Plot summary, “The Destructors” by Graham Greene in 5 Minutes - Book Review

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Published on March 3, 2025 11:00:30 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8x2p7VTOyY

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“The Destructors” by Graham Greene is a short story set in post-World War II London, where a gang of boys, the Wormsley Common Gang, led by a 15-year-old named Trevor, plan the systematic destruction of an elderly man’s home. The house, which survived the Blitz, belongs to Mr. Thomas, whom the boys call Old Misery. After several pranks, T persuades the gang to ruin the house over the long Bank Holiday weekend. They methodically tear it apart, and in the end, they use a truck to bring the structure down, leaving Old Misery in shock. The story explores themes of nihilism, the loss of innocence, and the emptiness of post-war life.