Ender's Game

SUBJECT: Good and evil

THEME: The line between good and evil is sometimes unclear, and as a result, people often think that they are doing the right thing when it is actually the wrong action, and vice versa.

CHARACTERS:

The protagonist, Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, begins as a six-year-old boy who is always terrorized by his brother. Ender never gives up, even when it seems like everyone is trying to make him fail. He is young, however, which leaves him susceptible to bullies who detest his quick mind. Although Ender proves that he has the ability to be a killer like Peter, he hates himself for that. “And then a worse fear, that he was a killer, only better at it than Peter ever was; that it was this very trait that pleased the teachers” (Card, 85). He is a brilliant, phenomenal genius who understands that ruthlessness is necessary if he is to survive. Valentine is the arbitrator between her two brothers. “Two faces of the same coin. And I am the metal in between” (Card, 166). She constantly protects Ender and keeps Peter from hurting him. She favors Ender more than Peter, but in the end, she understands Peter more due to the time she spends with him. Peter Wiggin is the oldest and most vicious of the Wiggin children. “‘I could kill you like this…Just press and press until you’re dead.’” (Card, 9) Underneath the brutality, Peter is intelligent and calculating. While Valentine is too compassionate and Peter is too manipulative, Ender has both qualities.

CONFLICT:

Ender’s Game involves five types of conflicts. Man vs. Man: According to the children, “The teachers, they’re the enemy. They get us to fight each other, to hate each other…the old bastards are watching us, studying us, discovering our weak points, deciding...

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...ming monstrous herself…” (Card, 94)

PERSONAL CONNECTION:

In Ender’s Game, the children have no control over their lives. I learned that freedom is a privilege because it can be taken from us, so we should appreciate our independence. Even the smallest decisions we make will impact the future. After reading the book, I realized that I often act too impulsively, unlike Ender, who knew how to use his emotions to his advantage. Humans are easily angered by trivial issues, which lead to arguments and fights that could have been avoided. If I had the control and tolerance Ender had, I would not have as much arguments with my parents. In the past, I gave up on many projects and hobbies. From Ender’s unwavering determination, I learned that quitting is not an option.

Works Cited

Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, Inc., 1992. Print.