Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Grendel's Mother-6
The mother of Grendel is not that much different from Grendel himself. She is first described in Beowulf as a “greedy she-wolf (line 574).” She’s just as ugly, disfigured, and strong as her evil son. Because she’s a little disfigured, it affects the way she walks and does so with a slight limp. Even with this limp, it doesn’t stop her from getting what she wants. When she’s introduced into the poem of Beowulf, it begins by talking about how she had ruled for fifty years. Although there’s no reference towards her age, we can assume she’s at least in her sixties or seventies. It’s also a mystery as to what kind of relationship Grendel and his mother shared. In line 578, we find out that she also has claws much like Grendel, her son. If someone were to be captured in them, there’s no escaping. She lives beneath the waves where the water is hot like a fiery flame. This is symbolism towards the idea of living in Hell because both she and Grendel are relatives of Satan himself. In a way you can feel sorry for her because she didn’t chose to live this kind of life but now that she is, she must be killed to defeat evil. Living beneath the sea also explains why she smells like raw tuna, a completely foul smell. The very smell can paralyze anyone in its way before she can even get a hold of them. It’s not easy to fight something that smells as bad as her. Grendel was spawned in that slime so she can’t help but smell a little raw. Both Grendel and his mom are descendents of Cain and represent evil so it’s only natural for them to live in a dark world resembling Hell. At first we don’t even know she exists at all. She goes virtually unnoticed throughout Beowulf until the death of Grendel. This obviously upsets her because her son has just been killed. After the death of her son, she attacked Herot to avenge her son. She only takes one man however, Hrothgar’s closest friend. She also takes the trophy of her son’s arm off the rafter and brings it back with her beneath the waves to her den. She eagerly wants to get back at Beowulf and kill him. When the battle between the two first begins, she has the upper hand as she pins Beowulf to the ground. After a brief battle between Beowulf and Grendel’s mother, he viciously stabs her in the neck with a magical sword, breaking bone and all. The sword he got off a wall in the lair. Her grainy voice, like that of man, roared in agony as the sword ripped through her. Bright light came through in that hall from the Heaven’s as evil was defeated. Grendel and his mother were no more. Good had once again defeated evil. The Danes and King Hrothgar were once again safe from evil and all things that are bad.
Obesity: Public Enemy #1
Obesity is among the leading causes of death today in America. It’s become so popular now that shows, such as The Biggest Loser, are dedicated to its existence. With the rise of new fast food chains and the decline of physical education in the schools, obesity has become the number one problem in our country. Morgan Spurlock, creator of Super Size Me, even did a study on the effects of fast food on a person’s health and how it contributed to nationwide obesity. According to surveys and statistics, Mississippi is the fattest state in the U.S. with thirty-three percent of their adults being obese ("America’s Fattest States 2009 (Graphic)"). Currently, thirty-four percent of adults in America are obese and forty-six percent in neighboring Canada (“Fast Food Facts\ Random Facts”). The CDC estimates that 248,000 Americans die prematurely due to obesity and considers obesity as the number two cause of preventable death in the U.S., second to smoking (“Fast Food Facts\Random Facts”). What actually defines a person as being “obese?” A BMI or body mass index, which correlates to height and weight, of thirty percent or more designates someone with obesity ("Obesity and Overweight: Topics DNPAO CDC"). We must stop the problem now, or we will continue to see an increase in health related injuries and even death.
The problem stems from the diet of the American people as well as the lack of exercise that’s done as a whole. Collectively, we spent more money on fast food than education, approximately 110 billion dollars (“Fast Food Facts\Random Facts”). Fast food is loaded with calories from refined sugars and fats. Something we as Americans find great pleasure in. This is normally accompanied with sugar-rich sodas to make matters worse. More than 50,000,000 people in the U.S. regularly depend on fast food. Science has proven that obesity can be genetic however it doesn’t predict what will happen later down the road ("Obesity and Overweight: Topics DNPAO CDC").
Exercise is another area that can be greatly improved. Many schools have taken physical education completely out of the curriculum to focus more on education. That’s perfectly fine; however, it’s recommended that kids get at least 60 minutes of activity a day. Also with the vast advancement in technology, more and more kids are putting down the ball and picking up the controller. Playstations and Xbox’s around the country are flying off the shelf. In 1991, 4 in 10 high school students took gym classes daily. Ten years later, it was barely one-third ("News / Education / K-12 / Schools are skipping P.E."). In 1980, just 5 percent of school-age children were severely overweight ("News / Education / K-12 / Schools are skipping P.E."). Now, in the 21st century, the number jumped three times as many to 15 percent ("News / Education / K-12 / Schools are skipping P.E."). With budget cuts and a higher demand for academic performance, mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act, many schools can no longer afford to offer P.E. in their curriculum ("News / Education / K-12 / Schools are skipping P.E.").
The biggest problem with fast food and obesity is what’s in the food. Proportionally speaking, hash brown from McDonalds have more fat and calories than a Big Mac (“Fast Food Facts\Random Facts”). Johnny Carson, a talk show host and comedian, even labeled the hamburger, “McClog the Artery” (“Fast Food Facts\Random Facts”). Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world and teens drink more than 64 gallons of soda and soft drinks per year. Also eating too much fast food can result in increased levels of insulin which is linked to more cases of Type 2 Diabetes (“Fast Food Facts\Random Facts”). More than a half a million new cases are diagnosed each year. Even more so, Burger King’s Double Whopper with cheese has 923 calories. It would take approximately nine miles of walking to burn those calories. When a soda and fries are added to the equation, this equates to about 1,500 calories (“Fast Food Facts\Random Facts”). This is about two-thirds of a mans caloric intake all in one meal. Consistent use of these fast food restaurants with little to no exercise will have a traumatic effect on one’s body.
So what should we do to help combat obesity in America? One possible solution would be to recommend citizens to cook from home. However, the good thing about fast food is simply that, it’s fast. For many working Americans, it’s more convenient than cooking a meal from home. Another possible solution would be to incorporate physical education back into the schools that abolished it and make a more strenuous regimen. The only problem with this is that a child can’t be made to exercise especially if it’s too tough. All it takes is for one parent to think their child is being picked on and it will bring it to an end.
The best solution for combating obesity would be to regulate what you eat and maintain a balanced life between eating and staying fit. This is not to say that fast food shouldn’t be eaten at all, just not everyday. Yes, there are times when a quick meal is needed on the way to a meeting or before a big game but shouldn’t be substituted as the main meal of the day. The affects begin to add up. Walking or running for thirty minutes everyday will help to stay fit and promote a healthier lifestyle (“Why Should People Exercise?”). Not only does it keep the pounds off, but prevents disease and boosts the immune system ("Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity - MayoClinic.com."). There’s nothing but good things that comes out of exercising.
We must stop the problem of obesity now before or we will continue to see an increase in health related injuries and even death. As a community and a nation, we must begin to eat healthy and exercise regularly to promote that kind of lifestyle and decrease the obesity rate in America. Promoting healthier eating habits and increased physical activity is the way to go. It’s only chance or we can see an increase in premature deaths.
The problem stems from the diet of the American people as well as the lack of exercise that’s done as a whole. Collectively, we spent more money on fast food than education, approximately 110 billion dollars (“Fast Food Facts\Random Facts”). Fast food is loaded with calories from refined sugars and fats. Something we as Americans find great pleasure in. This is normally accompanied with sugar-rich sodas to make matters worse. More than 50,000,000 people in the U.S. regularly depend on fast food. Science has proven that obesity can be genetic however it doesn’t predict what will happen later down the road ("Obesity and Overweight: Topics DNPAO CDC").
Exercise is another area that can be greatly improved. Many schools have taken physical education completely out of the curriculum to focus more on education. That’s perfectly fine; however, it’s recommended that kids get at least 60 minutes of activity a day. Also with the vast advancement in technology, more and more kids are putting down the ball and picking up the controller. Playstations and Xbox’s around the country are flying off the shelf. In 1991, 4 in 10 high school students took gym classes daily. Ten years later, it was barely one-third ("News / Education / K-12 / Schools are skipping P.E."). In 1980, just 5 percent of school-age children were severely overweight ("News / Education / K-12 / Schools are skipping P.E."). Now, in the 21st century, the number jumped three times as many to 15 percent ("News / Education / K-12 / Schools are skipping P.E."). With budget cuts and a higher demand for academic performance, mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act, many schools can no longer afford to offer P.E. in their curriculum ("News / Education / K-12 / Schools are skipping P.E.").
The biggest problem with fast food and obesity is what’s in the food. Proportionally speaking, hash brown from McDonalds have more fat and calories than a Big Mac (“Fast Food Facts\Random Facts”). Johnny Carson, a talk show host and comedian, even labeled the hamburger, “McClog the Artery” (“Fast Food Facts\Random Facts”). Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world and teens drink more than 64 gallons of soda and soft drinks per year. Also eating too much fast food can result in increased levels of insulin which is linked to more cases of Type 2 Diabetes (“Fast Food Facts\Random Facts”). More than a half a million new cases are diagnosed each year. Even more so, Burger King’s Double Whopper with cheese has 923 calories. It would take approximately nine miles of walking to burn those calories. When a soda and fries are added to the equation, this equates to about 1,500 calories (“Fast Food Facts\Random Facts”). This is about two-thirds of a mans caloric intake all in one meal. Consistent use of these fast food restaurants with little to no exercise will have a traumatic effect on one’s body.
So what should we do to help combat obesity in America? One possible solution would be to recommend citizens to cook from home. However, the good thing about fast food is simply that, it’s fast. For many working Americans, it’s more convenient than cooking a meal from home. Another possible solution would be to incorporate physical education back into the schools that abolished it and make a more strenuous regimen. The only problem with this is that a child can’t be made to exercise especially if it’s too tough. All it takes is for one parent to think their child is being picked on and it will bring it to an end.
The best solution for combating obesity would be to regulate what you eat and maintain a balanced life between eating and staying fit. This is not to say that fast food shouldn’t be eaten at all, just not everyday. Yes, there are times when a quick meal is needed on the way to a meeting or before a big game but shouldn’t be substituted as the main meal of the day. The affects begin to add up. Walking or running for thirty minutes everyday will help to stay fit and promote a healthier lifestyle (“Why Should People Exercise?”). Not only does it keep the pounds off, but prevents disease and boosts the immune system ("Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity - MayoClinic.com."). There’s nothing but good things that comes out of exercising.
We must stop the problem of obesity now before or we will continue to see an increase in health related injuries and even death. As a community and a nation, we must begin to eat healthy and exercise regularly to promote that kind of lifestyle and decrease the obesity rate in America. Promoting healthier eating habits and increased physical activity is the way to go. It’s only chance or we can see an increase in premature deaths.
Grendel-5
In Beowulf, Grendel definitely played the role of a monster and struck fear in everyone around. Because of his evil nature, he had a graphic way of killing his victims. He smashed warriors in their beds, ate them and broke their bones in order to strike fear and send a message to others around. He had superior strength and could put a curse on the warriors’ weapons rendering them useless against him. “He slipped through the door and there in the silence snatched up thirty men, smashed them unknowing in their beds, and ran out with their bodies, the blood dripping behind him, back to his lair, delighted with his night’s slaughter (line 36).”His motives are a direct reflection of the first murderer Cain. “He was spawned in that slime, conceived by a pair of monsters born of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God, punished forever for the crime of Able’s death (line 19).” He’s simply here to cause destruction and kill anything that gets in his way. It’s in his blood and there’s nothing he can do about it. Beowulf describes Grendel as being an ugly creature that lives in the depths of the sea with claws and brute strength. John Gardner also describes him as having chest hair that would have blood on it after eating some of his victims. His presence caused the Danes to flee Herot for twelve years because of the losses they had received there due to Grendel. Throughout the poem, Grendel floats primarily between two main places. He’s either in his lair or in Herot wreaking havoc. “Up from the swampland, sliding silently toward the gold-shining hall. He had visited Hrothgar’s Home before, knew the way (line 397).” I like to consider Grendel somewhat of a coward as well. When he finally met his match, Beowulf, and saw he couldn’t defeat him, he took off in fear, as well as in pain. He wanted no more of what Beowulf had to offer. As long as he was in control, he thought he was the meanest thing around. “But wounded as he was, could flee to his den (line 501).” He fled to his undersea lair where he felt he was safe from Beowulf’s wrath. As stated before, Grendel pretty much symbolizes evil. The poem Beowulf is about good versus evil and Grendel plays the captain of the evil team. He’s the descendant of Cain so he has no choice but to be evil. After Beowulf defeats his mother in his home, he finds Grendel against a wall where his body lay still, armless. “Then struck off his head with a single swift blow. The body jerked for the last time, then lay still….” With the swing of Beowulf’s sword, off came Grendel’s head silencing him forever. Grendel’s final resting place resides partly in his lair and his head with King Hrothgar.
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