Adrian Seucan, PD5, 3/9/2021, Day B

Literacy & Learning

Write about your thoughts regarding any of the fiction or non-fiction covered in class.

After watching the movie Beowulf, I was pleasently surprised to see a different take on the original story. The poem is filled with action and describes all of Beowulf's heroic qualities, but it is so one sided in favor of the hero, that its maddening to read! On the other hand, the movie gives Grendel and his mother a larger role in the plot, and its interesting to see Grendel actually have a reason for his massacres at Herot. One point of interest in the movie that I'd like to bring up, is the role of Grendel's mom. Of the three "monsters" that Beowulf has to face, she scares me the most. In the movie, Grendel's mom is a humanoid woman with a dragon tail, and although that is weird, that's not what makes her truly frightening. Its the ease in which she defeats Beowulf that is unsettling. Whereas he would fight tooth and nail to kill both Grendel and the dragon, he succumbs to the false promises of Grendel's mother way too easily. She is depicted as a monster, but in reality she is just the physical incarnation of human lust and temptation. This encounter demonstrates one of humanity's biggest weaknesses; the fact that we easily give in to temptation. Even a so-called hero like Beowulf fails to control his desires when they are directly presented to him. 

Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

Recently, our class had a discussion on which is the worst sin. Many believed that it was either cowardice or wrath, but after seeing Beowulf, I believe that the worst sin is lust. Lust shows the most weakness in a person because they can easily be manipulated, as shown in Beowulf, but also because it is driven by the evil desires of humanity. The main thing I've learned in English class, is to always ask questions, to challenge the status quo. English class has taught me to look at a situation from different perspectives, as I did when responding to the discussion above. Another hallmark of this class is the challenge for students to delve deeper when discussing or reading a literary piece. When I was younger, I just read for fun. All the subtle patterns and subplots of a novel were lost on me. I didn't pick up on the bigger picture of a story. After being part of this class for several months, I've learned to go past this shallow perception and look to see what's really going on. The first time I read Greek myths, I was focused on the characters and the storyline, but now I also pay attention to the societal connections and critical theories within the plot (feminist theory, etc.). 

How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

Even as a young child I liked to question things, but English class helps bring a higher level of focus and understanding to my view on different topics. I learned that not everything is black or white, something that is useful when interacting with people and trying to understand their motivations. For instance, many people would frown if they saw someone steal food or clothes from a store. But if they learned that they were homeless, then maybe they'd feel some sympathy and understanding towards the person. Obviously I'm not advocating for people to get away with theft, but instead for people to broaden their horizons and to dig deeper. Whether its during interactions with others, or watching the news, I want to continue to challenge myself to understand better.