IMAGINE

1. IMAGINE You are the best of the best.   You are unbeatable.   What you lack in stature you more than make up for in intellect.   You are also the youngest, which means that everyone else--all the older kids in your class--hates you.

2. But you have to be the best… You see, the entire world depends on you for its survival.   It's not enough that you just "get by" or that you are adequate; you have to excel in everything, everything.  

3. You have to go above and beyond what is expected because there is always going to be someone who wants to show that you are nothing, that he is better than you.   But he's not.   No one ever is.  

4. If someone could beat you just once, maybe the pressure would finally be off, and you could go home to your parents, to the brother you hate, and to the sister you love.   You are being pushed beyond your limits and it is almost more than you can bear.  

5. After all, you’re only six years old You're all alone, and if you don't prove yourself worthy, the entire world will be destroyed. Welcome to

6. Ender’s Game 8th Grade Literature/GRC

7. About the Author: • Born in 1951 in Washington and raised on the West Coast, Orson Scott Card attended Brigham Young University and spent two years as a missionary Brazil. • In his introduction to Ender's Game,Card mentions that Isaac Asimov's Foundation trilogy inspired him to write science fiction.

8. About the Author: • He claims that in high school he was fascinated by military strategy and especially the crucial role that a leader plays in an army. • The idea of the Battle Room, the game around which the novel Ender's Game is organized, came to him when he was 16 years old, but he did not begin to write the story until years later.

9. About the Author: • Since Card came up with the basic concept of the book at such a young age, it is not surprising that his young characters have considerably more penetrating thoughts and complex emotions than children in most other stories. • This emphasis on children is one that Card very consciously molded, and he states that one of his goals was for everyone to have to see things from their point of view.

10. About the novel • Begun in 1975 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the story was published in 1977 as a short story and completed in novel form in 1985. • The winner of the 1986 Hugo and Nebula awards, Ender's Game is Orson Scott Card's best-known work. • Since its publication in 1985, the book has been considered a science fiction classic.

11. About the novel • Card, who has a master's degree in literature from the University of Utah, has continued to write at a rapid pace, producing 5 other parts to the Ender series in addition to creating several new series, many plays, short stories, and a handful of other novels. • The sequel to Ender's Game,Speaker for the Dead, won the Hugo and Nebula awards in 1987, making Card the first author to win both awards twice.

12. Characters • Ender -  The younger brother of Peter and Valentine, at age six Ender is chosen by Colonel Graff and the International Fleet to help save mankind from the buggers • Valentine -  Ender's older sister is the only person in the world who truly loves him. She protects him from Peter, their sadistic older brother. • Peter -  Ender's older brother Peter is a cruel and evil child, gifted in manipulation. He has the same ruthlessness that his siblings contain but without any of their compassion.

13. Characters • Colonel Graff -  Graff has unerring faith in Ender and, although he manipulates Ender, he also loves him. Graff is the head of the Battle School until Ender leaves, at which time he accompanies him until he passes off the training of Ender to Mazer Rackham. • Mazer Rackham -  Ender's last teacher, Rackham makes no attempt to become Ender's friend, although, like Graff, he loves and respects the boy. • Major Anderson -  Second in command only to Colonel Graff at the Battle School, Major Anderson is in charge of setting up battleroom scenarios.

14. Characters • Bean -  Ender's last friend at Battle School. Bold and brilliant, Bean helps Ender with Dragon Army and also helps him hold on to his humanity. • Alai -  A member of Ender's launch group, Alai becomes Ender's best friend and helps him gain acceptance with the other recruits.

15. Characters • Dink Meeker -  Ender's platoon leader in Rat Army, Dink is a very good strategist who always looks out for Ender. • Petra Arkanian -  While in Salamander Army Petra helps Ender learn how to fight in the battleroom. • Bonzo Madrid -  Bonzo is Ender's enemy and was the commander of Salamander Army.

16. Cast of Movie Version: March 2013 Asa Butterfield as Ender Wiggin Abigail Breslin as Valentine Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff Jimmy Pinchak As Peter SarajParthasarathy as Alai Aramis Knight as Bean Ben Kingsley as Mazer Rackham Hailee Stanfield as Petra Moises Arias as Bonzo

17. Setting & Point of View • Setting (time) · The future • Setting (place) · The book starts on Earth, and quickly moves into space, although Earth plays a prominent role until the end. • Point of View · Most of the book is presented from Ender's point of view, although we are occasionally allowed inside the head of a few other characters. • Each chapter starts with a conversation between two adults, usually members of the I.F. high command, and their discussion foreshadows the events of the chapter.

18. Topics to Explore • Compassion vs. Ruthlessness • Adults vs. Children • Friends & Enemies • Humanity: What does it mean to be human? Remember, the theme is what the author has to say about a topic.

19. Historical Figure References • Locke (Peter) • English philosopher • Lived between 1632-1704 • Wrote about natural rights of man—life, liberty, property; right to revolt • Influenced the Declaration of Independence • Demosthenes (Valentine) • Greek orator • Lived between 384-322 B.C. • Used persuasive oration against Philip of Macedon, who was trying to take over Greek states • Encouraged people to rise up

20. “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.” ~~ Graff While reading, ask yourself • Do the ends justify the means? Is it okay to do something that seems harmful to some if it will help a larger number of others? • Is it okay to do inhumane things to save humankind?