"His authority had gone with his ambiguity"
Is T's leadership hollow?
Are his actions rationalized and acceptable?
"We'd do it from the inside...like worms"
Exploration of controversial issue
T.'s leadership is reflective of the world the boys inhabit providing that realistically, young people of these times may have felt a similar sense of confusion, agony and panic in wanting to move forward, "destroying" connections to the war and past. The war-torn landscape makes such an interpretation possible. Greene’s position and social commentary does not support or reject a particular moral or political position but rather, exemplifies and identifies the complexity of forced change through creating complex setting, characters and conflicts that have depth and meaning even in the 21st century. It does not necessarily aim at rejecting and criticizing, but rather at understanding the moral, political implications when a new modern generation emerges (eg. human nature's complex reactions and decisions when coping with change). Depending on the context, consequences of such change may vary but there is typically a price for destruction, creation and progress ("somethings lost in the process"). Although T. is more individually motivated than Blackie, his character and actions are what symbolizes/embodies the lower-class citizens of post-war Britain, devastated by persisting instability brought by war.
War = Rapid, Powerful Change
"Of course I don't hate him"
"Half things, broken things, former things"
1950's - connection to text on a deeper level of understanding; somewhat of a culture experience in desiring movement out of their current situations that is not simply positive or negative but factual
21st century - modern analysis from a historical perspective reveals a greater thematic idea that in order for progression to occur, there is a price. During this period of change as the British people try to find themselves, Greene suggests that perhaps a lack of emotional attachment is required for a growing need to move away from war trauma.
This text is about the destruction, the "careful demolish[ing]" of a certain set of values or beliefs. It uses pressures and tensions that existed historically (post WWII) along with the committed "unpredictable" protagonist to emphasize the consequence of change - transitioning from traditional times to a new modern era.
Collective Consciousness of the time?
Political ideology of nihilism: the philosophical doctrine that existing institutions—social, political, and economic—must be completely destroyed in order to make way for the new.
Identification vs. Criticism
Readers are forced to try and piece together the fragments of what is revealed about T. as his "this plan...crystallized with the pain of puberty". Blackie's simplistic "altruistic" leadership on the hand, foils T.'s character.
Interpretations: T.obessession with destruction can therefore represent the collective internal struggles of a large portion of “lost” British populations at the time. As a mood of emptiness is prominent, Greene perhaps reveals the psychological impact war has had on children. This could be somewhat reflective of Greene’s own struggle with depression and the fact that he lived through both wars.
HISTORICAL CRITICAL LENS/NEW HISTORICISM
"Destruction after all is a form of creation"
- Young boys involved in gangs is considered "normal", lacking a proper childhood
-"The fame of the Wormsley Common Car-park Gang"
-"The child he had never been"
- T.'s presence in the gang is both surprising given his upper-class background, and expected given the recent event of war. The name Trevor is not taken seriously within the gang yet, regardless, it still holds power and a certain degree of influence which separates T. from the other boys.
-"it was a statement of fact...should have been an object of mockery"
-"beautiful...belonged to a class world that you could still see parodied at the Wormsley Common Empire by a man wearing a top hat and monocle..."
-"It only needed a single use of his name and the gang would be at his heels"
"Nothing holds it up" yet it continues to exist
- Burning Old Misery’s money by T. is significantly symbolic, "a celebration" -“There’s only things...half things, broken things, former things”- incomplete and unstable. T. lives shadowed by the past and the hollowness of the present - disregarding/rejecting traditional, civilized European values (indifference).
- The Wormsley Common Gang meeting place being the carpark, a "hollow" site of destruction.
- "hammers and chisels" - "like a stealthy form of carpentry"
- Old Misery and his house serve as reminders of times before the war. The house is old, weak, barely standing, unstable, and damaged in the post-war period
CONFLICT
Three Central Conflicts:
1. The overall tension between Blackie and T. builds as their leadership roles in the Wormsley Common Gang shift with varying external and internal circumstances. Their leadership styles differ greatly with Blackie focusing on the group collectively, suggesting ideas that lack true social destruction (free bus rides) whereas T. ‘s goals are more driven towards a particular end.
Setting:
2. The conflict that exists between the gang and Old Misery/Mr. Thomas on the surface level.
3. On a thematic level, there is conflict between the behaviors and internal struggle of the boys, and the crumbling society that surrounds them, mimicking the falling buildings. The boys lose their innocence and childhood as they try to cope with change - believing that perhaps only in total annihilation of the old, can there be the rebirth of the new (paradox).
Passage Analysis:
"Only Blackie and T. were left; the light had nearly gone, and when they touched a switch, nothing worked—Mike had done his job thoroughly. “Did you find anything special?” Blackie asked. T. nodded. “Come over here,” he said, “and look.” Out of both pockets he drew bundles of pound notes. “Old Misery’s savings,” he said. “Mike ripped out the mattress, but he missed them.” “What are you going to do? Share them?” “We aren’t thieves,” T. said. “Nobody’s going to steal anything from this house. I kept these for you and me—a celebration.” He knelt down on the floor and counted them out—there were seventy in all. “We’ll burn them,” he said, “one by one,” and taking it in turns they held a note upward and lit the top corner, so that the flame burnt slowly toward their fingers. The gray ash floated above them and fell on their heads like age. “I’d like to see Old Misery’s face when we are through,” T. said. “You hate him a lot?” Blackie asked. “Of course I don’t hate him,” T. said. “There’d be no fun if I hated him.” The last burning note illuminated his brooding face. “All this hate and love,” he said, “it’s soft, it’s hooey. There’s only things, Blackie,” and he looked round the room crowded with the unfamiliar shadows of half things, broken things, former things. “I’ll race you home, Blackie,” he said."
The post-world war II setting of the story not only creates the debris left behind by the Blitz in London surrounding the carpark that the Wormsley Common gang commonly meet, but also social circumstances associated with the behavior of the various characters. The ability of Trevor’s name to evoke a response within the gang is a result of social constructs prior to WWII - “typically an upper-class English name”.
Political, military and economic unrest creates conflicts externally and internally:
- Blackie: loses his support and must adjust to his shifting position of power
- T: focuses his energy on the systematic destruction of Old Misery's house after his family's decline in status.
The fact that T.'s “father, [was] a former architect and present clerk” had “come down in the world”and “should have been an object of mockery” relates to the central theme of times changing and consequences associated with progression.
Tone:
Diction, allusion, irony, motif, selection of detail,
- symbolism
- character
- light vs. dark
- theme
"The Destructors" is set nine years after "the first blitz". Many families were displaced from their homes and were instead forced to seek refuge in underground stations which led to the formation of many gangs.
Motifs:
- methodical, systematic annihilation
- the loss/transition of youth
Irony:
- "Beauty" of destruction as a form of creation
- Discrepancy in the deconstruction of a house by architect's son (imitating what has occurred to surrounding cities)
- Actions appear unethical yet behaviors remain ethical
POINT OF VIEW
"Yet the walls could be preserved. Facades were valuable"
"They speak in parables and double meanings"
CHARACTER
Trevor or T. :
- Trevor is an upper class English name corresponding with a respectable family.
- T. joins the gang as a result of his father's losing social standing. Wanting to detach himself from the past, he facilitates post-war social class destruction/degradation.
- fondness of creating order in chaos - systematic destruction, voting as a means of deciding etc.
- incredibly focused and goal oriented, viewing the destruction of Old Misery's house as a creative art
- more individually oriented, less morally/emotionally attached, nihilistic to a certain extent
Blackie:
- more typical mischievous boy gang leader predating World War II
- sense of comradeship and responsibility
- acts committed are more emotionally driven and less harmful such as vandalism and pranks
- "Driven by the pure, simplistic and altruistic ambition of fame for the gang", Blackie adopts the role of an "ordinary member" when needed while asserting his "leader" position when required.
- more group (collectively) oriented.
Although Greene purposefully shifts the focus of the story on various characters, the third person omniscient view excludes the thoughts of the protagonist Trevor. This forces readers to infer his motives and his state of mind from how other characters view him, his actions and his reactions. There is ambiguity associated with his motivations and/or reactionary nature, perhaps emphasizing the increasingly evident gap between the modern era and traditional values. Readers are forced to piece together aspects of his character and relate it to a larger thematic idea involving social criticism. Perhaps, by depicting Trevor's actions without clearly knowing his motivations, Greene suggests that Trevor may be embodying a "lost generation" of young people living in post-war times.
CONNECTIONS WITH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
First Impression:
- Questions the extent that in order to progress into future, what degree of destruction is necessary and required?
- Is destruction in a state of chaos a form of creation?
- The effects of shifting economic, political and social conventions as well as values.
- Transferring and significance of power between individuals (leadership) vs. society (class and era)
- Consequence of change and class struggle
- The loss of innocence individually and collectively in the aftermath of war conflict
BIG IDEAS:
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:
- Graham Greene: wrote Catholic novels (religious themes were often at the root of his writings), had a history of depression which affected his writings, concentrated on portraying inner struggles of a character
- Time of writing was post-World War II (Greene lived through both World Wars).
- The Blitz was a period of bombing by Nazi Forces on Britain during World War II (1940-1941). Although many citizens were killed and buildings were destroyed, the British withheld German Forces ending in their retreat (British victory).
- Immediately after the war was a period of rapid political change. Winston Churchill and the Conservative Party was voted out of office in favor of the labor party. The cost of the war was economic unrest as Britain was heavily in debt to the US and depended on policies such as the Marshall Plan in order to keep its economy afloat. The quality of living in Britain had dramatically decreased, with wartime rationing taking place into the 50s and many people being left homeless. Britain had transformed from an economic, political powerhouse to a broken, unstable nation.
- However, Britain eventually politically and economically recovered as social welfare programs (employment, health care etc.) were established and nationalization was commencing due to the new labor party (eg. government ownership of banks) contrasting previous capitalist policies.
- rebellious phase in youth- adapting to change
- response to changing eras/ progression
- shifts in leadership amongst peer groups or organizations
CONNECTIONS TO OTHER TEXTS:
- CHARACTERS: The significance of names: The "weight" of the name "Trevor" along with his desire to adopt the persona of "T.", is paralleled with Gatsby's abandonment of his former self "James Gatz" of North Dakota to create "Jay Gatsby - the platonic conception of himself". Both the names Trevor and Jay Gatsby have an upper economically well-off class labels associated with them. However, unlike Gatsby who changes his name and speech to appear as "old money”, Trevor adopts the name T. to fit in and mimic the destruction that came with World War II.
- EVENTS: The influence of historical context: The survival of Old Misery/Mr. Thomas' house from "The Blitz" (an actual historical event), prompted and motivated the actions of the Wormsley Common Gang. Similarly, Death of a Salesman (The American Dream) and The Great Gatsby (Roaring Twenties) also illustrate pressures associated with changing times, values, self-perception, motivations and society.
- IDEAS: Gatsby struggles to return to the past with his present wealth. Willy becomes delusional in exclusively believing his outdated interpretation of success and the world, blind to change. T, Blackie and the gang who have lost their homes cannot tolerate Old Misery’s house, representing the past. There is a purposeful contrast between traditional values and newly emerging values.
- confusing; characters seem somewhat "inhuman"
- ambiguity with "protagonist" as multiple characters are of focus at different times
- third person omniscient point of view
- influences and motivations of characters are difficult to recognize
- appears to be a norm associated with the senseless violence of unprincipled adolescents
- Significantly historically influenced; the unstable post war atmosphere is immediately apparent
- element of surprise during ending when the truck driver laughs
"We aren't thieves"
"They worked with the seriousness of creators...a kind of imagination had seen this house as it had now become"
"It's nothing personal"
THE DESTRUCTORS
By: Edward Kim and Michelle Wu