Ender's Game (and series) Philosophy

Discuss all things pertaining to the EnderVerse milieu.
Samsonovich
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Ender's Game (and series) Philosophy

Postby Samsonovich » Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:35 pm

I am a mere high school student who is very ignorant regarding way of life. However, Ender's game and its related novels have no doubt changed my view on the modern world, as well as my thought process. The following is what I think the book teaches its readers, and my comments. If you love the books as I do, it will not be a waste of your time.



I will start with what is explained in the three sequels to Enders game, particularly Children of the Mind. In these novels, they actually discover permanent proof that intelligent life as they know possess souls. These souls do not provide the intelligence to the being, but rather gives it meaning. Basically, if Orson Scott Card depicts his own views through his literature, he has an extreme optimistic view on humanity.

I could not help but be persuaded. The underlying effect of every book in the series is fruitful: it teaches to look for the positives, and push through the negatives. It does not hide the turmoil of modern society, but rather it shows how people generally move towards the greater good. Whether this is true or not is certainly debatable. In all honesty, I am most definitely bias in favor of the more optimistic view. However, there is no denying the fact that the majority of the people would rather pick the 'good' path rather than the 'bad' path if the outcomes were identical.

Ender and Bean can not exist. No human will ever reach the level where these two characters existed. However, they are models. They are exemplars of humanity. Ender is someone who is brilliant, passionate, kind, courteous, and in all regards realistic. He is pitiful, but if he is presented with danger by an oppressive force he will strike down his enemy so that they may never hurt him again. Is that just? I certainly think so. Sometimes the only way to fight violence is with violence itself, though it is pleasant to think of historical figures like Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Bean was genetically modified, and a major theme throughout his novels was the ambiguity of his humanity. As proved by his motives and actions, he is indeed human, and has many of the same qualities as Ender. However, I believe Bean teaches something different altogether. While Ender teaches how to coincide with the people and things around you, Bean shows us how to live from the inside, to keep our own humanity intact.

What was particularly genuine about Ender was his guilt. It is truly admirable and sinks deep. I try to model myself against Ender, and a common phrased used throughout the series, "what would Ender do?".

What these books did for me was without doubt hopeful. After reading these books, and aided by philosophy classes I am taking, I do in fact believe in a superior moral entity (not a god) that exists somewhere, somehow. Would the Universe just 'exist' without a purpose? I can't see that as possible...


Thanks for reading this crude analysis of some aspects of the book... I'd love to read what others have to say.

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