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 3
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 is in a state at which he doesnt know how to function with the society. He is an outsider and because he doesnt know who he is or what his ture values are he lets the people shape who he is. Grendel feels like he was only meant to kill. "I was Grendel, Ruiner of Medhalls, Wrecker of Kings! (80).
I agree with what Lauren said ,that Grendel is an outsider to the Anglo Saxon Society. He doesnt have any set of values therfore, there is a resistance between the two. As Grendel says: The World resists me and I resist the world."(28). He also thinks that humans are stubborn and insensitive towards him.
Going along with what Lauren and Sidra said, I agree that Grendel is an outsider without values. Due to the fact that he is an outsider he doesn't really seem to care about the anglo-saxon values, and like Lauren said, he lets the people shape him. "I alone exist. All the rest , I saw, is merely what pushes me, or what I push against" (22).
Jaime and Sidra, I agree with your idea of Grendel being an outsider because "The Shaper has people to talk to” (53), but Grendel is alone. This loneliness sets him apart from everyone. Yet, Grendel does have values: "It would be meaningless, killing her" (110). His kills have meaning. He doesn’t kill to kill.
Grendle deals with the dominant society by separating himself and is then alone. As Sidra said, he believes the humans are insensitive towards him. He shouts, "The world is all pointless accident...I exist nothing else" (28). He sees what the humans are doing, he believes what he is doing is the only thing with meaning. As Ryan said, he believes his acts do have meaning.
As Ryan and Luisa said, Grendel's killings and other actions give him meaning in a dominant society. The dragon convinces him, "You stimulate them! You make them think and scheme" (72). Grendel believes his actions define Anglo-Saxon soceity; therefore, his approach to interacting with a dominant society is to try to have a purpose.
Paul, I agree that Grendel helps define the Anglo-Saxon Society. I disagree that he seeks a purpose by interacting with the society. If Grendel decides to "withdraw, [he'll] instantly be replaced" (73). This could go back to the argument of fate rendering Grendel’s interaction with the society as meaningless. This would cause Grendel to feel as if there is no purpose through the society.
I agree with what Paul said about Grendel defining society. He does find his purpose at some point after the dragon preaches to him, " You 'are' mankind, or man's condition"(73). He believes in what the dragon tells him that if it weren't for him, mankind couldn't exist and he defines the society. Ryan could still be correct that he is not interacting to find purpose, he could be interacting because that was just part of his nature.
I agree with Luisa that Grendel's interactions with humans change over time. At first, when Grendel sees a human he, "would try to ignore him" (33). After meeting the dragon, he kills a guard and feels his "heart churning-boiling like a flooded ditch-with glee" (79). The dragon seems to change Grendel's view of humans, and he begins to show hatred toward their society in his actions.
I agree with Paul, After seeing the dragon Grendel showed a change in how his feeling reacted to society. "it no longer filled me with doubt and distress, loneliness,shame" (77). Because he feels this way his actions get worse "snatched seven from their beds, and slit them open"(79).Grendel no longer feels ashamed for his actions
Grendel is in a state at which he doesnt know how to function with the society. He is an outsider and because he doesnt know who he is or what his ture values are he lets the people shape who he is. Grendel feels like he was only meant to kill. "I was Grendel, Ruiner of Medhalls, Wrecker of Kings! (80).
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Lauren said ,that Grendel is an outsider to the Anglo Saxon Society. He doesnt have any set of values therfore, there is a resistance between the two. As Grendel says: The World resists me and I resist the world."(28). He also thinks that humans are stubborn and insensitive towards him.
ReplyDeleteGoing along with what Lauren and Sidra said, I agree that Grendel is an outsider without values. Due to the fact that he is an outsider he doesn't really seem to care about the anglo-saxon values, and like Lauren said, he lets the people shape him. "I alone exist. All the rest , I saw, is merely what pushes me, or what I push against" (22).
ReplyDeleteJaime and Sidra, I agree with your idea of Grendel being an outsider because "The Shaper has people to talk to” (53), but Grendel is alone. This loneliness sets him apart from everyone. Yet, Grendel does have values: "It would be meaningless, killing her" (110). His kills have meaning. He doesn’t kill to kill.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGrendle deals with the dominant society by separating himself and is then alone. As Sidra said, he believes the humans are insensitive towards him. He shouts, "The world is all pointless accident...I exist nothing else" (28). He sees what the humans are doing, he believes what he is doing is the only thing with meaning. As Ryan said, he believes his acts do have meaning.
ReplyDeleteAs Ryan and Luisa said, Grendel's killings and other actions give him meaning in a dominant society. The dragon convinces him, "You stimulate them! You make them think and scheme" (72). Grendel believes his actions define Anglo-Saxon soceity; therefore, his approach to interacting with a dominant society is to try to have a purpose.
ReplyDeletePaul, I agree that Grendel helps define the Anglo-Saxon Society. I disagree that he seeks a purpose by interacting with the society. If Grendel decides to "withdraw, [he'll] instantly be replaced" (73). This could go back to the argument of fate rendering Grendel’s interaction with the society as meaningless. This would cause Grendel to feel as if there is no purpose through the society.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Paul said about Grendel defining society. He does find his purpose at some point after the dragon preaches to him, " You 'are' mankind, or man's condition"(73). He believes in what the dragon tells him that if it weren't for him, mankind couldn't exist and he defines the society. Ryan could still be correct that he is not interacting to find purpose, he could be interacting because that was just part of his nature.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Luisa that Grendel's interactions with humans change over time. At first, when Grendel sees a human he, "would try to ignore him" (33). After meeting the dragon, he kills a guard and feels his "heart churning-boiling like a flooded ditch-with glee" (79). The dragon seems to change Grendel's view of humans, and he begins to show hatred toward their society in his actions.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Paul, After seeing the dragon Grendel showed a change in how his feeling reacted to society. "it no longer filled me with doubt and distress, loneliness,shame" (77). Because he feels this way his actions get worse "snatched seven from their beds, and slit them open"(79).Grendel no longer feels ashamed for his actions
ReplyDelete