Question

read the excerpt from grendel.
i was safe in my tree, and the men who fought were nothing to me, except of course that they talked in something akin to my language, which meant that we were, incredibly, related. i was sickened, if only at the waste of it: all they killed—cows, horses, men—they left to rot or burn. i sacked all i could and tried to store it, but my mother would growl and make faces because of the stink.
how is grendel characterized in this excerpt?
○ he is weak and easily disgusted by dead animals.
○ he is careful and respectful of animal life.
○ he is cruel and disobedient to his mother’s wishes.
○ he is considerate and mindful of the fighting men.

Explanation:

To determine how Grendel is characterized, we analyze the excerpt:

• The line "I was sickened, if only at the waste of it: all they killed—cows, horses, men—they left to rot or burn" shows Grendel's disgust at the waste of dead animals (and men).
• Option A ("He is weak and easily disgusted by dead animals") aligns with this as the "sickened" feeling towards dead animals' waste indicates disgust.
• Option B is incorrect as there's no indication of respect for animal life.
• Option C is incorrect as the excerpt doesn't show disobedience to his mother (his mother's reaction is separate, and he tried to store the kill, not disobey).
• Option D is incorrect as the excerpt focuses on his reaction to waste, not consideration for fighting men.

Answer:

A. He is weak and easily disgusted by dead animals.