Examples Of Ender's Game Theme Essay

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Theme Analysis Essay Randi Li When faced with a life threatening situation, there are only two options: kill or be killed. The book Ender's Game illustrates these kinds of situations thoroughly, and touches on the serious topic of violence. Through these descriptions, the author Orson Scott Card exposes an important theme: the justification of violence during war. The most obvious reason is also the most straightfoward-- basic pragmatism and self-defense. "If you can't kill then you are always subject to those who can, and nothing and no one will ever save you" (pg 212). Ender, the child protagonist of the story, is repeatedly taught this thought through the constant dangerous bullying he is subject to; and to this bullying, Ender often returns it with violent force. However, such violence was protrayed as fully justified. The formula that you must confront violence with violence applies not only to personal relationships, but also international relations. …show more content…

Our genes won't let us decide any other way. Nature can't evolve a species that hasn't a will to survive'" (pg 253). Here, Graff tries to attribute violence to "genes" and natue; and twists killing into a biological imperative, rather than simply an ethical decision, just like that of eating or drinking. This is not so dissimilar to how current pop narratives treat violence. Killing monsters or zombies is natural; you kill them because if you don't, they will kill you, and more so because they are inherently evil and antagonistic creatures that any reasonable, moral person would want to

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