Name
Date
Period
Literary Analysis Paragraph Prompts for “The Destructors” by Graham Greene
AS English Literature
Please choose TWO of the following prompts to answer, writing one literary analysis paragraph for each:
1
Comment on the author’s individual characterizations of the boys in the Wormsley Common Gang.
Identify one significant character trait and evaluate whether or not this characterization is
realistic/believable.
2
Comment on the author’s characterization of the boys in the Wormsley Common Gang as a social group.
Identify one ideal or moral the Wormsley Common Gang seems to value.
3
Comment on the significance of the title of the story. Explain why the author chose “The Destructors” as a
title rather than “The Destroyers” (as he calls them in the story on page 8).
4
Comment on the ultimate theme or message of Greene’s story.
5
Comment on the story’s significance in a modern world. Identify connections a reader could make to our
world today.
6
Comment on the extent to which “The Destructors” can serve as an allegory. Identify the key elements
that make this story an allegory and explain Greene’s central argument.
You may use the quote organizer on the back of this page to
plan your two paragraph responses. Remember to write a
structured, organized literary analysis paragraph of no less
than 8 academic sentences. I strongly recommend that you
use McParagraph format to organize your literary analysis
paragraphs.
Please do your own original work. You may use your
annotated copies of the story and any of your notes from
class to complete this assignment.
LITERARY ANALYSIS QUOTE ORGANIZER
PARAGRAPH PROMPT #____________
Title
“The Destructors”
Text Genre
short story
Topic Sentence (answer the paragraph prompt)
Context
(What is happening
at this moment in
story?)
Author
Year
Quotation
(Evidence copied from the text)
Graham Greene
1954
Citation
(page #)
Explanation/Analysis
(How the quote answers the
prompt)
PARAGRAPH PROMPT #____________
Title
“The Destructors”
Text Genre
short story
Topic Sentence (answer the paragraph prompt)
Context
(What is happening
at this moment in
story?)
Quotation
(Evidence copied from the text)
Author
Year
Graham Greene
1954
Citation
(page #)
Explanation/Analysis
(How the quote answers the
prompt)
PARAGRAPH PROMPT #____________
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A01:
Knowledge
5 points
A02:
Understanding
5 points
A*
Quotations
incorporated
seamlessly into
your sentences
Surprising but apt
quotation
choices/details
Insightful, creative,
surprising
explanation and
analysis
(Wow! I didn’t
think of that!)
A
Carefully selected
words from text
where quote comes
from.
Not just a good
quotation, but the
BEST ones
Excellent
explanation and
analysis
Specific details
Connects analysis
through whole
paragraph
B
Two wellchosen
quotations show
that you
understand the
story
C
Quotations
insufficient or not
always relevant
Basic understanding
but some fuzzy
details
D
Some points
have no
evidence or
there is
confusion
about text
F
Wrong facts
about the story
No quotes/ no
meaningful
quotes
Explanation and
analysis
sentences that
connect
quotation to the
topic sentence
Good explanation
sentence, but
missing/weak
analysis sentence
OR vice-versa
Attempt at
explanation
and analysis.
E or A may be
missing or
unclear.
Explanation/
Analysis
sentences
include only
plot summary
OR no attempt
to explain/
analyze
PARAGRAPH PROMPT #____________
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___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
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A01:
Knowledge
5 points
A02:
Understanding
5 points
A*
Quotations
incorporated
seamlessly into
your sentences
Surprising but apt
quotation
choices/details
Insightful, creative,
surprising
explanation and
analysis
(Wow! I didn’t
think of that!)
A
Carefully selected
words from text
where quote comes
from.
Not just a good
quotation, but the
BEST ones
Excellent
explanation and
analysis
Specific details
Connects analysis
through whole
paragraph
B
Two wellchosen
quotations show
that you
understand the
story
C
Quotations
insufficient or not
always relevant
Basic understanding
but some fuzzy
details
D
Some points
have no
evidence or
there is
confusion
about text
F
Wrong facts
about the story
No quotes/ no
meaningful
quotes
Explanation and
analysis
sentences that
connect
quotation to the
topic sentence
Good explanation
sentence, but
missing/weak
analysis sentence
OR vice-versa
Attempt at
explanation
and analysis.
E or A may be
missing or
unclear.
Explanation/
Analysis
sentences
include only
plot summary
OR no attempt
to explain/
analyze