Read Ender's Game, Chapters 13 and 14, and respond to these questions:
(Begins June 1 - Ends June 8)
Chapter 13
“They must talk to each other directly, Ender, mind to mind. What one thinks, another can also think; what one remembers, another can also remember. Why would they ever develop language? Why would they ever learn to read and write? How would they know what reading and writing were if they saw them? Or signals? Or numbers? Or anything that we use to communicate? This isn't just a matter of translating from one language to another. They don't have language at all. We used every means we could think of to communicate with them, but they don't even have the machinery to know we're signaling. And maybe they've been trying to think to us, and they can't understand why we don't respond.” (Card, 253)
1) What is the critical issue/concern revealed in this quote? Why is there a war between humans and buggers? What is it that has allowed Ender to beat all his enemies thus far, but is now missing as he considers the menace of the buggers?
Chapter 14
1) In chapter 14, Ender encounters “the most perfect video game he had ever played.” (Card, 258) Describe this game. What importance is graphical quality? What importance is interface control?
2) At what point does the strategy of the simulator become “pleasure” and “play”? What transforms this serious game into serious fun?
3) Who becomes Ender's new teacher? Why does the new teacher refer to himself as the enemy?
4) What do you think is “Ender's Game”, to which the book's title refers?
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Chapter 13:
ReplyDelete1) This quote reveals that despite the intentions of either side, there is a fundamental difference in communication between the humans and the buggers. Even if either side wanted peace, or war, they wouldn’t have a way to let each other know, and so humans, in an effort to survive and preserve their species, must assume that the buggers are entirely hostile – an assumption that turns out to be the wrong one. Part of the problem Enders faces is that he has begun to lose his image of the buggers as merciless killers. Previously, he associated them with the propaganda videos, and twisted games he played with Peter – but further into his journey, he began to question the motivations of many of the human leaders and the true nature of the enemy. Not only that, but the only redeeming quality of his life in the Battle Station, his friendships (as strained and as macabre as they might have been) are now gone as he is isolated further at “Command School”.
Chapter 14:
1) The game was a 3d holographic cube that allowed him to control ships and fleets in virtual (or so he thinks) space. From the description, it is not graphically sophisticated at all. The ships appear as small lighted dots on the screen, and the substance is entirely the tactics, strategy, and interface control.
2) There were likely two primary reasons that Ender considered the game to be enjoyable at first. The enemy constantly adapted and adjusted itself to Enders skill and ability, and he also was commander over his old friends from Battle School. For Ender, it provides a challenge, but more importantly, its fair – and he can use his wit and intuition to overcome the challenges.
3) Enders new teacher is Mazor Rackham. He refers to himself as the enemy because the only way he will be able to teach Ender anything further is by opposing him – by trying to destroy him in battle.
4) The title of ‘Enders Game’ refers to Enders war with the buggers. Throughout the entire book, everything Ender engages in is presented to him as a game. The training, the simulations, the free play, the social relations, everything is a game, calculated and contrived to form him into the perfect leader. Even the final game, in which he executes the attack to destroy an entire race of creatures, it’s still just a game. If he knew the actual stakes he was playing for, he likely would have been more reluctant to go through with the final game his superiors put him through.
ch 13
ReplyDelete1) The issue with the buggers is that they cannot understand any of the human means of communication. The whole war is based off the fact that there is no way for humans and buggers to understand one another. Ender has been able to beat his other opponents because of their slow reaction time, and individuality. Buggers have neither of those two aspects, so beating them will take a much different strategy.
ch.14
1) The perfect video game Ender encounters in chapter 14 is the ship simulation game. This simulator allows Ender to conrol space ships and fly them through virtual space. The graphics are extremely simplistic, but the interface and control really grabs Ender's attention. In a game as high risk as this, Ender has to be able to understand and manipulate the interface and controls perfectly. If these controls were off even slightly, it could cost him some of his men.
2)The simulator becomes fun once Ender is paired with all his old friends, and they have learned all the aspects of how it works. They become a well oiled machine, and can enjoy playing the game together.
3)Mazor Rackham is Ender's new teacher and he feels that the only way Ender will learn more is by having a smarter, stronger, and all around better person as his opponent.
4)Pretty much everything Ender encounters in this book is a game, so the title could refer to any one of his experiences.
Ch 13
ReplyDelete1. The critical issue here is the lack of a way to communicate. The Buggers and Humans are at war because they have no way to speak to each other. With no way for two species to communicate it is easy to just assume the others intention is for evil and resort to all out war. The thing is that Ender has always defeated his enemies by getting to know them and how they think and then exploiting their weaknesses. But now Ender has no way to learn about an enemy he can’t communicate with and so now his task is that much more difficult. He cannot get to know the buggers and find a weakness.
Ch 14
1. The graphical quality isn’t paramount in the case with this game because the starships and squadrons are represented with just red dots or icons. What is important is the simplicity of the interface. The interface with this game apparently undergoes a few changes depending on whether Ender is piloting a fighter or commanding a fleet. But either way the interface remains simple. Also, Ender is able to switch views to those of his commanders which is essential in assessing the battle field.
2. I think it becomes more of a pleasure when Enders old friends enter that game as squadron commanders. Even though Ender still cant be their “friend” the familiarity puts him at ease because he knows each of their particular skills.
3. The legendary Mazer Rackham becomes Ender’s teacher. He refers to himself as the enemy because according to him there is no teacher like the enemy. The enemy is the only teacher that matters since that is who you are trying to defeat.
4. I think “Ender’s Game” is a culmination of all his games and experiences into his ultimate task of saving the world. His whole life ever since he left home with Col. Graff has been a game with destroying the Buggers being the goal and the destruction of humanity being what at stake. Ender even refers to “their game” many times towards the end of Ch12 when he becomes fed up with how the battleroom is being run.
Ch 13
ReplyDelete1) Different communication systems, or lack there of. No com = possible hostile intent. As for Ender, things change because he can't know how this enemy thinks, there is no way to read, or understand them.
Ch 14
1) Some sort of holographic simulator, allowing him to either control a single ships, or an entire fleet. The game maintains simplicity in order to allow for greater control of multiple units, I suppose like a well designed RTS.
2) Being able to deal with a more adaptable AI originally, however, when he finds his old friends there it becomes just like old times.
3) Mazer Rackham, for one he was the only person to beat the buggers, he was able to think like them. Beyond that he basically poses as the threat when in actuality Ender is fighting a real opponent.
4) The entire story goes through a system of games, people, lives, feelings, simulations, you name it. It can all be seen as a game, and for Ender, it's what he thought it was until being told the truth.
Chapter 13
ReplyDelete1. It seems like the Buggers communicate differently than the humans do. Leading to believe that the whole war between them might be a big misunderstanding . The humans and buggers no way of communicating to each other so they fight thinking the other is a threat. Communication between others is what really made Ender win his battles because he uses it as part of his strategy with his team. It’s how he became a better opponent. Communication is what is missing within the conflict between the Buggers and the humans.
Chapter 14
1. The text was talking about a simulator which gave Ender the power to control the entire fleet. A simulator that has three dozen real squadron leaders made up of Ender’s friends and enemies. The text wasn’t really detailed about the graphics. I the graphics seem to lack importance over how the game played. Mainly because it was the gameplay that was training Ender for his final battle. The graphics had no real importance.
2. Ender seemed to enjoy the game because his friend’s were in the game and the fact that it was challenging for him, despite it being a serious game. Playing the game was like playing with his friends in the game.
3. Mazor Rackham is Ender’s new teacher. He refers to himself as the enemy because he believes Ender will learn much more if was treated as an opponent of Ender’s rather than his teacher or his friend.
4. “Ender’s Game” I think refers to the fact that all the games they played in the battle school were primarily for his preparation for the war rather than for the other kids at the school. All the game’s objective were for Ender’s advancement. So all the games really were all about Ender, hence “Ender’s game.”
Karinza
ReplyDeleteChapter 13
1) The issue/concern revealed in this quote is that there is no solid communication between the humans and the buggers. As far as Ender sees things, the war is because they can't talk with each other. The thing that always allowed Ender to defeat his enemies previously was the underlying theme that each wanted to kill him, and he could understand them well enough to counter them perfectly and remove them from existence.
Chapter 14
1) The game is a type of holographic game that allows Ender to frequently switch between who he is monitoring/ commanding. The importance of the graphical quality is limited to white dots so that Ender can easily switch between the units.
2) When Ender decides that he won't follow the rules anymore, the game becomes more like play. His friends being there and trusting him makes it all seem like more of a game.
3) Mazor Rackham. He is the enemy because he will only train Ender properly under the circumstances that he react as an enemy would.
4) Ender's Game is the entirety of Ender's life.