Characterization In Grendel

Read the excerpt from Grendel. Now and then some trivial argument would break out, and one of them would kill another one, and all the others would detach themselves from the killer as neatly as blood clotting, and they'd consider the case and they'd either excuse him, for some reason, or else send him out to the forest to live by stealing from their outlying pens like a wounded fox. At times I would try to befriend the exile, at other times I would try to ignore him, but they were treacherous. In the end, I had to eat them. How is Grendel characterized in this excerpt? ~jealous ~compassionate ~lonely ~practical

Read the line from Grendel. Hrothgar met with his council for many nights and days, and they drank and talked and prayed to their curious carved-out creatures and finally came to a decision. Which statement best describes Grendel's perspective? ~He describes the length of the men's decision-making process. ~He describes the way the men socialize and relax together. ~He thinks that the men's religious behavior is strange and interesting. ~He thinks that Hrothgar is a strong leader who will challenge any opponent.

In Grendel, John Gardner uses ~first-person point of view to help readers better understand Beowulf's feelings. ~first-person point of view to help readers see Grendel's side of a familiar story. ~third-person point of view to give greater insight into all of the characters. ~third-person point of view to give an impartial account of a well-known event.

Both Beowulf and Grendel ~are epic poems written hundreds of years ago. ~tell the story of Grendel's encounters with humans. ~are written in first-person point of view. ~show the reader Grendel's perspective on events.

Read the description of Grendel from the epic poem Beowulf. If Grendel wins, it will be a gruesome day; he will glut himself on the Geats in the war-hall, swoop without fear on that flower of manhood as on others before. Then my face won't be there to be covered in death: he will carry me away as he goes to ground, gorged and bloodied; he will run gloating with my raw corpse and feed on it alone, in a cruel frenzy, fouling his moor-nest. This version of Grendel is more ________ than the version in John Gardner's novel. ~vicious ~sensitive ~anxious ~gentle

Which words best complete the comparison of Beowulf and Grendel? Readers of Beowulf hope that Grendel will be destroyed, but readers of Grendel are most likely to ~hope that Beowulf will be destroyed. ~be confused by Beowulf's behavior. ~understand Grendel's perspective. ~consider Grendel a purely evil villain.

Read the excerpt from Grendel. I was safe in my tree, and the men who fought were nothing to me, except of course that they talked in something akin to my language, which meant that we were, incredibly, related. I was sickened, if only at the waste of it: all they killed—cows, horses, men—they left to rot or burn. I sacked all I could and tried to store it, but my mother would growl and make faces because of the stink. How is Grendel characterized in this excerpt? ~He is weak and easily disgusted by dead animals. ~He is careful and respectful of animal life. ~He is cruel and disobedient to his mother's wishes. ~He is considerate and mindful of the fighting men.

Read the excerpt from Grendel. It wasn't because he threw that battle-ax that I turned on Hrothgar. That was mere midnight foolishness. I dismissed it, thought of it afterward only as you remember a tree that fell on you or an adder you stepped on by accident, except of course that Hrothgar was more to be feared than a tree or snake. It wasn't until later, when I was full-grown and Hrothgar was an old, old man, that I settled my soul on destroying him—slowly and cruelly. What does the author use in this excerpt to develop Grendel's character? ~Grendel's words ~Grendel's thoughts ~Hrothgar's words ~Hrothgar's perspective

Read the excerpt from Grendel. I clamped my palms to my ears and stretched up my lips and shrieked again: a stab at truth, a snatch at apocalyptic glee. Then I ran on all fours, chest pounding, to the smoky mere. What does the author use in this excerpt to develop Grendel's character? ~the creature's actions ~the creature's thoughts ~Beowulf's words ~Beowulf's perspective

___________ is the way an author presents a character. ~Characterization ~Theme ~Personification ~Perspective