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Story Analysis: the Destructors

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The Destructors
Short Story Analysis

This short story written by Graham Greene depicts a group of teenage boys, who call themselves the Wormsley Common Gang, after an area where they lived in. The story takes place in Post-World War II. England, almost everything in their part of town is destroyed, with the exception one house that stands with minimal damage. The house is owned by Mr. Thomas (or Old Misery) an old man who lives there alone. The boys do not trust Mr. Thomas, despite his charitable offerings of candy. Trevor, or T, becomes the gang’s leader, taking Blackie’s place, he organizes them, and the boys are eager to follow. However, the youth do not want to be known as common thieves, instead aim to prove a point, to take revenge on the middle class society.

When analyzing this story I looked at three particular aspects of the work and connected them to the development of the theme. Using Character and Motivation I’m able to analyze the characters, figure out their motives, delve deeper into their thought process, and present their values and how they differ from one another. Using Thematic Structure I will be able to figure out which ideas are important to the main character, I will be able to identify symbols, metaphors, and images, and how they contribute to the development of the story. Using Style I can analyze the writer’s choice of language and how it helps to create a mood convey an atmosphere.

By looking at Character and Motivation, we see that Trevor or T, is a bit of a complex character, he was once part of a middle class family, “the fact that his father, a former architect and present clerk, had ‘come down in the world’” (pg.364) but finds himself taking revenge on it. The writer presents T as a character that the other boys respect and answer to. His strong leadership skills are more than enough to win over Blackie’s authoritative

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