Aaron Hailey
2.9.15
Comparison-Contrast Essay
Block 2

Cowardice can be shown in many ways. Torturing others and putting fear into the hearts of innocent people is one of them. In Yevgeny Yevtushenko’s “A Precocious Autobiography” and Burton Raffel’s translation of Beowulf, Red, a Russian bully who rules the streets of his neighborhood, and Grendel, a terrifying monster who can never be loved by God, are two bullies who, though they are worlds apart, share many of the same characteristics.
Like red, Grendel enjoys petrifying his victims with his intimidating presence. Red has an advantage over the other boys because he is much bigger than them. “Red could stop any boy and say impressively the one word “money”(490). He appears to be unbreakable with his strong build, but the reader should know that just like any other bully, red is a coward deep down. Grendel’s appearance would send chills through pretty much anyone’s spine since he is the Devil’s child. Grendel is described as a “powerful monster, living down in the darkness” (ii 1-2). Even though he is a demon, he’s still capable of being a coward. He insists on feeding on the lives of innocent people who stand no chance against him. If that isn’t pure cowardice, I don’t know what is.
However, Grendel works alone while Red works with his “lieutenants.” Red needs the assistance of other boys so that he may look much tougher than he actually is. “Two or three lieutenants, in peaked caps back to front like Red’s, trotted at his heels”(490). The reader should automatically know that this is the first sign of normal kid who is just putting on a show. All he wants is control over the neighborhood and this is his way of getting it. Grendel stands on his own, unlike Red. His presence alone is enough to intimidate those who are unfortunate enough to fall victim to his machinations. “So Grendel ruled, fought with