The Destructors

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

Role Play: Good Leader, Bad Leader

In this group activity, students will demonstrate the characteristics of good and bad leaders. In the story, T rises to power in the gang by appealing to the group's baser instincts, then changes the culture of the gang once he has power. In groups, brainstorm characters who have leadership roles in shows, movies, video games, and/or books you’ve read. Try to choose characters your classmates are likely to recognize. Choose one of these characters that your whole group knows, write a skit that demonstrates their leadership style (good or bad), and perform it for the class. As a class, then consider how someone who wants to be a leader should act as they seek leadership, based on the behaviors you demonstrated. 

• After selecting your roles, drafting your scene, and rehearsing your skit, you and your group will act out the scenario during your class session.
• Following the skits, reflect on the qualities of good and bad leaders that you saw acted out.
• Finally, contrast your points with Graham Greene’s perspective in the story, particularly as he connects leadership to the themes of The Dangers of Populism, The Illusion of Order, and The End of Innocence.