No two things are exactly the same. No two snowflakes are the same, and no two people are the same. Everything that exists in life has some form of individualism, some trait that makes them different. While trees may differ in shape and size, ideas may differ in fluidity and execution. The government is an overarching idea that many different people throughout history have interpreted in various ways. While some people believed that a single person should run the government, others believe in a democratic system where everyone has an equal voice. Moreover, no one form of government is “right” or “good”, there is simply a successful and unsuccessful. In John Gardner’s Grendel, the government is structured in the form of a feudal monarchy meant …show more content…
It is common knowledge that the US justice system continues to reserve the right to capital punishment for severe crimes, and in Grendel the government also believes in harsh punishment. “Men’s violence is chained to good (i.e., the king): legitimate force that chops the bread-thief’s neck and wipes its ax” (114, Gardner). This quote clearly shows how the government in Grendel used the death penalty for its lawbreakers, and how the king gets a “final” say in the matter. For the king (Hrothgar) is the “good” and the “wise” one whom the public turns to for commendation. This is very similar to the US’s stance on the death penalty; the stance that it is an acceptable form of punishment and that the government has the right to dole out said punishment. US put to death 162 people in the last five years, and currently more than 3,000 people are waiting on death row …show more content…
In Grendel, it is always alluded to that the there are different social classes, and that these social classes are a big part of what defines a person. There are two distinct social classes in the novel, the nobles/lords and the peasants. And throughout the book it is abundantly clear the peasants live hard lives without the chance to better themselves. Whereas the nobles get all the riches and a relatively easy life (minus the attacks by Grendel). These ridged social classes are one thing that cannot be found consistently throughout America. For the most part the US does a good job of presenting opportunities to the working class to move up in society. With free education and affirmative action, more working class citizens are managing to move into the middle class. Additionally, the US does not seek to oppress its citizens by imposing the government’s will upon them. In the US the first amendment is a cherished piece of legislator, one that allows for citizens to express themselves freely and without fear. In Grendel, however, most citizens fear to speak out against the government because they think that by doing so they will run the risk of being punished. While everyone fears punishment to a degree, the peasants of Grendel’s world are significantly more fearful than the citizens of the