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In Ender's game, it's all about accepting the differences between humans and the buggers. They think and behave in completely different ways, and you must love

by xauronx 13y ago

In Ender's game, it's all about accepting the differences between humans and the buggers. They think and behave in completely different ways, and you must love them and understand them. Later with the Piggies, there are those who wanted to quarantine and destroy the planet, but the "heroes" risked life and limb to save them. Even in the Homecoming Saga, which was a very biblical work from the start, there's quite a bit of effort to soothe the differences between the bats/rats and get them to live in peace with their differences. Honestly, I've read a ton of his works and time after time his characters are great people and their goals are often agreeable and reasonable.

Artistry121 13y ago
I did believe that and had read the book 6 times believing that. The point of fact is that Ender was not a great person - or even a good person. While I enjoyed the aspects of interconnectedness between the two groups - and the "redemption" of Ender by connecting with his enemy (the Queen) after reading these articles I am convinced my original love of the book was unwarranted. It's the story of an abused kid, and his adult mentors, who grows up to accept abuse and cover up that abuse behind the cover of "good intentions" or "neccessity". Look at Ender's treatment of Bean - becoming the enemy he hated because he feels its neccessary. The book was radically good at convincing me Ender was reasonable and moral - but that doesn't mean he was. If you haven't read those essays minikite linked too I suggest you do. Particularly Ender's simple dismissal of the student's disgust at Ender's murder of the Formic is telling. "You should see it from Ender's perspective, not the perspective of the destroyed race," is silly victim-blaming. It's odd how I missed it up until today.
- xauronx 13y ago
  Ender hated that side of himself, the destructive side. No one ever said that the "adults" aka the military in that book were good people. It's not directly stated, but to me it had an implied tone of wrongness, that they thought they were acting as they must to strike first. In later books the Hive Queen confirms that they were never going to come back and that makes an obvious statement that the xenocide was unnecessary. As for Ender's treatment of Bean, I think that's pretty much identical to how coaches and military leaders behave. Ender even privately scolds himself for the way he mirrored Graffs treatment of him in Bean's treatment. After that I believe he makes an effort to treat his subordinates as friends, but it's too late (because they still act coldly toward him). I think Ender hated and regretted what he was forced into unwittingly doing, hence his writing of the Hive Queen & Hegemon as well as the years of hearing himself referred to as "Ender the Xenocide" without ever defending his actions once. I think that maybe you're too excited to be upset by this. Card is a twat, but I hold that his books are a closet outlet for his rational mind.

by xauronx 13y ago

Artistry121 13y ago

I did believe that and had read the book 6 times believing that. The point of fact is that Ender was not a great person - or even a good person. While I enjoyed the aspects of interconnectedness between the two groups - and the "redemption" of Ender by connecting with his enemy (the Queen) after reading these articles I am convinced my original love of the book was unwarranted. It's the story of an abused kid, and his adult mentors, who grows up to accept abuse and cover up that abuse behind the cover of "good intentions" or "neccessity". Look at Ender's treatment of Bean - becoming the enemy he hated because he feels its neccessary. The book was radically good at convincing me Ender was reasonable and moral - but that doesn't mean he was. If you haven't read those essays minikite linked too I suggest you do. Particularly Ender's simple dismissal of the student's disgust at Ender's murder of the Formic is telling. "You should see it from Ender's perspective, not the perspective of the destroyed race," is silly victim-blaming. It's odd how I missed it up until today.

xauronx 13y ago
Ender hated that side of himself, the destructive side. No one ever said that the "adults" aka the military in that book were good people. It's not directly stated, but to me it had an implied tone of wrongness, that they thought they were acting as they must to strike first. In later books the Hive Queen confirms that they were never going to come back and that makes an obvious statement that the xenocide was unnecessary. As for Ender's treatment of Bean, I think that's pretty much identical to how coaches and military leaders behave. Ender even privately scolds himself for the way he mirrored Graffs treatment of him in Bean's treatment. After that I believe he makes an effort to treat his subordinates as friends, but it's too late (because they still act coldly toward him). I think Ender hated and regretted what he was forced into unwittingly doing, hence his writing of the Hive Queen & Hegemon as well as the years of hearing himself referred to as "Ender the Xenocide" without ever defending his actions once. I think that maybe you're too excited to be upset by this. Card is a twat, but I hold that his books are a closet outlet for his rational mind.