I actually really liked Grendel. I think it is interesting how he goes from cynical young Grendel to grown up Grendel. In the beginning he believes “I alone exist” he is the only one. In the end though, he see’s that there are people and they have differences. The Grendel timeline we made in class was really helpful. I loved to see his evolution

Well, since I talked about Grendel a lot in my last blog, I want to to talk about my choice novel, “the Memory Keepers Daughter” It was so symbolic and true. I think it should replace the awakening because it tells a similar story. Also, it is much more familiar and recent. It is much more relatable. I find it hard to read a novel dated so far back to where the novel is far back  in time.

I really liked my choice novel this week. It was sort of like the awakening because the main character Norah trusts her husband and she is betrayed by him. He tells her that their baby girl has died.  Actually, he just did not want to accept that Pheobe had downs Syndrome. It was not very easy to deal with in the 60’s. Norah does not let it go like David wants her to. Just like in the Awakening when Edna does not listen to her husband. Instead she roams free. As does Norah. Norah and Edna both do not know how to handle their grief and loneliness that they both have affairs and exclude themselves.

Caroline and Pheobe are a match made in heaven, Though they are completely different. They understand each other. Pheobe reminds me of a little bit of Grendel and a little bit of Edna. Pheobe is like Grendel in the way that she see’s everything with such simplicity. She is also a bit like Edna because she wants to stray away from what she is supposed to do and how she is supposed to live. She does not want to live like every other person with Downs. She wants to get married and have a family. She has a job and a place to live. She does not understand why she can’t live like everyone else.

This novel was beautifully written. It displays a modern day take on the roles and expectations of men and women. This story starts out in the beginning of the 1960’s and progresses to the late 80’s. It is a wonderful story of truth and discovery.