September 19, 2012

The Enemy of the Enemy of Ender’s Game

The entire reading of Ender’s Game was so enjoyable, that I decided to reread it over and over again (with brief dips into The Great Gatsby to remind myself of our current-century’s cultural biases) until it was unfortunately requested by another student through the inter-library loan system, and ending my brief addiction to Ender Wiggin’s philosophy of recognizing the process of thought patterns and assigned emotions to each action of the adults and his fellow students in the ‘Battle School.’

These mental notes on the behavior of others are also described throughout the novel with internal monologue by his older siblings, Valentine and Peter, to the degree in which they manipulate the discussions on international politics on their version of ‘the Net.’ However, their focus is on communication through text-language (instead of Ender’s series of physical confrontation with different bullies and friends-enemies) which, despite their different means of interactions with the intended audience, relies on a similar method of strategy shown by all three of the Wiggins children.

My haphazard method of describing this feat. of the main characters that I admired is that, the most effective method is to develop an understanding of your enemy-friends by seeking to understanding their weakness, strengths and so on to the point that you love them (and simultaneously destroy them, much to Ender’s sorrow). Is it not true that the enemy of my enemy is my friend? I agree with this point of view, and am looking forward to the film adaption of the novel that is due in 2013.