Estefania Espinoza British Literature Pd. 03 Grendel Chapter Questions Beginning in paragraph two of Chapter 2, and continuing throughout the chapter, Grendel describes how he used to be as a child. How does this description compare or contrast with the behavior of the humans when they are fully-grown?In chapter two of Grendel, John Gardner takes the readers into a deeper aspect of Grendels life. Most sp ecifically, this ch apter revolves ar ound the childho od life of Grendel. Readers a re able to access the mind of Grendel as a child, through a chapter that is almost entirely structured as a flashback to the situation that, argu ably, may have transformed the typical kidinto the man-eating beast one was introduced to in Beowulf. However, Grende l isnt to blame for h is future actions, for his entire existence was t arnished when his young, impressionable mind was altered. Grendels innocence as a child was robbed, as with all children, when a new understandi ng of the wo rlds harshness was grasped. It almost seems, however, that Grendels behavior as a child is mirrored in t he fully-grown and adulthumans he despises so much. Throughout the chapter, Grendel seems to place himself on a risen, intellectual pedestal , with the humans he deems childish roaming blindly and stupidly hopeful far below. As observed through history, the Anglo Saxons were a war like people, with religious seafaring clans that pledged themselves to an invisible greater-power and who traveled far and wide in their seafaring explorations. These traits are identical to Grendels memories about his chil dhood, I used to play games when I was young.expl ored our far-flung underground world..an end less wargame of l eapswhispe red plotting with invisible friendschild ish games. When Grendel looks out to the humans, he cant help but recognize his own childhood ways in their lifestyle. The humansendless prayin g and constant adventur e is laughable in Grendels eyes because it reminds him of his own past existence befor e his hope and innocence were tarnished by the daunti ng reality of an unpromising life. Grendels attacks may not have been to hurt the humans for the heck of it, but rather, Grendel may have seen it as helping the humans into escaping an oblivious life, just as the humans did to Grendel when he was a child. It may be here that Grendels anger arises; Grendel absolutely knows his childhood was robbed from him, and it becomes his duty to enlighten the stupidly arrogant humans to recognize their true existence as well. The humans, as we al l know well to much, seem to be stuck in an endlessly spinning cycle of pointlessness and Grende l is the third person outsider who wants to bring upon the harsh reality of life.
