Mukund Mauji Ms. Greven EAE4U November 5th, 2015 It Does Not Matter Why An Analysis of the Justification of the Morality of Actions, in Ender's Game and The Dark Knight Morality has a significant impact on everyone as society instills in us the "beliefs about what is right behaviour and what is wrong behaviour" (Merriam-Webster), starting from the day we are born. Toddlers are often discouraged from crying and are instead encouraged to use their words to voice their displeasure. Young children are reprimanded for bad behaviour, such as hitting others, taking what does not belong to them, name calling, etc. Teenagers are prohibited from drinking alcohol, and consuming illicit substances, such as marijuana. These "rights" and "wrongs" are embedded …show more content…
In Ender’s Game, General Graff says: "Human beings are free except when humanity needs them to be. We might both do despicable things, but if humankind survives, then we were good tools." (Card 67) In other words, as long as the actions of humanity fulfill needs of society, they are justifiable. Later on in the novel, Mazer expresses a similar thought: "I am not a happy man, Ender. Humanity does not ask us to be happy. It merely asks us to be brilliant on its behalf. Survival first, then happiness as we can manage it." (319) He is saying that they need to act in accordance to the needs of humanity first, and not in accordance to our own desires. This idea is the justification for the bugger genocide and for the way Ender is treated during his tenure at Battle School: the bullying, the isolation and the unfair odds stacked against him at all times. Mazer and Graff also say that it is important that Ender did not know the truth about the simulations being real battles, otherwise he would not have performed the same way. Mazer tells him: "We made sure you didn't know. You were reckless and brilliant and young. It's what you were born for." (342) Further, Graff argues in court that Ender's treatment during Battle School was justified because "[...] the prosecution had to prove beyond doubt that Ender would have won the war without the training [they] gave
Leading up to that he faces enemies and obstacles in the form of bigger kids and the games that he wins thoroughly, to the point where he cannot be beat. He always is one set ahead of whatever is thrown at him. Until Ender finds the Bugger Queen pupa.” Reached into the cavity and took out the cocoon.” (Card 321) Here in this scene Ender is going against what we have come to see as part of who he is. He has the intent to allow the Buggers to rebuild and try to live along side of humans. Normally he destroys something so thoroughly that it can never hurt him or the people he is fighting for again. This is perhaps one of the very best examples of the theme that one’s past does not define them or their
Therefore, Ender shows the reader that he takes responsibility as an adult for just waking up early and on time for his battles. Therefor, Ender taking that responsibility must be hard since he's just a kid and has to be responsible for
After years of being monitored by government officials, Ender Wiggins, the main character of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game, finds himself completely alone. The loneliness set's in as he finds himself in a new school, away from the watchful eyes of the government and bared to the world. He is a Third. This feeling of being a third makes Ender feel even more isolated, "It was not his fault he was a Third. It was the government's idea, they were the ones who authorized it - how else could a Third like Ender have got into school?" (Card 5). There was no one there to keep the bullies away now. Although he never really liked the monitor, he now found himself alone and missing the advent ages of having it on and knowing that someone, somewhere was always with him and watching him. At battle school, Ender knows that he will be isolated from the other students. Colonel Graff tells the other students of Ender and how superior his talents and intelligence is compared to the rest of the group. The other students don't like Ender and don't trust him. Throughout battle school, Ender is kept from his family and isolated from other children.
Through the entire story, we watch as Ender is manipulated and wronged by authority figures. He does not receive the love, affection and care that parents are supposed to deliver to their children. He is constantly being physically and mentally abused by his older brother and school bullies, yet no adult ever comes to his rescue. This pattern isn’t just apparent during his life on Earth because it continues and follows him as he moves on to battle school. A specific example of this can be seen as him and his launch group are making the journey to the school for the first time. During this trip Graft makes a show of telling all the other launchees how impressive Ender is, which results in him being repeatedly struck in the head. Not only does this authority figure fail to intervene and help Ender, but as the abuse continues Ender has a sudden realization. “Then it had become clear. Graft had deliberately caused it”(Card, 32). This example shows how someone who
In the beginning of the book, Ender is ashamed when his decisions harm others. After receiving ‘special treatment’ on his way to Battle School, Ender is being harassed
After much internal debate Ender decides to go to battle school and leave home. He knows he won’t see his family until he is at least 12 but most likely he will have to wait until he is 16. When Ender is inside the ship on the way to battle school, the adults start their manipulation game. Graff calls out Ender as the only one who will save mankind, making the other kids hate Ender and become envious. Ender already lost the chance at having a normal childhood when he was born a third, but he was also considered to be the chosen one to save mankind from the very beginning. The manipulation of Ender is shown through the book and the children at the school either take part in his abuse or ignore the adults who cause it. Through this abusive training tactic Ender becomes the skilled fighter and leader the government wants. Ender gets moved through the program fast. He gets to the command school at age 9, a school no one can go to until they are sixteen. The adults tell him he will be doing simulations to practice the attacks on the buggers, but after the last simulation he finds out he killed the entire bugger species. The novel shows Ender to be morally innocent throughout his story, but he takes on the guilt of xenocide of the buggers. He is shocked at what he did, even when he didn’t know what he’s doing. Ender loses his innocence at this moment. He knew he was being manipulated by the adults throughout his career at the battle schools, but he had no idea he was being manipulated into exterminating a whole race. When he realizes what he did he goes into another depression slump and does not come out of his room for days. He doesn’t understand why he was manipulated into what he
Throughout the book, Enders Game it is arduous to establish what it authentically denotes to have human rights. The regime relies on children to preserve the world from the buggers. They are treated like they are adults and are purloined of their youth. Ender realizes that the adults are manipulating the children and his cognizance of what is right and what is not is what preserves the world from the manipulation from the adults. Because of Ender kenning what is right and was is not and withal is authentic this is what he does that culminates up preserving the Earth from extirpation. In Orson Scott Card’s novel, the Ender’s Game shows how in authentic life that children can be utilized in Warfare, which they are called “child soldiers”, and
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...
Ender’s Game, a fantastic novel by Orson Scott Card, is an intriguing and peculiar science fiction novel; however, numerous ethical dilemmas appear in practically every chapter. Especially chapter nine. Throughout this chapter, Ender becomes too stressed to perform at his peak physical and mental capacity. If his stressful life continues without alteration, then Ender will have a mental breakdown. Nevermind the fact that Ender is a mere nine year old boy, the worst portion is when the supposedly wondrous Battle School Commander, Graff, persuades Valentine, Ender’s beloved older sister, to encourage Ender so he has the willpower to accelerate through his studies.
... he commanded his own platoon. Those are phases Ender went through. During one battle he faced, he cheated. Page 218 describes Ender’s men passed through the gate without soldiers before the gate was reversed. He had to cheat because he was exhausted and he needed assistance. Ender was battling two teams at once, never done before at battle school.. Finally every game has a final stage or battle. In Ender’s Game the final battle was against the buggers. Ender fights them on page 297. Ender was actually tricked into fighting them. This point proves how life is a game because games have a final battle/stage and Ender fought in one. Ender as a game piece, cheating and fighting in a final stage/battle prove how life is a game.
In this book, Ender is most particularly manipulated by Graff, the I.F. soldier who watches over him. Even though Graff is secretly Ender’s friend, Colonel Graff is the recipient of a lot of doubt and negativity coming from Ender. The constant belief that Graff is supposedly deceitful pushes Ender to perform better. Now away
The Ender series by Orson Scott Card is a collection of literary masterpieces that explore various parts of human society and culture through a science fiction world. One key aspect of human society, definitely a controversial theory, is whether or not the end justifies the means. One extreme is that no matter what crimes or abominations are committed, they are all justified if the reason behind those acts was for the greater good, or morally justified. The other extreme is that no matter the reason behind one’s actions, if the act by itself is morally wrong, it cannot be justified. Neither of these two extremes are generally accepted, whether or not an act is justified usually depends on how “bad” the act is and how “good” is the reason
The lines that define good and evil are not written in black and white; these lines tend to blur into many shades of grey allowing good and evil to intermingle with each another in a single human being. Man is not inherently good or evil but they are born innocent without any values or sense of morality until people impart their philosophies of life to them. In the words of John Locke:
A general then explains that he want to send Ender to battle school so he can learn how to fight in space. Ender decides to go. When he gets there he finds out that it is very tough. He ends up killing 2 kids and breaking count less numbers of bones in the 4 years that he is there.