Authors often have to choose whether to focus on plot or social commentary when writing their novels; in John Gardener's Grendel, plot becomes a secondary consideration. Grendel's exploits provide the reader with a clear understanding of the author's strong opinions and can clearly be seen as a narrative supporting nihilism in its many forms. The reader easily perceives the overt religious subtext in the guise of corrupt priests and foolish worshipers. The idea that the old man is wise is unacceptable to Gardener along with any idea of ​​hero idolatry. Within his novel, Gardner expresses his opinions regarding religion, wisdom, and nature. Religion plays an important role in Grendel. The priests do not want to provide their services without proper payment, which, in turn, allows the rich maximum access to “religion” and God. The citizens of the village are also confused between polytheists and monotheists. When praying to their god king does not decrease the frequency of Grendel's visits, they retreat, asking for help from any god they have learned of. This reveals that their faith is not faith at all, but rather a faith that will remain faith as long as it can be demonstrated. A proven religious faith is a contradictory term, since it can only be placed in a religion that cannot be proven otherwise it is no longer true faith. Grendel's interludes with the dragon describe, at their onset, the dragon as a worldly and wise creature with much sharing. The dragon arrogantly informs Grendel of his vast store of knowledge while taunting him about how much he knows. As Grendel's interests are piqued, the dragon spends the cumulative result of his travails: "Know how much you have, and beware of strangers... My advice to you, my violent friend, is to look for gold and sit down above" (Gardner Page #). While the dragon serves as a means to highlight Grendel's need and makes some pointed observations about humanity, all of his respectability is lost with those two short sentences. The author makes an observation about the materialism and falsity of wisdom that always accompanies age. After all his years of intense scrutiny, the dragon can only understand from human and animalkind that possessions are the key to life's existence. Nature versus society is also discussed in Grendel. The fact that citizens surrounded by religion and social status can be so easily overwhelmed by nature (Grendel) gives a sense of irony to the reader.