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Grendel by John Gardner

 

             Grendel by John Gardner is a book that explores the essence of being a human. He finds the raw emotion that is hidden within every individual and explores the feelings that exist because of those emotions. The book is an analysis of the characteristics and the fundamental laws of being human and examines the attributes that the monster Grendel possesses. The book Grendel leaves one with the confusion of which creature is more vile: humans or Grendel. However, Grendel is a result of his environment, which unfortunately was a strongly negative influence. The humans on the other hand, have a great grasp of what society expects of them and does not abide by the set standards. Within this book the real monsters are humans and not Grendel.
             From the beginning of the book, Gardner causes the reader to identify with the human qualities of the beast Grendel. Grendel sounds so much more human with these feelings and emotions that it evokes sympathy from the reader. Readers can relate to these feelings and therefore pity Grendel and his later actions are more understandable. A creature who is anxious to learn, has a desire to make friends and longs to be accepted within the community. Grendel does not comprehend the reason for this rejection and begins to question and study the world around him. This all in search of an answer to explain his loneliness. The book starts with Grendel observing animals and their natural behaviors. He comes to the conclusion that animals react on instincts and can therefore never change the way they respond to a certain situation. The bull that charged him will always charge him in the same way and knows only limited ways in which to fight. He is therefore unable to strategize and plan accordingly, which leaves him at a disadvantage if his attacker is an animal of larger proportions or strength. .
             Grendel questions human nature and in his animalistic nature cannot understand how humans commit acts out of emotions - such as anger, jealousy and revenge- while animals act in order to survive.


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