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1. Sample Caption • In this drawing, Grendel is being attacked by a boar while being stuck in the tree. Grendel calls for his mother, but she fails to save him, making him come to the conclusion that the world is meaningless beyond the meaning that each individual imposes upon it. Because of this revelation, he seeks to find meaning in life, leading him to both watch and harass the Mead House, causing the eventual conflict between the two parties, setting in motion the series of events leading to his death. Without this experience, he would never have lost hope in his mother, which in turn would make it unnecessary ton consult with the nihilist, omnipotent dragon.

2. Sample Section of a Letter (Red = Examples from text) • Dear Grendel, Although I cannot feel any remorse for you or for your demise, I can say that your final message that we may all “have an accident” – especially considering you are a prime example of it – is incredibly relevant. Obviously, and I think by your own admission, becoming the “Destroyer of Meadhalls” was a terrible idea. By allowing others to dictate who you are, you lost your identify and figuratively died before meeting your actual death. You killed villagers and utterly defeated Unferth, the best warrior the humans had to offer before Beowulf came to the rescue, just because you felt that you would adopt the human’s purpose for you as your own. And what did you achieve for it? Misery? A death surrounded by many creatures that once respected and feared you? It was foolish. But, possibly even more foolish than the initial choice to be what the humans wanted you to be, you continued down a road that you were constantly warned against. First, you got a glimpse of how mindless dogma causes despair when speaking to the blind old man who attempted to keep up the hope of the people through pagan ritual. As you observed through the restless nights of the King, Queen, and Unferth , they clung to a belief system that was unviable, and thus lived a meaningless and frightened life, just as you did as your battle progress. Second, and probably worse, you did not heed the dragon’s advice when he said that your role of “Meadwrecked” was useless since the humans could easily replace you. I understand why you didn’t like the dragon because he talked down to you and his life of hoarding gold may be just as meaningless as yours, but dismissing an omnipotent creature’s opinion is absolutely absurd. He knows EVERYTHING! HE EVEN CALLS HIS OWN DEATH! Isn’t that credibility? Apparently not to stubborn Grendel. Obviously, you have no chance now. You killed all the prominent members of the meadhalland in return you receive the most embarrassing death one could face, and during the whole process, you blamed blind chance even though you dismissed certain facts. Slipping on your own blood was not a mistake: it was a result of poor tactics. I believe if you had a chance to do it again, you would not allow the humans to dictate to you what you should be, but sometimes we don’t get second chances, so in this case, I will learn from your mistakes. Before you die, let it be know that I am not criticizing who you are; instead, I am criticizing your actions. If you would have been yourself and found your own meaning, none of this would have happened.