GRENDEL+AND+THE+PERFECT+STORM

=The Perfect Storm and Grendel=



CELENE DION - Titanic Theme Song

The Perfect Storm is a tragic story about fisherman who embark on a journey to find fish. They end up meeting their doom in an unfortunate fashion. They find themselves at the epicenter of a horrendous storm system. The storm was actually the point of convergence for an extratropical cyclone and two hurricanes. This created a fatal environment for the weary fisherman. There are many similarites between grendel and the perfect storm. When viewing the stories in this way, it is useful to picture Grendel as a represtentation of the ill fated vessel and its sailors. Both Grendel and the fisherman leave their area of safety, which in both stories happens to an entry into the water. The water is symbolic in this fashion because it represents unlimited possibilities and danger. This danger was further shown in Grendel by the fact that the lake was filled with fire snakes. Water is also very mysterious, because it keeps and hides its secrets. Anyone who experiences grave misfortune on the high seas is swallowed up by it, never to be seen from or heard again. In both stories, Grendel and the fisherman also push their boundaries beyond reasonable limits. Grendel visits the human world and begins to venture further and further away from safety with each passing visit. The fisherman go farther out to sea than was probably safe because of the lack of fish in the more coastal regions. In the Perfect Storm, Captain Billy Tyne remarks "No rest for the weary." This shows the crews dedication to their persuit. It also gives a reason for why they go out so far. During the fisherman's voyage, they encountered the monstrous storm. In order to have a chance of staying afloat, they wisely release their catch in order to lighten the load. This was a difficult decision because this would cause the trip to be profitless and would actually put the crew thousands of dollars in the red. Grendel also made a similarly difficult decision during his adventure. When he is trapped in the tree, and being incessantly attacked by the bull, his mother comes and saves him. As he decides to explore further into the depths of the human world, he has to cast aside the protection of his mother's safety. This was also a difficult choice because it would leave him vulnerable to the wrath of the humans, and ultimately led to his demise. On a final note of comparison, the joining of the storms to destroy the humble fishing vessel is reminicent of the Geats and Danes joining forces to destroy Grendel. The stories both end with death and are also coming of age experiences. They both push their limits in order to find themselves and there purpose in life.

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