2/26/20 Myunbo Pen Period 8

02.26.2020 Myunbo Pen#23 PD8 Modern Myth 2020 

Aim: How are philosophies of religion and government constructed by the characters in Grendel? 

Do Now: Padlet activity for Ch8 

The lessons starts with us quoting the various hypocrisies that have been mentioned in Ch8 and explaining our positions and interpretations of them. The discussion starts with a couple views (simplified): 

● Alex: Hypocrisies of the government. The government is tyrannical where it prospers and only those atop benefit, akin to the tree. 

● Matt Governments evolved and have become more democratic and manageable where they keep each other in check. 

● Kenton: The "ground beneath the tree" isnt dead as there are mushrooms that can be grown under and likewise some people can benefit from such situations as not all such situations are so dark. 

The overall meaning of the hypocrisies expresses that the governments built and shown in Grendel are all built and maintained on power and but there can also be another meaning behind them. So the lesson moves on to Red Horse and what he represents. 

Red Horse, his name and its meaning 

The meaning of his name represents the lower class people asking for better lives and in a nutshell, freedom. The name when broken down can also be seen as: red, expressing the communism/devil/le satan and the horse, representing freedom but also the four horsemen of the apocalypse, id est, red horse the embodiment of war. The name Red Horse was also a sub chief during Little BigHorn, one of the few battles that the native Americans actually won, and represents anti establishment and anti government. The character himself is deaf so lacks insight, thought and ignores the unintended consequence. Gardener wants us to understand the two extremes, super pro gov and anti gov and also that the two extreme views ignoring any other views. 

Legitimate Violence 

Legitimate violence, violence by authority given a purpose. Creating the institutions/laws to justify violence, and the government creating laws to exert control and oppression and coercion for their own agendas and society wise deemed right though morally wrong. All the things that the government does is coercive repression, but to a more extreme extent. Gardner's view can be seen similar to Red Horse’s. In their opinion it's the so-called "betterment of the people" while really it's a selfish way of thinking to justify their own actions. Ultimately however, Red Horse tries to lead on in the sense that there are so many laws when it's pointless in the end as a new government will not be much different from an overthrown previous government, id est nihilism. 

Reflection 

Gardener tries to show insight into the ruling bodies of our lives and show us how sometimes the government can go wrong, very wrong in the sense where they follow their own personal agendas but we, the people are capable of changing that through our actions, just like how Hrothulf can try changing it even when living under oppressive conditions if he has the will to try and change it.