The Destructors
By:GRAHAM GREENE
Interpretive Questions: Answer all questions in complete sentences, use quotes to support.
1.) Why does Trevor want to completely destroy Mr. Thomas' house?
-Trevor wants to destroy Mr. Thomas' house because he is jealous that his house was fine after the war and all the bombings, while everyone else's did not survive and were destroyed completely, "It's proposed that tomorrow and Monday we destroy Old Miser's house." (p. 169)
2.) If Trevor thinks the house is "beautiful," why does he wants to destroy it? (p. 166)
If if he thinks the house is beautiful, he wants to destroy it because he is jealous of house nice and "beautiful" the house is, so Trevor wants to destroy it, "It's a beautiful house," and still watching the ground, meeting no one's eyes, he licked his lips first one way, then the other." (p. 166)
3.) Why does Trevor burn Mr. Thomas' savings instead of stealing them?
- Trevor burns Mr. Thomas' savings instead of stealing them because they are not there to take the money or steal, they are just there to send a message, "We'll burn them, " he said, "one by one," and taking it in turns they held a note upwards and lit the top corner, so that the flame burnt slowly towards their fingers." (p. 173)
4.) Why does Trevor say "there'd be no fun" if he hated Mr. Thomas? (p. 174)
- Trevor says there would be no fun if he hated Mr. Thomas because if he did hate him, he would get revenge out of it and only be focused on the hatred instead of the "fun" he is having destroying his house, "Of course I don't hate him," T. said. "There'd be no fun if I hated him." (p. 174)
5.) When Mr. Thomas returns early, why does Trevor protest, "It isn't fair"? (p. 175)
- Trevor protests that it isn't fair when Mr. Thomas returns early because they did not get to finish their job to completely destroy his house, "He told me..." He protested with the fury of the child he had never been, "it isn't fair." (p. 175)
6.) Why does the gang work to destroy the house with "the seriousness of creators"? (p. 172)
- The gang works to destroy the house with "the seriousness of creators" because they really want to destroy every inch of the house and every hope of rebuilding. The gang wants to give Mr. Thomas the same feelings that they had when their houses were bombed and destroyed, "Streaks of light came in through the closed shutter where they worked with the seriousness of creators- and destruction after all is a form of creation." (p. 172)
7.) Why is Trevor able to get the gang to carry out his plan to destroy the house?
- Trevor is able to get the gang to carry out his plan to destroy the house because it is more grander and is more daring than the usual trivial things that the gang usually does, "Free rides," T. said. "Kid stuff. You can stand down, Blackie, if you'd rather..." (p. 169)
8.) Why are we told that "destruction after all is a form of creation"? (p. 172-173)
- We are told that because destruction and chaos required creation or rebuilding, like with the case with the gang destroying his house, but it was possible because someone created it, "Streaks of light came in through the closed shutter where they worked with the seriousness of creators- and destruction after all is a form of creation." (p. 172)
9.) What does the author mean when he says that Trevor had "a kind of imagination" that "had seen this house as it had now become"? (p. 173)
- The author means that Trevor has seen and planned from the beginning everything out how the house would be destroyed, "A kind of imagination had seen this house as it had now become." (p. 173)
10.) Why does an "odd exhilaration" seize the boys as they look down into the partially destroyed house? (p. 174)
- The boys feel that odd exhilaration as they look at the destroyed house because it something new and it is odd because they are realizing the severity of what they did, and they also realize what they are able to do, "They ran risks and made mistakes: when they thought of the windows it was too late to reach them." (p. 174)
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Ambiguously - p. 165
Quote: "As the leader he had responsibilities. "Suppose we are?" he said ambiguously." (p. 165)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): open to or having multiple possible answers or interpretations
Synonym: enigmatic, puzzling
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The teacher did not clarify when she stated the directions ambiguously to the class.
2.) Daunted - p. 168
Quote: "Blackie gave a single hoot of laughter and then, like Mike, fell quiet, daunted by the serious implacable gaze." (p. 168)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to make someone or something feel intimidated
Synonym: discourage, demoralize
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She was daunted after her guarding scolded her heavily.
3.) Altruistic - p. 169
Quote: "Driven by the pure, simple, and altruistic ambition of fame for the gang, Blackie came back to where T. stood in the shadow of Old Misery's wall." (p. 169)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): unselfishly concerned for the well-being of others.
Synonym: charitable, generous
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She had an altruistic personality, which attracted a lot of friends.
4.) Superficial - p. 173
Quote: "By the time Mike returned they were on the top floor, and by six the superficial damage was completed." (p.173)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): existing/occurring at the exterior or surface
Synonym: outside, external
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The damage to the care was only superficial.
5.) Exhilaration - p. 174
Quote: "By the evening an odd exhilaration seized them as they looked down the great hollow of the house." (p. 174)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the feeling of happiness or excitement
Synonym: elation, excitement, delight
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): He felt a thrill of exhilaration upon the drop on the roller coaster.
Thinking Map:Use textual evidence to show examples of when Trevor is trying to be part of the gang or when Trevor is trying to separate himself from the gang. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
1.) Why does Trevor want to completely destroy Mr. Thomas' house?
-Trevor wants to destroy Mr. Thomas' house because he is jealous that his house was fine after the war and all the bombings, while everyone else's did not survive and were destroyed completely, "It's proposed that tomorrow and Monday we destroy Old Miser's house." (p. 169)
2.) If Trevor thinks the house is "beautiful," why does he wants to destroy it? (p. 166)
If if he thinks the house is beautiful, he wants to destroy it because he is jealous of house nice and "beautiful" the house is, so Trevor wants to destroy it, "It's a beautiful house," and still watching the ground, meeting no one's eyes, he licked his lips first one way, then the other." (p. 166)
3.) Why does Trevor burn Mr. Thomas' savings instead of stealing them?
- Trevor burns Mr. Thomas' savings instead of stealing them because they are not there to take the money or steal, they are just there to send a message, "We'll burn them, " he said, "one by one," and taking it in turns they held a note upwards and lit the top corner, so that the flame burnt slowly towards their fingers." (p. 173)
4.) Why does Trevor say "there'd be no fun" if he hated Mr. Thomas? (p. 174)
- Trevor says there would be no fun if he hated Mr. Thomas because if he did hate him, he would get revenge out of it and only be focused on the hatred instead of the "fun" he is having destroying his house, "Of course I don't hate him," T. said. "There'd be no fun if I hated him." (p. 174)
5.) When Mr. Thomas returns early, why does Trevor protest, "It isn't fair"? (p. 175)
- Trevor protests that it isn't fair when Mr. Thomas returns early because they did not get to finish their job to completely destroy his house, "He told me..." He protested with the fury of the child he had never been, "it isn't fair." (p. 175)
6.) Why does the gang work to destroy the house with "the seriousness of creators"? (p. 172)
- The gang works to destroy the house with "the seriousness of creators" because they really want to destroy every inch of the house and every hope of rebuilding. The gang wants to give Mr. Thomas the same feelings that they had when their houses were bombed and destroyed, "Streaks of light came in through the closed shutter where they worked with the seriousness of creators- and destruction after all is a form of creation." (p. 172)
7.) Why is Trevor able to get the gang to carry out his plan to destroy the house?
- Trevor is able to get the gang to carry out his plan to destroy the house because it is more grander and is more daring than the usual trivial things that the gang usually does, "Free rides," T. said. "Kid stuff. You can stand down, Blackie, if you'd rather..." (p. 169)
8.) Why are we told that "destruction after all is a form of creation"? (p. 172-173)
- We are told that because destruction and chaos required creation or rebuilding, like with the case with the gang destroying his house, but it was possible because someone created it, "Streaks of light came in through the closed shutter where they worked with the seriousness of creators- and destruction after all is a form of creation." (p. 172)
9.) What does the author mean when he says that Trevor had "a kind of imagination" that "had seen this house as it had now become"? (p. 173)
- The author means that Trevor has seen and planned from the beginning everything out how the house would be destroyed, "A kind of imagination had seen this house as it had now become." (p. 173)
10.) Why does an "odd exhilaration" seize the boys as they look down into the partially destroyed house? (p. 174)
- The boys feel that odd exhilaration as they look at the destroyed house because it something new and it is odd because they are realizing the severity of what they did, and they also realize what they are able to do, "They ran risks and made mistakes: when they thought of the windows it was too late to reach them." (p. 174)
Vocabulary in Context:
1.) Ambiguously - p. 165
Quote: "As the leader he had responsibilities. "Suppose we are?" he said ambiguously." (p. 165)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): open to or having multiple possible answers or interpretations
Synonym: enigmatic, puzzling
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The teacher did not clarify when she stated the directions ambiguously to the class.
2.) Daunted - p. 168
Quote: "Blackie gave a single hoot of laughter and then, like Mike, fell quiet, daunted by the serious implacable gaze." (p. 168)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): to make someone or something feel intimidated
Synonym: discourage, demoralize
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She was daunted after her guarding scolded her heavily.
3.) Altruistic - p. 169
Quote: "Driven by the pure, simple, and altruistic ambition of fame for the gang, Blackie came back to where T. stood in the shadow of Old Misery's wall." (p. 169)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): unselfishly concerned for the well-being of others.
Synonym: charitable, generous
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): She had an altruistic personality, which attracted a lot of friends.
4.) Superficial - p. 173
Quote: "By the time Mike returned they were on the top floor, and by six the superficial damage was completed." (p.173)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): existing/occurring at the exterior or surface
Synonym: outside, external
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): The damage to the care was only superficial.
5.) Exhilaration - p. 174
Quote: "By the evening an odd exhilaration seized them as they looked down the great hollow of the house." (p. 174)
Definition (based on context/in your own words): the feeling of happiness or excitement
Synonym: elation, excitement, delight
Sentence (underline the vocabulary word): He felt a thrill of exhilaration upon the drop on the roller coaster.
Thinking Map:Use textual evidence to show examples of when Trevor is trying to be part of the gang or when Trevor is trying to separate himself from the gang. Include 5 examples and support with page numbers and opinion for each column.
Be part of the Gang
- Trevor participates in voting in the gang (p. 168) - He responds and tells his name when they ask (p. 163) - He takes orders from Blackie (p. 164) - He suggests to destroy the house (p. 169) - He asserts his power and gives everyone a job to prepare for the plan (p. 170) |
Separate from the Gang
- Trevor panics and whines when Mr. Thomas returns, showing his weak side and loses respect (p. 175) - Burns the money without the gang's consent or knowledge, just with Blackie (p. 173) - Trevor never spoke or said much at the beginning while he was with the gang (p. 164) - He plans to destroy the house by himself and visits it alone without the gang (p. 166) - He decides to keep destroying the house, despite Mr. Thomas coming back to the house, risking the gang in getting in trouble/being arrested for his own selfish reasons (p. 175) |