The Destructors by Graham Greene by

Burning Old Misery's savings

alejandrofran062 — 2024-10-23 21:22:24 UTC

T explains to Mike: "We aren't thieves, nobody is going to steal anything from this house. I kept these for you and me-- a celebration. We'll burn them, one by one. I'd like to see Old Misery's face when we are through" (Greene, 186). This quote shows T's desire to express his distaste for material belongings and the middle-class and upper-class pursuit of them is symbolized by his decision to watch the money burn. He despises the middle and upper classes for stressing the importance of money and possessions.

The Wormsley Common Gang

alejandrofran062 — 2024-10-23 21:26:59 UTC

The neighborhood where the Wormsley Common Gang resided inspired their name. The imaginary neighborhood of Wormsley Common is harsh and difficult. It's a poor urban city. Parental participation in the lives of the children residing there is minimal. The gang's name not only denotes where they are, but also the kind of boy they are—rough, rugged, and essentially free to do as they like without any obvious rules from the grownups in their lives.

Trevor's name

alejandrofran062 — 2024-10-23 21:34:07 UTC

When Trevor first joins the gang, the boys will sometimes make fun of his name: "When he said "Trevor" it was statement of a fact..." (Greene, 177). When they wish to rebel against his leadership, they start doing this again. Trevor is a representation of all things "posh" to the less fortunate guys. The name is a representation of Trevor's family's upper middle-class heritage and of growing up in wealth. The reason Trevor shortens his full name to "T" is because it represents everything he despises about his origins.

Top hat

alejandrofran062 — 2024-10-23 21:45:06 UTC

"...that belonged to a class world that you could still see parodied at the Wormsley Common Empire by a man wearing a top hat and a monocle, with a haw-haw accent. He was tempted to say, 'My dear Trevor, old chap,' and unleash his hell hounds." (Greene)

This quote explains how the Top hat in the story symbolizes the outdated ideals of the upper class in post-World War II England, as well as the disrespectful attitude of the lower class toward those ideals. The top hat is an old and useless accessory. They don't keep the head warm; instead, they demonstrate a mastery of formal dress codes. The tall shape of the top hat seems to beg to be ridiculed or even knocked off the wearer's head, and to the lower classes, who have recently gained power due to the fall of the old order, it represents unmerited privilege and undeserved distinction. Or, in the instance of a top-hat-shaped home like Mr. Thomas's, pushed down and destroyed.

Sounds of destruction

alejandrofran062 — 2024-10-23 21:51:06 UTC

"After a while it seemed to him that there were sounds in the silence – they were faint and came from the direction of his house..." (Greene,166)

In the story, the noises of destruction stand for understanding and adaptability. The ability of a character to go on and create the new world after destruction is reflected in their hearing and comprehension of these noises. Despite being too young, Blackie's assertion that he heard bombs during the Blitz demonstrates his comprehension and acceptance of the new reality. On the other hand, Mr. Thomas's failure to embrace change and rebuild is exemplified by his incorrect perception of the demolition of his home, believing it to be carpentry.

Mr. Thomas's lavatory

alejandrofran062 — 2024-10-23 22:18:06 UTC

The impracticality and adherence to antiquated ideals of the upper class are symbolized by Mr. Thomas's lavatory. He is capable of decorating his home, but he is not skilled in plumbing, which is a lower-class vocation. He clings to a time before modern plumbing and would rather deal with the discomfort of using the outdoor toilet than fix the plumbing. Mr. Thomas sees the house not as a place of comfort but as a link to the past and inflexible class systems. Being confined to the restroom while his house was being destroyed emphasizes how pointless it is to cling to the past.

The House

alejandrofran062 — 2024-10-23 22:21:15 UTC

The house functions as a symbol of old Europe, and the gang members react against the “misery” the previous generations caused them. The house's deterioration is a metaphor for postwar Britain's collapsing social systems. Trevor's name distinguishes him from the other kids, but what really stands out about him is how he uses the word "beautiful" to describe the house. One could interpret his anger toward the mansion as a reaction against his own social class. T. demolishes the houses his father built.

The truck's driver laughter

alejandrofran062 — 2024-10-23 22:30:53 UTC

"I'm sorry, I can't help it, Mr. Thomas. There's nothing personal, but you got to admit it's funny" (Greene, 192).

The truck driver's final laugh emphasizes how ridiculous the destruction of the house is. It illustrates the pointlessness of the house's demolition from the perspective of an outsider. His response betrays a lack of understanding or ties to the principles the house previously stood for. This disengagement highlights how society is becoming less interested in the past and its customs. In the end, the laughing represents the pointlessness of holding onto outdated ideals in a society that has changed.