Abcarian and Klotz define the human condition as, Man strives to give order and meaning to his life, to reduce the mystery and unpredictability that constantly threaten him. Life is infinitely more complex and surprising than we imagine, and the categories we establish to give it order and meaning are, for the most part, momentary stays against confusion. At any time, the equilibrium of our lives, the comfortable image of ourselves and the world around us, may be disrupted suddenly by something new, forcing us into a painful reevaluation. These disruptions create pain, anxiety and even terror but also wisdom and awareness. This definition means that the human condition consists of disruptions to our daily lives that we must work to stabilize. These disruptions evoke emotional responses from us, and we will take action in some way to try to restore our stability. From these actions we will gain knowledge to better help us deal with the same or similar situations over and over throughout our lives. In Graham Greenes short story, The Destructors (rpt. In Thomas R. Arp and Greg Johnson, Perrines Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, 10th ed. [Boston: Wadsworth, 2009] 111-124) Trevor experiences an aspect of and is altered by the human condition.
Trevor experiences a disruption when his father loses his job, and his family is forced to move. If this werent a disruption enough, Trevor also has to cope with the fact that his once higher class family is now living in a lower class neighborhood. He has to socialize with other kids who he feels he is better than, his mother wont socialize with the neighbors because she feels she is of an upper class and therefore better than the people in the neighborhood.
Trevors emotional reaction to this is sadness, and depression. Trevor blends in with the other boys from the neighborhood, but he doesnt speak. He is reluctant to tell them his name, as it is a sign of the higher social class that he originally came from. When he finally tells the other boys his name they have to hold back the laughter. They decide to call him T because they cant bear to call him by his proper name.
Trevors action is against the upper social class that he blames for firing his father. He has to destroy the only house left in his new neighborhood, that still represents the upper class. Mr. Thomass house was built by a famous architect and is the only sign of the upper class left in his now lower class neighborhood. The neighborhood was converted to a lower class after all but Mr. Thomass house were destroyed in the war. He devises a plan, takes control of the leadership of the gang, and sets his plan into action.
In carrying out his actions, Trevor learns that he does have the ability to be of the upper class. He is a very smart boy, with an inordinate ability to lead. The destruction of such a house would be difficult in its own right, but to do so from the inside out, required very careful planning. Everything must be done in order so that nothing is missed, as there would be no way to go back once the next step was carried out. The size of a job of this nature required several hands, or laborers, who must be given specific, and clear instructions to ensure its completion. Trevor completes the job thinking fast on his feet when Mr. Thomas returns home early, and totally controlling the situation.
In conclusion, Trevor has experienced an aspect of the human condition through this story, beginning with the disruption to his life and the saddened emotional response. He continues by taking action against the original cause of the disruption, and finally he is changed by the human condition, in that he learns that he does have the ability to re-elevate his life with his knowledge, and his ability to act as a leader.
Already have an account? Log In Now
3687