Symbolism In The Destructors By Graham Greene

Throughout English literature there are a number of authors who use symbolism to get a point across to the reader. Symbolism is a chance for the author to show the reader instead of tell. The futuristic book Fahrenheit 451 is a novel based around symbolism and ulterior meanings. Water and fire are symbols commonly used in all types of literature. These elements are especially apparent in mythology. Also, within the novel the parlor walls proved themselves to be more than what was initially apparent. These symbols give this book a very specific tone and mood.

Of the many literary devices used by writers to make their work more powerful and layered, symbolism is one of the most effective, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a text that relies heavily on its use to develop its narrative. The novella recounts, in the form of a pseudo-journalistic reconstruction, the murder of Santiago Nasar in a small Colombian town in the mid 1900’s. Through the course of the novel, Marquez employs various symbols to reinforce key ideas, themes and techniques. This helps the novella break the monotony of a linear storyline and unfolds the plot in a unique way that compounds both effect and meaning.

Many compelling authors and writers use literary devices to draw readers into their stories. The use of literary devices is to express the meaning of a story in a deeper way than just stating the theme. Stories with descriptive writing that includes literary components keeps readers engrossed and keep them wanting to read more. A few examples of literary elements are symbolism, irony, imagery, and foreshadowing. One such story that includes many uses of elements such as these is “The Destructors”, by Graham Greene. Strong Imagery is used in many instances throughout the text of “The Destructors” to draw the readers into the story, imply deeper meanings, and provide a description of different parts of the text.

Whether you agree with Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, or Erik Erickson, theoretical approaches to human nature all agree that early childhood years play a major part of our conscious and unconscious decisions we make. For instance, even though both Wes Moore’s were brought up without a father in their home, the reality is that these absences meant something different to each of them. For Wes 1 his father died an unnecessary death due to lack of training of emergency personnel. He remembered his dad as being compassionate, loving, and kind. Wes 1 always knew that if given the choice, his father would have stood by him throughout his life. Wes 2, however, is left with negative fatherly feelings. In the three times they were together, his own father acted as though he didn’t recognize him. What’s worse is that Wes 2 knew that his dad didn’t want to know him, he chose to leave. That left not only a hole where there should have been a very important role model, it left rejection in its place. When Wes 1 was visiting Wes 2 in the jail and asked about the impact his father had on his life, the second Wes said, “Your father wasn’t there because he couldn’t be, my father wasn’t there because he chose not to be. We’re going to mourn their absence in different ways” (Moore page 3). Later in the chapter Wes 1 gets emotional thinking about how he misses his father. He was left,

Ray Bradbury, perhaps one of the best-known science fiction, wrote the amazing novel Fahrenheit 451. The novel is about Guy Montag, a ‘fireman’ who produces fires instead of eliminating them in order to burn books (Watt 2). One night while he is walking home from work he meets a young girl who stirs up his thoughts and curiosities like no one has before. She tells him of a world where fireman put out fires instead of starting them and where people read books and think for themselves (Allen 1).

What defines a “good” or “bad” person? The answer is complicated because we all have different perspectives on what we believe to be right and wrong. We as individuals have our own set of ethics by which we try to use when making decisions. However, when a person encounters a difficult dilemma, that choice can impact and even alter a person’s life. “Good People” by David Foster Wallace is an informative and insightful story of a young, unwed, Christian couple that are facing the conflicts of an unplanned pregnancy. Although outwardly this story seems to focus on “to abort” or “not to abort,” the underlying theme focuses on the internal conflicts the young man faces when weighing out the consequences of a decision. David Foster Wallace uses symbolism and an omniscient third person point of view in “Good People” to illustrate the internal battle one faces when dealing with the moral and religious dilemmas such as an unplanned pregnancy.

The lyrics of Radiohead’s 2003 single, “2+2=5” refer to both 1984 by George Orwell and the administration of President George W. Bush. In the three distinct sections of the song, we hear about a character who chooses to live in ignorance, then becomes aware of the evils of his society. In the final segment of the song, the character struggles after learning about the truth, much like Winston Smith did in Orwell’s novel. The music was written and released during the presidency of George W. Bush, whose public reputation had shifted from negative to positive in the years following his controversial election in 2000. The songwriters suggest that, just as citizens of Oceania were trained to forget about history in order to maintain their

When Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451, he allegedly chose the title for the temperature that book paper catches fire. The idea was that the firemen use flamethrowers to burn books, and the fire needed to be at least 451 degrees Fahrenheit to properly burn the paper. Right off the bat, the number 451, in Fahrenheit 451, is stated on the first page of the book. It also symbolizes the ‘burning’ and failing of Montag's society. Essentially, it's the temperature at which society burns. This symbol is the most significant one since it is in the title of the book and is stated directly on the first page.

In the the novel Fahrenheit 451, multiple different abstract and concrete ideas are represented. Those ideas include the use of the outsiders to represent the old society, the use of the mechanical hound to represent the resistance to change, and the usage of the atomic bomb to symbolize a new reality. However, this specific examples of representation within the novel are highlighted due to the fact that they together compose an allegory.

Fahrenheit 451 is one of the more complex books that i have read. Its structure of writing is more detailed, to say he defines things in such a peculiar way that you can imagine it vividly. His mood and tone are so unique that he has become famous for it. To say the least, his style is hard to explain.

In Fahrenheit 451 , Ray Bradbury novel uses symbolism to contrast the firemen and the book burning for the control of education. Firemen Captain Beatty’s lecture on the history of firemen is the perfect example of the workings of the power of discourage. The assignment of the firemen thus is to watch over the emotional and intellectual sleep of the population. Mechanicals hounds have several symbolic deaths: he was almost killed by joyriders.

“The Destructors” is a short fiction story by Graham Greene. The setting of the story is in London 9 years after the conclusion of World War II. The short story has to do with a group of teenage boys who call themselves the Wormsley Common gang, named after the area they live in. As a result of World War II, the area that the teenagers live in has been destroyed and many properties lay in ruins with the exception of one house. This is the house of Mr. Thomas who is known as “Old Misery”. The Wormsley Common gang has planned to destroy the house of Old Misery because they wanted to gain fame and reputation in the area for being a tough gang. Another reason why they destroyed the house is because it reminded them of higher society, something that was out of reach for the teenagers. Throughout the short story, the theme that is being conveyed by Greene is the loss of innocence.

A good example of symbolism in the short story , “The Destructors” is Mr. Thomas’s house. The house symbolises failure and defeat in London after the WWII bombings. The Old Blitz time period was from September 1940

We can see this when he say’s ‘Old misery’ Mike said, hes on his way “But why?” T. said. “He told me. . . .” He protested with the fury of the child he had never been, “It isn’t fair. This passage shows a glimpse of emotion, which we haven’t seen before from Trevor. He is becoming aggravated due to the arrival of Old Misery. This highlights what the destruction of the house means to him, as if it is his piece of artwork and that Trevor feels that all destruction is a form of creation. This could also apply to other aspects of The Destructors, as the destruction of Blackies gang resulted in the creation of Trevor’s gang. By Greene making the narrator say ‘the fury of the child he had never been’ leaves another hint into the roots of his villainy, growing up without a childhood would result in lack of understanding of people’s feelings, and therefore could be the cause of him having not a shred of guilt. What Greene was trying to achieve here was to portray his heartlessness villainy by showing his merciless actions towards this old man who trusted him which reveals the delinquent villain inside

Khaled Hosseini writes the novel, The Kite Runner to make readers think of how his use of symbolism and other