Psychologists often look to a person's past and upbringing to explain the motivation for their actions as adults. Some authors examine the development of their characters from youth to adulthood through the use of a Bildungsroman. John Gardner did this in his novel Grendel, a companion to the 8th century poem "Beowulf." This choice of structure allows the reader to explore not just one part of Grendel's life, but the entirety of it. The reader sees Grendel's development as a sheltered child, suffocated by his mother, to an adult facing death. This allows the reader to view the characters in different lights throughout the novel. The first stage is his childhood, which he spends naively exploring, untroubled by any serious thought (SparkNotes). The book begins in spring which symbolizes growth and rebirth which is exactly what is happening when Grendel goes exploring, showing his rebellious side. Grendel's wandering leads to a new finding, his discovery of the lake of Firesnakes and life beyond. It is the first sign of curiosity and bravery and his first step toward adulthood. The second step, which is considered to have made Grendel an adult, happens when the bull attacks him, forcing him to realize that the world follows no rules (SparkNotes). "When I was a child I truly loved: Unthinking love as calm and deep as the North Sea. But I have lived, and now I do not sleep" (Gardner). As Grendel ventures further and further away from his mother, like most teens tend to do, he goes through a time of depression. He exhibits the behaviors of a nihilist. A nihilist is someone who acts upon total and absolute destructiveness to the world and oneself. Nihilists believe that life has no meaning, purpose, or value. He screamed and begged for his mother to come and help him right away and it wasn't until he was nearly killed by the strange new creatures, called the humans, that she came for him. For every child there is a time when they get scu