“But God has so composed the body giving great honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that if the member may have the same care for one another. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:24-25, 27). God created humans to work and be in fellowship with one another while using the gifts that God individually gave to each person. Unfortunately, due to the fall of man, the relationship created between community and individuality often becomes broken and skewed. In The Moon is Down, John Steinbeck, displays how the skewed balance between individuality and society affects the pursuits of the community, detrimentally changes the individual and encourages unwise behavior
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Part of what makes humans special is the ability to dream, when taken away by a community society can see the demeanor of the individual change. After they had been in the town for awhile one of the soldiers, named Tonder, claimed “I want a girl. I want to go home. I want a girl. There’s a girl in this town a pretty girl. I see her all the time. She has blond hair. She lives beside the old-iron store. I want that girl,” said Tonder (Steinbeck 64). Because people were created to be in fellowship with one another, there is a constant struggle to want to belong and be connected to someone. When the ability to connect with someone is stolen, a part of that person's humanity and individuality is taken from them. Then later readers see the further deterioration of Tonder’s sanity: “A little note of hysteria crept into Tonder’s laughter. He said, ‘Conquered and we’re afraid; conquered and we’re surrounded,” said Tonder (Steinbeck 68). The invaders came in with the delusional dream that they would conquer the town and everyone would love them. Because of their community, they are in and the orders they are required to follow they are not able to be sane. When the balance between community and individuality is skewed the mind becomes skewed as well. A community mindset has the ability to dehumanize an individual just like it does many of the soldiers. At some point, a man just wants to be human again but if a person is in an army “you’re not a man anymore. You are a soldier. Your comfort is of no importance and, Lieutenant, your life isn’t of much importance. If you live, you will have memories,” said Lanser (Steinbeck 99). Eventually, when another soldier breaks down he is told, “stop it!You stop it! You have no right!” said Prackle (Steinbeck 105). When the relationship between community and individuality is broken the balance is always tipped too far in one way. When it
Part of what makes humans special is the ability to dream, when taken away by a community society can see the demeanor of the individual change. After they had been in the town for awhile one of the soldiers, named Tonder, claimed “I want a girl. I want to go home. I want a girl. There’s a girl in this town a pretty girl. I see her all the time. She has blond hair. She lives beside the old-iron store. I want that girl,” said Tonder (Steinbeck 64). Because people were created to be in fellowship with one another, there is a constant struggle to want to belong and be connected to someone. When the ability to connect with someone is stolen, a part of that person's humanity and individuality is taken from them. Then later readers see the further deterioration of Tonder’s sanity: “A little note of hysteria crept into Tonder’s laughter. He said, ‘Conquered and we’re afraid; conquered and we’re surrounded,” said Tonder (Steinbeck 68). The invaders came in with the delusional dream that they would conquer the town and everyone would love them. Because of their community, they are in and the orders they are required to follow they are not able to be sane. When the balance between community and individuality is skewed the mind becomes skewed as well. A community mindset has the ability to dehumanize an individual just like it does many of the soldiers. At some point, a man just wants to be human again but if a person is in an army “you’re not a man anymore. You are a soldier. Your comfort is of no importance and, Lieutenant, your life isn’t of much importance. If you live, you will have memories,” said Lanser (Steinbeck 99). Eventually, when another soldier breaks down he is told, “stop it!You stop it! You have no right!” said Prackle (Steinbeck 105). When the relationship between community and individuality is broken the balance is always tipped too far in one way. When it