Beowulf and fame

I think that Beowulf is a little selfish in his quest for fame. Even before Beowulf defeats Grendel, Grendel's mother and all the underwater beast, he is already famous. When he fights Grendel, he knows he can show off his strenght by triumphing him with no weapons. He boasts about his power and brutality by saying " They have seen my strength fo themselves, have watched me rise from the darkness of war, dripping with my enemies' blood.... Now Grendel and I have come together, and I've come." (lines 418-426). Beowulf is already famous, but he continues in his hunt to impress the people even further. As he continues to fight, his popularity grows and so does his ego.

Best Cover

I think the the second cover best describes the The Fifth Child. On the second cover it shows Ben in two different poses. One is him in front of his window with the bars over it, and the second image shows him in a crouched position. This cover is the best fit for the story because it portrays Ben how he is throughout the book, always ready to attack. "Jane, the four year old, took one of his feet in her hand, then in her two hands, but he vigorously kicked her away." (Lessing pg 50). From birth, Ben was an aggressive child and would always be.

2nd Post: Reaction to Christopher Schildt

I agree with what Christopher Schildt said about Frankenstein. " Mary Shelley was not writing about the evils of science and progress, but sufering and loss and pain, the feeling of being ostracized that i think she knew very well." (Schildt). Shelley did go through tough times in her life. She may have written the book in realtion how she felt to other people or society. Her mother died when she was ten days old, Shelley's premature born daughter died, and her husband died when his sail boat sank in a storm. I also agree that we all feel a little like the creature at times. Most kids feel as an outcast sometimes. " I shall no longer feel the agonies which now consume me, or be the prey of feelings unsatisfied, yet unquenched." Mary Shelley went through many things in her life time, similar to what some people have to go through today. The monster is a representation of all of us.

1st Blog: Personal Reaction to Frankenstein

This far, Frankenstein has been an interesting book. The beginning of the book was slow, but it has picked up. I think the book is very well written. It is a true horror story for the time period it was written in. Mary Shelley is a great author.

Frankenstein has had many twists in the book so far. I did not expect for the creature to have murdered William. The creature has also almost self-taught himself how to speak English and learned how to read and write. I did not expect the creature to have its own feelings and really be able to function as a human life form. " God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance." (Shelley 119) This shows how the creature has feelings and gave me a different perspective on the real story of Frankenstein. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein has been a great book so far and continues to leave you wondering what happens next.