Sorry this is so late! I just finished the assigned pages, but I'll be better for the next goal (which sounds like it might be finishing the book). Let's discuss:
1. Is childhood a right? Does a person robbed of a "normal" childhood have any possibility of stability as an adult? Does Ender have any chance of living "happily ever after"?
2. Why is Ender’s being a Third considered negative? What does this tell you about society
on Earth?
3. What can you tell about this society based on the fact that it has produced a place like the
Battle School?
4. Why does Ender keep trying to get past the Giant’s Drink in his game?
5. Read the conversation between Ender and Dink on pp. 120-121. What do you think of
Dink’s point of view? Do you think he’s right?
:)
Mrs. P
10 comments:
1. I do believe that childhood is a right that all should have. Though I've known people who were robbed of a "normal" childhood that did grow up fine, more often than not I believe that having a childhood of fun, games, and love is vital for someone to grow up as a stable adult. Otherwise you just grow up too fast and that's no fun. :) I do think that Ender has that chance, but only because of Valentine...she will keep his childhood memories alive and therefore he will still have some of that to rely on. Also, he still gets to play "games" in battle school, somewhat.
2. Ender’s being a Third is considered negative because that's what society has dictated for his family and the rest of the population. This tells me that the population is unable to survive on the limited resources without a population limitation - something we might actually face before too long in our own society.
3. I can tell that this society has a survivalist instinct, and that it has made many advancements in technology compared to our current society.
4. Ender keeps trying to get past the Giant’s Drink in his game because he is very competitive, not only with the game but with himself. He wants to win, he wants to survive, and he is frustrated with being controlled by his surroundings.
5. I think the conversation you're referring to is on pages 110-111 of my book...but anyway. I think that Dink's point of view was perhaps one that he carries because of what his parents and other adults believe back home on Earth? That's all I could think of. It's an interesting point of view, and I think it accurately resembles the equivalent of many people's point of view in our own society - the "Oh, it can't happen to me" mentality is prevalent here, in many different situations, from war to heavy crime.
1. I think childhood is a right and since it is a right the right can unfortunately get robbed. Ender's childhood is ruined in my opinion because even if he were to go back now he would be different from the other kids and hes transformed to think like an adult.
2.well it is obvious that when this story takes place they have put a limit on population and being a third is against the law so it makes Ender not normal which makes kids pick on him because kids tend to make fun of whats not normal to them.
3.The earth is at risk of "buggers" attacking earth and now everyone is freaking out while the whole earth has to take action. training these men and women is on the top of the governments agenda no matter what the cost so that humanity will remain alive.
4.Ender is the type of person who never gives up and he saw a challenge and would stop at nothing to win because it was more of a game and I think he was curious on what would happen if he did defeat the giant.
5.I think that it was page 110 that Dink's conversation happend. well for me on page 110 I stoped and thought about this conversation when I read it and I think Dink could either have an interesting point or be completely wrong or who knows maybe Dink could be playing some mind trick on Ender. If Dink was being serious then I could see how he could be right. They could train these children in case if a war does happen. On the other hand, It doesn't make sense why government would waste so much money on a program if they didn't have a serious purpose (but then again i don't get why government wastes so much money on nothing now lol)
Sorry if some of what i said dosen't make sense i am too tiard (and lazy) to edit anything
1. Yes. I think that it's also overlooked as a right. It's hard to grow up so fast and not have some problems, or at least regret that you didn't have that childhood. I think Ender has a better chance of living happily ever after than others because he's smart and is figuring out what is going on.
2. Ender being a Third is considered negative because everyone is only supposed to have two kids. Population is growing and they are trying to keep population at a steady level. (2 parents, 2 kids.)
3. It says that people are banning together, and are very worried about this war. They are so worried about this war that they are letting a newer society take their kids if it will save the world.
4. I think Ender keeps trying to get past the Giant in the game because he doesn't want to give up. It says on page "he had played with the cat a lot, but now it was boring- too easy to dodge, he knew all the furniture." He's really getting bored, so why not take on the game you can't win? You'll never be bored until you give up; something Ender doesn't do easily.
5. I think Dink is on to something there...but only time will tell.
-Rachael
P.S. I had to leave for Jazz band, so what's the page goal?
oh i would tell u the page goal rachael but it seems that i forgot the page goal does anyone remember it?!
ok i believe the page goal is chapter 13 or the end of the book but im noot so sure...
8)
I find it interesting that everyone so far has stated that 'childhood' is a right. Truthfully, the idea of childhood is a relatively new concept. Not so long ago children were regularly sent away from home at 8 or 9 to become someone's indentured slave. Even today, in many countries around the world, children are working and fighting wars at the same age as Ender. Do I think childhood is a right? No. I think it is a luxury of our modern and relatively wealthy society.
I was waiting for someone to bring that up, Ms. Rider! Yes, childhood-- and adolesence even more so-- is a relatively new phenomenon. Oh, how times change.
:)
Mrs. P
1. Childhood is not a right in my opinion. It is definitely a luxury that many children in developed countries have had especially since the industrial revolution when laws were put in place such as child labor laws. This was especially evident in Europe and the United States. Before then, one of the benefits of having children was to add to the finances of the family by having more hands in the field working. Historically, more children have become stable adults without having this luxury of a "childhood" than those that have. I feel Ender does have a chance to live happily ever after because happiness is different for each person. His version of happiness would be much different than mine.
2. Wasn't the reason that Ender's family was allowed to have a "third" is because Peter was not judged to be what they were looking for? In many people's view this was considered to be a derogatory term for these children who were looked at as being a 2nd chance. What does this tell me about society there? It tells me that human nature hadn't changed that much. People still like to label and make fun of people who are different. Being a third was not "normal" in their society.
3. Battle Schools? We still have them today all over the world. Military schools and academies are created to find future leaders, academic leaders. They claim to teach integrity, honor, duty, self-discipline, accountability, and attention to detail. They pride themselves on giving rank based on true merit and achievement. How is this any different to the Battle School?
4. The Giant's Drink is a game that had never been solved. The school officials claimed that it was unbeatable. Ender took this as a challenge and his stubborness to pass the test only made him think of new and more creative ways to solve the problem.
5. I don't have my book with me right now, but I'm assuming that this passage was when Dink told Ender that the teachers were the real enemy and that the old books he had read show how kids should not be leading 40 other kids like they were at the school. I tend to think he was partially correct in his thoughts. Comparing their situation to the historical past is difficult considering the changes in their society since then.
I don't think I'll jump into the conversation of childhood as a right or priviledge - I might get going on my soapbox. I will just say what my father has always told me as I have been raising my children, "You have to let them be their age because if you don't they will relive the age they missed sometime later in their life." Ponder that....
I think getting past the Giant's Drink also follows his desire to be a normal kid - he wants to get to Fairyland. A happy place. A joyful place. A kid place.
Okay, I don't have enough time to read everyones comments, but here's the snippets I read.
I really liked the conversation about childhood being a right. Now I'm not so sure. Should it be a right?
And, ooooooh, to Ender being a second chance to be looked down on, wow. That's a different way to look at it.
I also liked the comment about Ender wanting to be in a happy place. And, Mrs. Platt, you're whole 'let them act their age' thing explains a lot of adults I know outside of school...
Sorry, my english is horrible because I am typing fast. Wow. I really like teachers commenting on the blog.
-Rachael
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