similar to Mayor Orden and the townspeople in The Moon is Down. They are both willing to fight to the death for what they want of believe in. In contrast I think that The Old Man and the Sea is overall a much more calm novel. I know, I know... He is fending of a giant marlin for three days straight and it is so suspenseful and cool! I guess you could say that... From a comparison point of view I believe that The Moon is Down is much more suspenseful and adds more mystery. A small difference between the two is that Santiago has to work by himself to catch his fish but the town can work together to fight off the invaders. If Santiago would have had the boy with him his trip would have been much easier. Overall I enjoyed reading The Old Man and the Sea better than The Moon is Down. I have come to realize over the years that I do not enjoying reading heavier theme and plot based novels. The Old Man and the Sea has just the right amount of adventure and symbolism to interest me.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon is Down. New York: Penguin Classics, 1942. Print.