the destructors
Discussion questions
Have you ever purposely destroyed something?
Describe the setting of the story. Of what significance is the setting of this story in blitzed London? What kinds of details help to pinpoint the setting as that of post-war London?
Discuss the dynamics of the gang. Who are these boys? What are their values? What do they expect from their members—and what do they actually do in terms of mischief?
Identify three important conflicts present in the story. Explain what exactly is causing the problem—and whether these conflicts are internal or external in nature. Finally, explain which of these conflicts seems to the central problem.
Explain Trevor’s motivation to destroy Mr. Thomas’ house with the Wormsley Common Gang by carefully considering each of the bullets below. Some of these are tricky! You will need to think of the context of these episodes and what it might suggest is consciously (or unconsciously) compelling the boys to their act of destruction.
Address the following quotation in the story by explaining its context and overall significance to the story. Begin by explaining what is happening at this point in the narrative; then work towards making connections to plot, theme, character development, etc. What significance could it have beyond the ordinary?
What do you see as the central theme of this story? Remember: a theme is not simply a subject like “love”. It is a fuller expression of what an author is trying to suggest about this subject. Write a paragraph explaining your interpretation of this story’s theme.
Research a definition of the philosophy of nihilism. How might the Wormsley Common Gang’s actions in the story demonstrate a kind of nihilism? How might this connect to the Blitz/conditions of London—and what might Greene be suggesting about the dangers of our living environments?
Have you ever purposely destroyed something?
Describe the setting of the story. Of what significance is the setting of this story in blitzed London? What kinds of details help to pinpoint the setting as that of post-war London?
Discuss the dynamics of the gang. Who are these boys? What are their values? What do they expect from their members—and what do they actually do in terms of mischief?
Identify three important conflicts present in the story. Explain what exactly is causing the problem—and whether these conflicts are internal or external in nature. Finally, explain which of these conflicts seems to the central problem.
Explain Trevor’s motivation to destroy Mr. Thomas’ house with the Wormsley Common Gang by carefully considering each of the bullets below. Some of these are tricky! You will need to think of the context of these episodes and what it might suggest is consciously (or unconsciously) compelling the boys to their act of destruction.
- the age and beauty of the house
- the gang’s usual pranks around London
- what has occurred in the recent past with T’s parents
- Blackie’s reaction to the word “beautiful”
- The boys’ reaction to Mr. Thomas’ gift of chocolate
- Summers’ reaction to the word “please”
- the burning of the banknotes
- their consideration for Old Misery
Address the following quotation in the story by explaining its context and overall significance to the story. Begin by explaining what is happening at this point in the narrative; then work towards making connections to plot, theme, character development, etc. What significance could it have beyond the ordinary?
- “Streaks of light came in through the closed shutters where they worked with the seriousness of creators—and destruction after all is a form of creation. A kind of imagination had seen this house as it had now become.”
What do you see as the central theme of this story? Remember: a theme is not simply a subject like “love”. It is a fuller expression of what an author is trying to suggest about this subject. Write a paragraph explaining your interpretation of this story’s theme.
Research a definition of the philosophy of nihilism. How might the Wormsley Common Gang’s actions in the story demonstrate a kind of nihilism? How might this connect to the Blitz/conditions of London—and what might Greene be suggesting about the dangers of our living environments?