Literature Analysis: Ender's Game

Ender's Game By Orson Scott Card

Literature Analysis #2

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same). Orson Scott Card is a genius when it comes to writing science fiction novels.  The world he creates within his books is intricate and intelligent beyond belief.  His Ender series focuses on the brilliance of our children, even at a young age.  Andrew Wiggin is a gifted child, with an incredible mind that grasps concepts that would be way over our heads at the age of six.  Because of this Andrew finds that the other kids at school insist on picking on him.  'Ender' is then given the chance of a lifetime and is sent to the prestigious Battle School, even though he is still under age.  While at Battle School, Ender makes some enemies out of the craziest of the students in the Battle School.  As he is rushed through his training, he begins to figure out some startling information about the fragile world around him.  The Formic threat, the only other known intelligent life in the universe, are no longer a real threat to the world.  The IF, or International Fleet, is merely using the Formics as a reason to stay in power, when in reality the humans are launching an invasion of their own.  That's why Ender is being rushed through his training, causing him to slowly deteriorate mentally as well as physically.  Realizing this, Ender's commanding officers gave him a short leave back to Earth.  After two months Ender is brought back to space, this time the destination is Command School, located on the small planet called Eros.  There Ender is pushed even further in order to win simulated battles against the Formic fleet, only Ender didn't know that he was actually commanding the IF fleet in real battles.  Once the IF's fleet reaches the Formic home planet, Ender's fleet is outnumbered a thousand to one, causing Ender to make a risky move.  He focuses all his firepower on the planet itself, reducing the entire Formic population to nothing.  When Ender learns what he has done, he breaks down entirely, his body and mind shutting off from the outside world.  Two weeks pass before Ender is able to move and function like a normal human being.  By then, the colonization movement had begun, and Ender was to become the newest governor of the first colony of the Formic planets.  

2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.  Intelligent, analytical, perceptive.  Orson Scott Card knows how to create a relatable, yet highly intelligent main character in Ender.  It's very interesting to watch Ender grow and develope as a character, and by the end you really feel his pain for destroying the Formic race.  

3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).  The intelligent tone Card uses is really demonstrated well in his writing.  "Either the teachers had been kind to him after all, or he was a better commander than he thought.  His ragged little group of veterans, utterly without honor in their previous armies, were blossoming into capable leaders.  So much so that instead of the usual four toons, he had created five, each with a toon leader and a second' every veteran had a position.  No army had ever fragmented itself like that before, but Ender was not planning to do anything that had been done before, either.  Most armies practiced mass maneuvers, performed strategies.  Ender had none.  Instead he trained his toon leaders to use their small units effectively in achieving limited goals.  Unsuppoerted, alone, on their own initiative.  But he knew, with less than a month of training, that of being the best fighting group ever to play the game."  Ender's personal thoughts show us how he faces adversity and fear.  "He shuddered and tried to think of something else.  Peter could have fantasies about ruling the world, but Ender didn't have them.  Still thinking back on his life in the Battle School, it occurred to him that although he had never sought power, he had always had it. But he dided that it was a power born of excellence, not manipulation.  He had no reason to be ashamed of it.  He had never, except perhaps with bean, used his power to hurt someone.  And with Bean, things had worked well after all.  Bean had become a friend, finally, to take the place of the lost Alai, who in turn took the place of Valentine.  Valentine, who was helping Peter in his plotting.  Valentine, who still loved Ender no matter what happened."  

CHARACTERIZATION
1. Describe one example of direct characterization and one example of indirect characterization.  Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?  "Ender spread his hands over the child-size keyboard near the edge of the desk and wondered what it would feel like to have hands as large as a grown-up's.  They must feel so big and awkward, thick stubby fingers and beefy palms.  Of course, they had bigger keyboards-- but how could their thick fingers draw a fine line, the way Ender could, a thin line so precise that he could make it spiral seventy-nine times from the corner to the edge of the desk without the lines ever touching or overlapping.  It gave him something to do while the the teacher droned on about arithmetic.  Arithmetic! Valentine had taught him arithmetic when he was three."  This paragraph describes Ender as a six year old genius who is pondering about his life later on as an adult.  It's a direct characterization of Ender's small stature and large mind.  "He had the respect of everyone, and he was treated with deference in his evening practices.  Commanders came to study what he did.  Other soldiers approached his table at mess and asked permission to sit down. Even the teachers were respectful.
        He had so much damn respect he wanted to scream" 
This indirect characterization of Ender shows us that he has earned the trust of the students, but he finds himself at a crossroads in his career.  He hates the person he's become, but the person he's become is the person that everyone adores.

2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How? Throughout the novel, the words are intelligent and interesting, for all his characters have a great mind that can think through problems with little difficulty.

3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain.  Ender is a super dynamic character.  We get to watch Ender grow into an outstanding commander, but we also see that his innocence is lost when the weight of his xenocide crashes onto him towards the end of the book.  And though that sorrow stays with him, he finds a way to deal with it and move on and make something of his insanely awesome life.