2. Thesis:
Grendel is a perfect example of an existential character who feels no connection in life, finds no meaning in the universe, and is frightened by his powerlessness to combat the forces around him.

3. Paragraph 1 Topic Sentence: Grendel is a monstrous and corrupted version of humanity.
Support:
He hisses— (like a snake)
He hurls a skull-size stone
He shakes two hairy fists
He howls
He is aware of his monstrousness: he specifically mentions his “hairy fists”

4. Paragraph 2. Topic Sentence: Grendel finds no meaning or connection in life, either from nature or from political power, and is disgusted by it.
Support:
He looks down over rockslides (obstacles)
The ram is connected with the word “stupidly”
He is unable to interact effectively with the ram
The king is “elderly, slow-witted”
His main action in life is his “idiotic war

5. Paragraph 3. Grendel feels powerless actually frightened by the pointlessness and futility of life.
Support:
To his “horror” he gets no response from the ram, who “ignores” him---even though he tries many times and in many ways to get a response from it.
He feels great frustration at his weakness: shakes “his two hairy fists at the sky” (as if that act will satisfy or make any difference)
His howl, that is “so unspeakable” makes the water at his feet to turn to ice and is a response to his inability to get the ram to move (or to have the power to do anything significant)…the realization behind it makes him feel uneasy.