4. Discuss the gang's motivations, taking into account :(a)the age and beauty of the house.(b) Blackie's reasons for not going home after losing his position of leadership. (c) the seriousness with which the gang work at their task, and their loss of concern over their leadership. (d) the burning of the banknotes. (e) their consideration for Old Misery. (f) the lorry driver's reaction.
The two hundred-year-old house that survived The Blitz. The house is beautiful and standing among the rubble of the bombed area. The Destruction of the house is a reflection of several social problems at Post-war periods such as Juvenile Delinquency. The young are defiance possession and historical values . Also it reflects human nature which is jealousy. Trevor saw the house as a symbol of his previous life in a higher social class. Although Blackie lost his position of leadership, he was attracted to the gang and the importance of success of gang was important for him. The gang was focused to succeed at the plan with the exception of the plan going wrong and dethroning of T. The gang wanted to achieve the objective of destroying the house. The gangs’ innocence is gradually left behind in favour of worldliness and sophistication. For the boys in the story, however, their innocence is already gone, replaced by cynicism, selfishness, and rebelliousness. Mr. Thomas, who is called Old Misery by the boys in the gang, is an old man who lives in one of the last standing houses in its neighbourhood. The tearing down of Mr. Thomas’ house was nothing personal. The gang treated Mr. Thomas by not wanting to physically hurt the old man. They give him a blanket and food. When the driver lets Mr. Thomas out of the outhouse, and although the old man is devastated, the driver cannot stop laughing. He explains that it is not personal, but he thinks it is funny.