Book #2 ----- Post #1

What is the major theme of this novel?

How is it important to the teens of 2008?

This book really spoke to me in many ways, because it was directly related to me pretty much. In my life, I've grown over these times thinking that if I could just win at something, and be better than someone at something, then I would be the best friend, son, or brother anybody can have. Throughout my life, I had a inspiration to want to win, whether it was while I was playing football or just playing a friendly game with my friends. I believe that it is true human instincts to want to beat each other in everything we do. Everybody wants to feel that they succeeded at something int their life, so they try to be better than someone or even the best at something in their lives. Especially in the games we enjoy in life, we are hoping, whether it be showing or hidden deep inside of us, to win and beat the ones against and around us.

This related to me so well, because Ender seemed to be just like me in these ways. His whole life as it seems was overwhelmed and filled with games. We have been grown to think that all kinds of games are fun and for our enjoyment, but Ender's thought in games in his life was much different. From the beginning when he played Buggers and Astronauts, he was forced in to play. It never once states that he actually wants to start playing this game with his violent brother, Peter. I saw no point in the game, I guess, when I saw that Ender could not win in any way in that game, but Ender thought differently, but not much. He did think there was a goal in the game, but it was only to escape from the pains caused to him by Peter. All he could do was run from his dear brother as he was scared half to death. In his idea of games, I believe that his win or lose situation can be explained as a smaller scale of life or death kind of way. Since he was raised in the idea of games as he was risen, he could not see the true enjoyment of games in his mind. So when he started to play games at the Battle School, he could not just enjoy the fun of the game, but had to win in his mind. Winning to him was almost living in his mind. It says on the cover of the book, "For Ender Wiggin, it's not a game anymore..."

There were many themes in the story, but I believe that the main theme is centered around the idea he had of games. Many of you have heard this theme before. The theme says that winning is definitely not everything in a person's life, because I do not think that anyone should end up thinking the way Ender thought.