By Thursday before class, you must post once on the blog. In your response, you will be assessed by the same qualities of discussion that we generated in class (evidence, uptake, etc.). You must also post another time by Friday before class in response to the same question. No response should exceed 100 words.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Post #1 -- Group 1
Using Gardner’s Grendel, answer the following questions:
How do monsters function and deal with the dominant society? How do his values interact with those of the dominant society?
Grendel sees the people as greedy and self centered creatures. He tries to stay out of their way except for when he needs something, as seen when it says, "I would try to ignore him... In the end, I had to eat them" (33). His values are different than the Anglo-Saxon people because he sees killing as a necessity to survive, while they kill out of greed and vanity.
I also believe that Grendel is upset by the dominant society which is full of lies when he says, "Thus I fled...but i couldn't" (44). This shows that his once pure mind has been corrupted by the filth in this world so comforts himself by removing himself from the situation.
He sees a world that has been obstructed by the weird human beings, he didnt know who we were at first, he always killed for food and just because he wanted to, and when the humans entered the picture he didnt stop.
Mike, I disagree when you say that Grendel 'always' killed for food and just because he wanted to. These two statements chontract eachother because you're saying that Grendel killed purely in order for survival but then you say there is no point to his killing.
I agree with Christine when she says that Grendel is only killing out of necessity. This is also shown when it says, "I was sickened, if only at the waste of it" (36). Grendel doesn't see killing people as something fun, he sees it as something he needs to do to survive and doesn't like that the people kill for no reason.
I agree Jenna, Grendel does observe peoples actions in society. The key word is “observes”. In order for Grendel to function he observes them. He values disguises in order to observe, “protecting the self...” (17). Grendel does this to not be noticed. It protects himself and makes him feel important.
Jeremy proposed an idea that Grendel "observes" people intently which supports the fact that Grendel indeed has a reason for all his actions. He ponders about issues which also affects how he acts out because he would've had that much more time to think in depth what he wanted to do.
I agree that Grendel does kill because he takes pleasure in it, but i think that pleasure rooted from his observations of people. In the beggining he did not enjoy killing, but his opinions change as he watches the humans. The Human's brutality created Grendel's brutality.
I understand what you are saying Morgan, but I don't believe that Grendel's brutality came from the Human's brutality. If you look at it from the Anglo-Saxon view, it’s just as relevant to say that the Humans have to act brutal to protect themselves from this monster known as Grendel.
Grendel sees the people as greedy and self centered creatures. He tries to stay out of their way except for when he needs something, as seen when it says, "I would try to ignore him... In the end, I had to eat them" (33). His values are different than the Anglo-Saxon people because he sees killing as a necessity to survive, while they kill out of greed and vanity.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that Grendel is upset by the dominant society which is full of lies when he says, "Thus I fled...but i couldn't" (44). This shows that his once pure mind has been corrupted by the filth in this world so comforts himself by removing himself from the situation.
ReplyDeleteHe sees a world that has been obstructed by the weird human beings, he didnt know who we were at first, he always killed for food and just because he wanted to, and when the humans entered the picture he didnt stop.
ReplyDeleteMike, I disagree when you say that Grendel 'always' killed for food and just because he wanted to. These two statements chontract eachother because you're saying that Grendel killed purely in order for survival but then you say there is no point to his killing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Christine when she says that Grendel is only killing out of necessity. This is also shown when it says, "I was sickened, if only at the waste of it" (36). Grendel doesn't see killing people as something fun, he sees it as something he needs to do to survive and doesn't like that the people kill for no reason.
ReplyDeleteI agree Jenna, Grendel does observe peoples actions in society. The key word is “observes”. In order for Grendel to function he observes them. He values disguises in order to observe, “protecting the self...” (17). Grendel does this to not be noticed. It protects himself and makes him feel important.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Jenna, in the books it says that he derives a type of joy from killing and wreaking havoc.
ReplyDeleteJeremy proposed an idea that Grendel "observes" people intently which supports the fact that Grendel indeed has a reason for all his actions. He ponders about issues which also affects how he acts out because he would've had that much more time to think in depth what he wanted to do.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Grendel does kill because he takes pleasure in it, but i think that pleasure rooted from his observations of people. In the beggining he did not enjoy killing, but his opinions change as he watches the humans. The Human's brutality created Grendel's brutality.
ReplyDeleteI understand what you are saying Morgan, but I don't believe that Grendel's brutality came from the Human's brutality. If you look at it from the Anglo-Saxon view, it’s just as relevant to say that the Humans have to act brutal to protect themselves from this monster known as Grendel.
ReplyDelete