How Does Grendel's Self-Image Change

Don’t judge a book by it's cover. When a person is quick to judge they don’t realize that that person may change. They may also be the way they are because of past event that have made them how they are. With this in mind, in Grendel, by John Gardner, he shows how Grendel’s self-image changes throughout the course of the book. Although Grendel has clearly changed, the three main characters that contribute to his changes are The Dragon, Unferth, and Beowulf. One of the major contributors to his change is the Dragon. Before the Dragon came into the story Grendel was unsure of the purpose of his life. For instance, he stated, “...I fool myself with thoughts that I’m more noble. Pointless, ridiculous monster crouched in the shadows…” (Gardner 6). Here he expresses that he feels that he has no purpose in life. However, when the Dragon spoke to him, he became less ignorant. For example, the Dragon tells Grendel, “ We (by which I mean you, not us) are apt to take modes of observable functioning in our own bodies as setting an absolute scale.”(Gardner 66). Here he opens Grendel’s eyes to understand his purpose in life, and that he is not pointless. The Dragon helps Grendel personality change because he starts to question life more and be less ignorant. …show more content…
For example, Grendel remembers, “ I used to play games when I was young-it might as well be a thousand years ago.” (Gardner 15). He mentions that he has not played any games for a long time. On the contrary, when Unferth and Grendel fight, Grendel brings out the inner child he has inside. For instance, he recalls, “ He lifted his sword to make a run at me, and I laughed-howled-and threw an apple at him.” (Gardner 85). Then he mentions, “I got more pleasure from that apple fight than from any other battle in my life.”(Gardner 86). Unferth has changed his personality by making him be more