Ender’s Game Reader’s Guide 1. Orson Scott Card began Ender’s Game in 1977. What technologies did he incorporate into the story that were unheard of then, but common now? 2. In his introduction, Card writes, “The essence of training is to allow error without consequence.” How does this play out in the book? Do you agree there are benefits to this idea and does our society allow for this type of training? If so, where? 3. Why does Ender compare himself to Peter so often? Is it more effective to compare ourselves to someone we want to be like or to someone we don’t want to be like? 4. How do the wars in Ender’s Game compare to the military experiences of our country? 5. How believable is Ender’s conversation and thought process considering he is six? 6. What do you think of parents allowing, sometimes encouraging, their children to play war games on computers? Are we fostering thoughts of war and violence? Is it necessary? 7. What are the benefits of childhood in our society? What are the disadvantages? Is childhood a modern invention? 8. Ender often imagines what a normal life would be like, even though his is far from normal. Do we all do this, though? When does someone become satisfied with their life and not wonder how it might be different? 9. What is the significance of having none of your own possessions in Battle School? 10. Valentine says that it’s impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you pretend to be. Do you agree? 11. One might say that, taken together, the boys in the Battle School are a multiculturally diverse little society. Some of these boys are characterized by Orson Scott Card in ways that link them to their ethnic heritage: Alai, who whispers “salaam” is of Arabic or Islamic background; Bonzo Madrid “has a case of advanced Spanish honor,” a reference perhaps to Latino “macho”; Han Tzu is called “Hot Soup,” in what may be a sideways reference to Chinese restaurants; and “Rose the Nose, Jewboy extraordinaire” is the commander of Rat Army. How are these references to ethnic background harmful? Why did Orson Scott Card choose to label characters in this way? 12. How important is it to learn the language of cultures we come into contact with? Should learning these languages be mandatory? 13. Ender’s Game, like The Giver, limits the number of children a family may have. What are the benefits and/or consequences of this? How has it affected China? 14. Is it ever justifiable to wipe out an entire race? When has it happened? Have ideas and feelings of the conquerors changed over time? 15. Will Ender ever be able to allow the bugger egg to hatch? How will he change because of his childhood? 16. What do you think someone could learn from reading Ender’s Game? How has it changed you?
1. Orson Scott Card began Ender’s Game in 1977. What technologies did he
incorporate into the story that were unheard of then, but common now?
2. In his introduction, Card writes, “The essence of training is to allow error without
consequence.” How does this play out in the book? Do you agree there are benefits
to this idea and does our society allow for this type of training? If so, where?
3. Why does Ender compare himself to Peter so often? Is it more effective to compare
ourselves to someone we want to be like or to someone we don’t want to be like?
4. How do the wars in Ender’s Game compare to the military experiences of our
country?
5. How believable is Ender’s conversation and thought process considering he is six?
6. What do you think of parents allowing, sometimes encouraging, their children to
play war games on computers? Are we fostering thoughts of war and violence? Is it
necessary?
7. What are the benefits of childhood in our society? What are the disadvantages? Is
childhood a modern invention?
8. Ender often imagines what a normal life would be like, even though his is far from
normal. Do we all do this, though? When does someone become satisfied with their
life and not wonder how it might be different?
9. What is the significance of having none of your own possessions in Battle School?
10. Valentine says that it’s impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you
pretend to be. Do you agree?
11. One might say that, taken together, the boys in the Battle School are a
multiculturally diverse little society. Some of these boys are characterized by Orson
Scott Card in ways that link them to their ethnic heritage: Alai, who whispers
“salaam” is of Arabic or Islamic background; Bonzo Madrid “has a case of
advanced Spanish honor,” a reference perhaps to Latino “macho”; Han Tzu is
called “Hot Soup,” in what may be a sideways reference to Chinese restaurants; and
“Rose the Nose, Jewboy extraordinaire” is the commander of Rat Army. How are
these references to ethnic background harmful? Why did Orson Scott Card choose
to label characters in this way?
12. How important is it to learn the language of cultures we come into contact with?
Should learning these languages be mandatory?
13. Ender’s Game, like The Giver, limits the number of children a family may have.
What are the benefits and/or consequences of this? How has it affected China?
14. Is it ever justifiable to wipe out an entire race? When has it happened? Have ideas
and feelings of the conquerors changed over time?
15. Will Ender ever be able to allow the bugger egg to hatch? How will he change
because of his childhood?
16. What do you think someone could learn from reading Ender’s Game? How has it
changed you?