Analysis of the Main Messages in “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card

Orson Scott Card’s novel, Ender’s Game, parallels the concept of the Cold War that developed shortly after World War II which was a state of political hostility. New technologies rose in the 1980s as well, such as the world’s first and only fleet of space planes which led to the fear that new technology would one day over take humanity. As the science fiction novel opens, it takes place set in a future dystopia where rival governments battle not only for control of Earth, but for the survival of the human race. Ender, a well known mastermind, has the ability to analyze specific situations and find a solution quickly. He is suggested as the only prospect for humanity as he is the only person with the intellect to fight the buggers, the common enemy civilians contain on Earth. Ender is the object of bullying at Battle School, due to the fact that the school’s leaders intend for him to be isolated and feared. He wins respect by devising clever new strategies in battle games and for cracking the security codes on his tormentors’ computer files. Card demonstrates empathy as a defining feature used to comprehend the enemy and to inspire allegiance within one’s unit. Card is trying to let others know there are few differences between kids and adults. Children might be smaller and insignificant, but the intelligence they demonstrate can have a bigger impact then the world may see. 

Empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, describes Enders journey throughout his childhood in Battle School. Ender is telling Valentine why he loathes himself. While he is able to understand his enemies better than anyone else can, once Ender comprehens them, he demolishes them. Consumed with such immense empathy, when coming to understand his unfavorable enemies Ender manages to appreciate them. Ender asserts, “In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves”. Love and hate are juxtaposed from each other to demonstrate how they are contrasted. When Ender crushes the buggers he is hurting himself in the process. Ender tries to avoid having enemies, so he will not be forced to agonize anyone. Ender will admire even those who seem to be his most harsh enemies when he properly recognizes them. But due to the situations Ender has been placed in he has no choice other than destroying those enemies. 

Adults constantly manipulate or control children, but this is not always the intense, for Peter and Valentine, Ender’s older siblings, maintain to dominance over the world’s political system through their authority of adults. Ender, who lacks to exert any dominance over anyone, is ruthlessly manipulated by adult figures, despite their knowledge of his superior intelligence. Graff declares, “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”. Tools symbolize the matter in which the children are being used by the adults. Graff interprets to Ender the philosophy behind all their actions. But, Ender is not aware of it at the time, this is the same reason that the adults will begin to shape the children time and time again. Ender disagrees to this idea, he determines that people should be looked upon as more than just tools, but nevertheless it is the prevailing ideology of the people’s government. By following this philosophy it justifies doing horrific actions for the sake of humanity. However the question arises do the ends justify the means. Therefore, being capable of manipulating and killing but as well as creating and helping are an integral part of society and children must be taken seriously. 

On the other hand, ruthlessness is the human condition devoid of its humanity, and it is the danger that threatens total destruction. One who happens to not become overcome by empathy for others, will guide the world to the dismantle of humanity. Graff begins to conversate with Ender in regards to his theory of why they are in a war with the buggers. Graff describes to Ender that the buggers communicate through a different matter than humans, thought, they most likely cannot comprehend that humans are thinking creatures. Ender therefore is compelled to understand why this barrier cannot be fixated. He expresses “‘So the whole war is because we can’t talk to each other.’ ‘If the other fellow can’t tell you his story, you can never be sure he isn’t trying to kill you.’ ‘What if we just left them alone?’ ‘Ender, we didn’t go to them first, they came to us. If they were going to leave us alone, they could have done it a hundred years ago, before the First Invasion. ’ ‘Maybe they didn’t know we were intelligent life. Maybe’”. One thinks here of Plato’s philosopher-kings is alluded, who would rather not to hold power over a society but who would do so anyway, leading unhappiness lives in order to make the community as a whole function enough for others to live successful lives. Graff proclaims that they can never be certain to which the alien species could ever truly leave them at peace. However, Ender finds it difficult to understand how an intelligent alien species could be completely unwilling to be able to have a rational discussion in regards to warfare. Ironically, following the conversation Ender then goes on to take the task on of eliminating the buggers. But, the rest of the human civilization comes to the conclusion that the enemies are committed to dangerous acts of war, even though Ender will not stop on the philosophy of talking issues out. Compassion for the humans they’ve killed and their sorrow over the war means that they are human, and this is why Ender senses the need to take action to support them and why he so keenly mourns his destruction of their race. 

Even if affection and affinity can be manipulated for brutal purposes, by themselves these qualities have a much greater potential for excellence. People are constantly taken advantage of mentally, all the actions that can be put into action are whose path they will choose to follow. Ender will never be able to live his own life because there is no such thing as living one’s own life without others influence especially since Ender is such an empathetic character. Valentine and Ender decide to go off together because at least once he gets to the buggers, their world will finally be desolate. Ender declares to Valentine, “I just want one thing clear. I’m not going for you. I’m not going in order to be governor, or because I’m bored here. I’m going because I know the Buggers better than any other living soul, and maybe if I go there I can understand them better. I stole their future from them; I can only begin to repay by seeing what I can learn from their past”. Ironically, Ender is going for Valentine in a sense because he is trying to ensure humanity is not at war anymore with the buggers so he comes to their home to reinforce the fact that humans are not a threat to their species so he can try and give back a part of what he has already taken away from them. Looking for a better location to begin a new alien civilization Ender’s search ends up lasting several years. Ender is viewed as a supherb, amiable child who wholeheartedly adores his friends and family and yet it is because he is a valuable, empathetic human being that he is capable of the most brutal and ingenious acts of violence. It is inferred the deadliest warrior is not a warrior at all. The ability to sympathize for those around him symbolizes humanity. 

All in all, Orson Scott Card illustrates Ender’s struggles on morality and is manipulated by the adults so that he thinks their way. Adults think it is okay to manipulate the children into their view of morality. Even before defeating the Buggers, Ender starts to wonder if there was simply a misunderstanding and that they are not enemies. He would rather take the hard road and try to resolve their conflict peacefully instead of just blowing them up, but the adults manipulate him into destroying the Buggers. It turns out that the Bugger’s were a peaceful race, and Ender is enraged that the adults manipulated him so that he would destroy their species. Card published the novel in 1985 which reflected the recent collapse of the Soviet Union, which ended up demolishing itself into several countries. Its collapse became a victory for the west as they gained freedom, a privilege of democracy over communism. Evidence shown demonstrated political tensions began to arise which was known as the Cold War, a petty rivalry that developed after World War II between the Soviet Union and the United States and their respective allies. Card discussed the influence technology and new advances during this era, Columbia blasted into orbit to inaugurate STS-1, the maiden voyage of the space-shuttle program, which greatly impacted the novel. Overall, adolescent children are perceived as frivolous and null, but the brilliance they exhibit can have a substantial effect then the world may identify.