Ender's Game revisit Anticpation Guide

Garrett Kitchen

March 5, 2013

“Lying is Justifiable if it's for the greater good.”

After reading Ender’s Game my opinion on lying hasn’t changed. If anything, reading Ender’s game has helped strengthen my arguments and opinions against lying. Although if the only way to save the world, in Ender’s case, or to benefit the greater good is to lie then it may be okay, but still no very justified. If one lies they must be prepared for the anger of the people they lied to. “He began to get angry…dodging their congratulations, ignoring their hands, their words, their rejoicing.” (296-297) This quote is from the part of the book where Ender kills the planet in the game, and Mazer tells him that he was actually commanding the third invasion. The fact that Ender was lied to about such an important even, even to save the world, angers and upsets him, and he pushes away his peers and acquaintances.

“Sometimes violence is the only way to solve a problem.”

I rated this a two for my last anticipation guide because “usually there is a way around solving a problem using violence, although it is harder to accomplish your goal and can take more effort to solve the problem nonviolently.” Reading Ender’s Game has changed my rating to a four, because I agree with this statement. In certain situations when an enemy is hell bent on destroying you, the only way to solve the problem is to act violently. “If I’m to walk away from here, I have to win quickly, and permanently…This time it will be my body that breaks, unless I break him first.” (209) This excerpt from the book is when Ender is realizing, after trying to talk Bonzo out of it, that the only way to walk out of the fight is to brutally beat Bonzo, violently. The only time that one is going to solve their problems violently (when that is the only way) and it can be avoided. Is when the bullied or victim in the situation is going to confront their enemy, and they’re the one coming to their enemy, they can talk to them and try to remedy the situation in non-violent ways.

“It is okay to kill someone in self-defense.”

Before reading Ender’s Game I rated this statement with a four, and after reading the book I rate this statement with a four. In the past I rated this as a four because “…if someone is trying to harm and maybe kill or molest you, and you can stop them, they usually deserve to be killed and if you're okay with the moral and legal consequences then it is okay.” My views and reasons for agreeing with this statement haven’t change much, although another reason it is okay to kill someone in self-defense is on accident, obviously if one accidently kills someone then they were probably being pretty aggressive, and in their heart of hearts they had the intention of killing their assailant. If anything Ender’s Game has taught me this philosophy. “Ender knew that at this moment he might be able to walk out of the room and end the battle. But the battle would only be fought again…The only way to end things completely was to hurt Bonzo enough that his fear was stronger than his hate…I didn’t want to hurt him!” (211-213) Even though Ender was claiming to not want to hurt Bonzo, that killing him was an accident, his heart’s true intention was to cripple and possibly kill Bonzo. During the fight he knew he had to be brutal and vicious towards Bonzo, it is simply the nature of human preservation.

“Words are stronger than fists.”

In the past I rated this at a four, because I thought that fighting could be avoided in almost every situation and replaced with words, but my opinion has shifted to the view that the remedy to a problem really depends on the situation and the people involved, therefore I rate this statement a three. For example when Ender sent a message out that read “I love your butt. Let me kiss it.”(51) Using Bernard’s name instead of fighting him, because Ender knew he could solve his problem with sabotage instead of physical violence. Although during other situations Ender acted violently because he knew that in that situation it was the only way to solve his problem. “This would not have a happy ending. So Ender decided that he’d rather not be the unhappiest at the end…Ender kicked out high and hard, catching Stilson square in the breastbone. He dropped.”(7) This excerpt from the book is when Stilson and his pack of cronies are harassing Ender, so he decides the only way to solve the issue of never being bullied again is to beat up Stilson, using violence.

“Bullies hurt others because they have low self-esteem.”

After reading Ender’s Game my opinions on this statement haven’t really changed. I would still rate this a three, the only thing that really has changed is that the book gave me more alternative reasons to why Bullies hurt others. I rated the statement a three, because bullies do hurt others because they have low self-esteem, but they also hurt other for a plethora of different reasons. Bullies can hurt others because they enjoy making others suffer, or because it is the only way they know how to communicate with others, or the way they were raised could have given them that nature, or because the bully has too much honor. “You’re such a genius, you figure out to handle me.” (209) This quote is what the bully character, Bonzo, said to Ender before they fought. It is an example of how Bonzo has low self-esteem, so he is mocking Ender about how smart he is, when really he is jealous of Ender. Bonzo also has copious amounts of honor, so because Ender was four years younger than Bonzo, but still better in everything he did, it threatened his honor. At one point in the book, at the part where they are about to fight Ender taunts Bonzo and it really makes him angry. “Your Father would be proud of you. He would love to see you now, come to fight a naked boy in a shower, smaller than you, and you brought six friends. He would say, Oh, what honor…Shut your mouth, Wiggin.” (208-209) Bonzo gets so angry because Ender made him realize that the way he was acting gave him less honor, and that his father would be ashamed of him.

“Only the best and brightest students should receive the best education to become a nation's leaders.”

In the past I rated this a four, but after reading Ender’s Game I rate this a three. My views on this topic didn’t change because of what was in the book, they changed because I had more time to consider how I felt about this, and to realize my past opinion was a bit arrogant. I rate this a three, because I think that the people who have proven themselves best fit to lead nations should receive the education for it.  It seems as if a lot of the people fit to lead will be the best and brightest, although there are always people who aren’t the smartest, but are some of the best leaders the world ever has.

“Revenge is never justified.”

After reading Ender’s Game I rated this two, just like before I read Ender’s game. I disagree with this statement, because I think Revenge definitely is justified in many situations. Although there are contrasts in every opinion, especially this one.  I think that revenge isn’t always justified, and if one is taking revenge on a relative of their tormenter just because the actual tormentor is gone, well that is not justified or humane. In my first anticipation guide I said “A Jewish person wanting to get revenge and hurt the modern day, 2013, Germans isn't justified because they weren't there for the holocaust it was their ancestors, so they didn't make that decision. They don't deserve the harm the person might inflict on them.” In the book when Ender kicked Stilson in the chest to get revenge for and make him stop making fun of him (7).

“Crying is evidence of weakness.”

I rated this statement a one before reading Ender’s Game, because I strongly disagreed with it. After reading the book my opinion hasn’t changed at all, except that I disagree with this statement even more. One can cry out of joy or sorrow, not because they’re week, but because crying is a way to express and feel different emotions. If crying was evidence of weakness, then having emotions and expressing them would be week. If someone one was close to died, they cry because they want to show they cared about the person, and that they’re sad that the deceased person is gone. “…tears seeping out of his closed eyelids and disappearing in the water on his face… I didn’t want to hurt him! Ender cried. Why didn’t he just leave me alone!”(213) Ender was crying after he unintentionally killed Bonzo, because he needed to convey that he didn’t want to hurt Bonzo, and he was sorry he did. Additionally, the crying showed that Ender was unhappy that he cause more pain and suffering.

“Any action is acceptable in war.”

In the past I rated this a one because I completely disagreed with this statement. After reading Ender’s Game, I rate this a three because I think certain actions that wouldn’t be justifiable in regular life would be justifiable in war, but certain actions aren’t even justified during war time. If a solider goes to one of the civilian’s homes of the enemy’s country and then tortures his family in front of him because they’re enemies, that isn’t justified. It’s disgusting and inhumane, and even if it’s war time and there’s chaos, that doesn’t make it okay. “Of course we tricked you into it. That’s the whole point, said Graff. It had to be a trick or you couldn’t have done it.” (298) I picked this quote, because it is a good example of actions that are justifiable and not justifiable in war. Lying to a teenager to get him to perform better during war is justifiable. But lying to a teenager in war to get him to cause the genocide of a race is not justifiable. This is because; stopping one from making the decision that causes the genocide of an entire race is sickening and inhumane.

“Teenagers need discipline and rules because they can't control themselves.”

In the past I rated this a three, because “teenagers need discipline and rules, but not because they can't control themselves. I think they need rules and discipline because they're learning how to function in the world, and without rules they would go crazy with their freedom.” And after reading Ender’s Game I will continue to rate this statement a three, because it really depends on the teenager’s personality and their intelligence. It can go either way. In the book Peter beats up Ender and terrorizes him, which causes part of his life to be miserable, but if their parents disciplined Peter, Ender’s life could’ve been better. Also Ender doesn’t need very much discipline or very many rules because he is son intelligent and controlled that he sets his own boundaries, and doesn’t make amateur mistakes.

“Only through personal sacrifice can someone create positive change.”

Before reading Ender’s Game I rated this a two, because I disagreed with this statement. After reading the book I rate this three, because there are other ways to create positive change. One doesn’t have to sacrifice very much to create positive change, in some cases all they have to sacrifice is a little bit of personal time. In other cases time, money, and emotional fire is sacrifice to create positive change. In the cases with more sacrifice more change is created. In the book Ender personally sacrificed a lot to create the positive change of the Buggers being gone. This is an example of if you sacrifice more the change is greater.

“Generating compassion for your enemies is the only way to create peace.”

Before reading Ender’s Game I rated this a five, because I strongly agreed with it. After reading the book, I agree with my statement. As long as your enemy is left over from a war, they will still be your enemy. The only way to create peace with your enemy besides generating compassion for them is completely killing every last one of your enemy, even the women and every single child of theirs, and all their allies or semi-allies. After being the major participant in the xenocide of the Buggers Ender generates compassion for them. “..always Ender carried with him a dry white cocoon, looking for the world where the Hive-Queen could awaken and thrive in peace.” (324) Ender hunts for a place to rehabilitate the Buggers, to create peace with them.