It's hard not to look at this generation of video game players and not think of Ender Wiggin. Is the US government using Halo and C.O.D. Black Ops to prepare our young men and young women for the real thing. Are the Nazi zombies the equivalent of the buggers? I don't know but these were some of my thoughts as I was reading Orson Scott Card's short story turned sci-fi classic.
I like the sophistication of our main character, a six year-old who is being trained to become a military leader.
There seem to be many issues with adults and children in this book. Children living alone, raising themselves, sort of a Lord of the Flies situation.
Ender and Peter seem to have a Christ and Satan relationship throughout many parts of the book. Ender is compassionate and at times a Savior figure. Peter is full of hate and despises the good in Ender. This dichotomy is brought up a few times throughout the book.
Final Thoughts- The beginning was a little confusing for the age group that I teach, but once they got into the training and fighting they loved it.
I loved the book and would consider it for an older crowd if you are conservative. If you are not conservative I would recommend 7th or 8th grade level reading. There are occasional talk of boys private parts. It also has some swearing.
It has been almost 30 years since the first ideas of this story were put into place and I imagine that some of the ideas that Orson thought of, are now realities. Ipads and mental microchips and video/war games.
I have been wondering why/how this has not been made into a movie yet. Well from my understanding, Orson has tried numerous (15) times to write a screenplay, but nothing has stuck. Here is a link to a Graphic Novel Version of the Story.
This book is being recommended by the new Common Core for science fiction and will soon be read by thousands of 7th graders all over the country.
What did you think of it.
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