The Influence Of Setting In Graham Greene's The Destructors

In Graham Greene's "The Destructors," the setting is in London, in a town destroyed by bombs. Every morning, the gang meets at a hangout called car-park, which is the site of the last bombing. The bombing leaves the town destroyed, with only one beautiful thing left standing, Old Misery's house, which the gang will eventually destroy. Graham Greene's choice of setting significantly illustrates how people's surroundings greatly influence their actions and behaviors. Graham Greene's choice of setting allows the boys to witness their town torn apart by the blitzing of World War II and pressures them to destroy themselves. The Wormsley Common Gangs meetings in “an impromptu car-park, the site of the last bomb of the first blitz” has a major impact on their actions (Greene 54). The destruction of their town leads to T’s proposition of destroying a neighboring house that belongs to a man known as Old Misery. Blackie shows more civil traits than T when he argues against T’s

Although, it seems as if they ruined Old Misery’s house out of anger and jealousy because it is something they wish they could have. In addition, it seems as if they completely resent the beauty of the house. Throughout the story, the gang members seem as if they have no home life. The gang members do nothing but meet in the car-park and plan to destroy property, scam people, and other egotistical behaviors. T’s description of the house shows envy; T says “It’s a beautiful house”, “It’s got a staircase two hundred years old like a corkscrew. Nothing holds it up”, and “There’s paneling” (Greene 56). Furthermore, T goes on to say “We’ll pull it down… we’ll destroy it” (Greene 56). This displays how he wants to tear down the house out of resentment. The setting influences the gang members to live a cruel and destructive