Ender's+Game

"Sometimes lies are more dependable than the truth." ( Orson Scott Card, // Ender's Game, //// 2). //

** Orson Scott Card (August 24, 1951 - Present) ** Orson Scott Card is an author in many genres, but is best known for his science fiction. Some of his best-selling novels include //Ender's Game// and //Speaker for the Dead.// // Both of these novels // won [|Hugo] and [|Nebula] Awards. Card was born in Richland, Washington, but was raised by his parents, Charles Ora Card and Brigham Young, in many other places. These locations include Santa Clara, California, Mesa, Arizona, and Orem, Utah. He currently lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with his wife, Kristine Allen Card, and youngest child, Zina Margaret. This town has a tremendous role in //Ender’s Game// and many other novels by Card. Card served as a missionary in Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but is currently a novelist and an English professor at Southern Virginia University.

Ender Wiggin is the third child of geniuses in his family. Out of his siblings, Peter and Valentine, he was chosen to save the world from destruction by the international military forces. The head of the military was able to make his decision on who would be chosen through a unique monitor worn by Ender and his siblings. Through this unique monitor, the head of the military could see everything that the wearer does. Peter hates Ender because Ender was chosen. Ender’s schoolmates also hate him and he has to brutally beat a bully to defend himself. Unlike Peter, Valentine loves Ender. She tries to protect Ender from Peter’s anger but Ender is not fully saved until Colonel Graff of the International Fleet comes to take him away to “Battle School” (Card 56). Graff convinces Ender to go by explaining to him that "human beings are free except when humanity needs them. Maybe humanity needs you. To do something. Maybe humanity needs //me//—to find out what you're good for. We might both do despicable things, Ender, but if humankind survives, then we were good tools" (Card 57). This school is unlike any other schools because it is in a ship in space. Ender is part of a group called “Launchies” (Card 84), and makes a few friends such as Alai. Ender and Alai learn how to maneuver in a no gravity battle room which builds their bond as friends. Ender is given a computer game, which is called “the mind game” (Card 74). He is the only person to progress as far as he does in this game which is noticed by the military commanders. Ender is then suddenly promoted to Salamander Army led by Bonzo Madrid, who hates Ender. Ender becomes friends with Petra Arkanian, who is the only girl in the army, and also teaches his group what he knows. Ender is then traded to Rat Army and put into Dink Meeker's platoon who is a great leader. He also continues to teach his “Launchies” (Card 84) which causes trouble with other soldiers. Ender is attacked by four boys and hurts them all. This event makes Ender realize that he has to fend for himself. Peter and Valentine come up with a plan to let the world know their thoughts. They disguise themselves under fake names and identities and begin to influence people. Now, Ender is nine years old and a platoon leader in Phoenix Army under his good friend Petra’s command. Ender is now respected and many people now attend his practice sessions. Colonel Graff notices that Ender is becoming depressed and stuck in “the mind game” (Card 74). He asks Valentine to write Ender a letter which helps Ender and is able to continue to progress in “the mind game” (Card 74). Ender is now the leader of his own group of soldiers called Dragon Army. Most of the soldiers that make up this group are “Launchies” (Card 84). One of the soldiers, Bean, is very similar to Ender when he first came to “Battle School” (Card 56). Ender is put up against many battles where his opponents have the advantage, but he still manages to win every battle. He does this by coming up with new strategies and even beats Bonzo. Bonzo tries to get revenge and attacks Ender in the shower. Ender brutally beats Bonzo because he has to. After this, Ender is transferred to “Command School” (Card 212). The government figures out what Peter and Valentine have been up to but they leave them alone. While Ender is on vacation, Valentine visits him and they notices that things are now very different between them. Colonel Graff then takes Ender to the plant Eros which is where the International Fleet command is. Ender meets Mazer Rackham who is a hero from the second bugger invasion and also saved mankind. Ender is put through several simulated battles by Rackham where he controls an entire fleet. Ender learns that the buggers are highly evolved insects which are controlled by their queen. Ender starts to have weird dreams about the buggers. Ender fights many more battles and finally comes to his final battle where he is put up against impossible odds. Ender wins this battle, but realizes that that all of the battles were real and that he has killed all of the buggers. Ender now realizes that he has been used which his teachers have all known. They explain to him that only a child was able to do this job. "Welcome to the human race. Nobody controls his own life, Ender. The best you can do is choose to fill the roles given you by good people, by people who love you" (Card 301). They needed someone to think of it as a game. Peter now controls the world while Valentine and Ender set off to colonize lands that used to be the bugger’s. Before they set off, Ender learns that he had killed Bonzo and the bully back in school. On the new planet that Ender explores, he finds an area that was just like “the mind game” (Card 74) which the buggers had built for him. Ender also finds a queen pupa, which was left behind by the buggers, for him to find a new home for the buggers. Ender is able to think with the queen and understands that the buggers had never wanted to fight the humans. Ender decides to make it a mission to find a new home for the buggers.
 * // Ender’s Game //**

**Games**- The idea of a game is a theme of //Ender’s Game//. Many things in this novel are only a game. Examples of this include “the mind game” (Card 74) that Ender played, the battles in the battle room, and the simulation Ender played. Card is explaining that life is a game because the things we do in life are just games and they effect how our life turns out.
 * Literary Information **
 * Ender**- Ender represents everything good. Ender is everything good because he feels deep sorrow for killing all of the buggers. He is kind to all and makes sacrifices to be good. It is also good to do what is needed even though it may not seem right. Ender does not hold a grudge against Rackham or Graff because he realizes that the things he did had to be done.
 * Peter**- Peter represents desire. He does everything that he wants and wants power the most. He hurts Ender because he wanted to be chosen. Although he did not get everything that he desired, he did get power which he desired the most. Peter was able to control the world and is a good ruler.

I highly recommend this novel! The reason I recommend this novel is because it is very suspenseful! Ever sentences leaves the reader wanting more. The plot of the novel is so interesting that it makes it impossible to put the book down. With buggers attacking earth and a boy genius, who wouldn’t want to read this novel? There are also reasons why this novel is in the [|Outstanding Books for the College Bound]. Card is a great writer and is brilliant at characterization. He builds each character to be one of a kind. A character that Card builds is Ender. He makes Ender a magnificent hero who only wants good. Ender has to struggle with many things, but he only does what is right. Card is also able to express how the characters feel. An understanding of how they really feel if easily understood. Although it is easily understood, it doesn’t end there. Their feelings leave you wondering how they would react. Card does a great job showing their reactions. He is able to describe the setting with precise details that make it easy to visualize how things would look like. I recommend this novel because Card is able to keep the reader interested and also explains the setting very well.
 * Recommend This Outstanding Book? **

Card, Orson Scott. //Ender's Game.// New York: Tom Doherty Associates, LLC. 1991. " Orson Scott Card" //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. 29 Nov. 2005. Wikipedia. 09 Jun. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_Scott_Card.
 * Works Cited **