Ender Hero's Journey Essay

A hero is someone who shows leadership, passion, and fearlessness. But most importantly someone who is ready to sacrifice all they have. A perfect example of a hero is Ender Wiggin from Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card. One is defined as a hero from the actions they take. The most important step is the descent into darkness, and another step that plays an important role is trial and tribulations. Lastly, there is crossing the threshold. Throughout Ender’s journey, Ender has done many things that define him as a hero, and the most important one being the sacrifices he made.

The most important phase of a hero’s journey is their descent into darkness when one must put all they have to the test. Ender’s descent into darkness was his battle against aliens, also known as buggers, on planet Eros. In this battle, Ender risked not only his but many other lives as well. This is evident when Mazer Rackham, Ender’s mentor, had stated that it was either

Ender had crossed his threshold with his take-off to Battle School, space, in which he left his family, home, and childhood. Also, in which there was no coming back from for at least a couple of years. Colonel Graff says “Ender Wiggin, if it were in a matter of choosing the best and happiest future for you, I’d tell you to stay home. Stay here, grow up, be happy. There are worse things than being a Third, worse things than a big brother who can’t make up his mind whether to be a human being or a jackal. Battle school is one of those things.” (Card 19). Therefore, knowing the many consequences, Ender decided to go with Graff to Battle School and was determined enough to reconsider his decision, not knowing of the many more sacrifices he needed to make. Thus, once a hero has crossed their threshold, their journey to become a hero officially starts, just how Ender’s has started with his take-off into