's short
story "" utilizes the contrast between Old Misery's house and the Wormsley Common gang
to depict the theme of Old England versus the new up-and-coming, post-war generation. With
salient details concerning the richness of the architecture like the spiral staircase andthat
compared the house to a gentleman's top hat, Greene constructs afor Mr. Thomas' house
representing the old, wealthy upper class society of the pre-World War II era; meanwhile, the
boys in the "Wormsley Common gang" are exactly what their name suggests--common boys,
the lower class.
By the end of the story as Mr. Thomas' house collapses
ruinously to the ground, Greene suggests that the former division between upper and lower class
have shattered as a result of the shared hardship of post-war England; the boys' defiant act
resonates as a rebellious step toward ending the social hierarchy.
No comments:
Post a Comment