# Quote — John Gardner, Grendel

> What was he? The man had changed the world, had torn up the past by its thick, gnarled roots and had transmuted it, and they, who knew the truth, remembered it his way--and so did me

- Author: [John Gardner](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-gardner.md)
- Book: [Grendel](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-gardner/grendel.md)
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Grendel#Chapter_Three) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-gardner/grendel/what-was-he-the

## More from this book

> "Poor Grendel's had an accident," I whisper. ''"So may you all."

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-gardner/grendel/poor-grendels-had.md)

> Grendel, Grendel! You make the world by whispers, second by second. Are you blind to that? Whether you make it a grave or garden of roses is not the point. Feel the wall: is it not hard? He smashes me against it. Hard, yes! Observe the hardness, write it down in careful runes. Now, sing of walls! Sing!

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-gardner/grendel/grendel-grendel-you.md)

> Terrible, he whispers. Terrible. He laughs and lets out fire.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-gardner/grendel/terrible-he-whispers.md)