The novel Ender’s Game is written by Orson Schott Card. It is about a young boy who is sent to battle school. He meets friends and makes adversaries. In battle school, out in space, Ender, the young boy is a genius and is taught many tactics to destroy their prime enemy the buggers. He excels in school and battles his way into command school before the required age.
There he is told he is battling buggers in simulations or is he? Throughout the novel, Ender is manipulated, bullied, and isolated, which creates many themes and messages. In this novel Ender’s Game the main theme is life is a game. Three characters that best prove this are Ender, Peter, and Bonzo.
One character that best supports this theme is Peter. Peter is Ender’s older brother, who is more ruthless and cold hearted. Peter is a good example of this theme because of his patience, strategic skills, and determination.
Peter always wanted to take over the world, but he couldn’t do it at a young age. When playing games a person must be patient and wait for the right time to move. On page 128, Peter states “I’ve been learning things about patterns in human behaviour” Peter has been studying patterns, in order to make his move. The quote best exemplifies how Peter’s life is a game because Peter is playing a patient game; he is watching his opponents’ moves and waiting for the pieces to fall in place. Another example is his strategic skill can help make precise moves. Page 129, middle of the page, Peter and his sister have been writing columns on the internet.
Peter is using his strategic skills to devise a plan to take over the world by manipulating the world it is going through war and then later on becoming to make peace. Peter’s columns are being published and that is part of his plan. He is using skills, like in games to plan ahead. Finally the last example that best proves how life is a game is Peter’s determination and cockiness. Great players are determined to win and if they are determined they are cocky. Page 181, Peter says, ” I could become a businessman and run some big corporation, I’d scramble and maneuver until I was at the top of everything and what would I have? Nothing, I am going to rule.
” Peter is confident that he will rule the world. Like a champion at games they only think they are going to win all the time; nothing less. Peter is confident that he is going to conquer the world by making piece. Peter’s determination, his strategic skills, and patience are reasons how life is a game.
Another character that best show the theme life is a game is Bonzo. Bonzo is Ender’s adversary.
His life was also a game because he is an enemy, he has the advantage and he dies. Bonzo hated Ender the minute Ender stepped into Bonzo’s platoon. Right then and there Bonzo became Ender’s enemy. In many combat games there is an enemy who is trying to make it more difficult. Bonzo who is an enemy wanted Ender gone because Bonzo was jealous of Ender’s winning streak. Bonzo hated him and he was furious.
On page 205, Crazy Tom questioned, “That some of the older boys want to kill you?” This quote refers to Bonzo and other soldiers. They are Ender’s enemy and they wanted to annihilate him. Every enemy’s goal is to destroy their victim and Bonzo tried with an advantage. Advantage is also another reason why life is a game. While playing games somebody always has the advantage. In this case Bonzo brought other soldiers to confront Ender.
Page 207, bottom paragraph describes how seven boys were watching Ender in the showers. This example demonstrates the advantage that Bonzo has over Ender. Whether it is two against one or fighting soldiers without any weapons. Advantage is a contributing factor in games and that portrays how Bonzo’s life is a game. With an advantage a person might think you are going to win, but Ender thought differently. Ender overcame the odds and in fact killed Bonzo.
Death is .
