Life Lessons in Ender's Game

            In Ender’s Game, author Orson Scott Card, puts many of life lessons into a futuristic science fiction book.  Card takes six year olds away from their families and gives them more independence then most teenagers are given.   He takes six year olds and gives them the responsibility of being the one to save the world.  In the search for the right leader the kids learn valuable life lessons, like be careful what you wish for and how to find comfort in difficult situations.  The students also learn that adults don’t always have the right answers and can be mean.  In the search for the right leader, the adults chose many kids to attend Battle School but most find it too difficult and drop out.  In their attempt to train the kids the adults are mean and unfriendly to the students.  They want the students to be able to rely upon themselves in difficult situations, another life lesson.

            While Ender is living with his family he doesn’t seem to enjoy his life.  He is bullied by his brother, Peter and a big kid in school, Stilson.  He proves he is tough when he beats up Stilson.  He continuously plays buggers and astronauts with his brother to show his brother that he is good.  What he truly enjoys at home is his sister, Valentine and his mom and dad.  When given the opportunity to go to battle school Ender sees it as his chance to get away from the bullying and studying school. He quickly finds out that bullying can happen anywhere and that he misses Valentine and his parents.  He learns that you have to be careful what you wish for it may not be any better than what you have.

            Ender’s experience can also teach us about finding comfort in hard times.  At dinner he imagined his mom and dad just as they would be at home.  He was even able to put Valentine into the scene.  This helped him get through the difficult time of being lonely and feeling unaccepted by the other kids.  To find comfort, he was able to leave his brother out of his imagination.  Ender’s example can help us through times we find difficult.

            Ender has taught a lot of life lessons.  I wonder how many more Ender has to teach before the book is over.  Will he be the one that proves that adults can make good decisions?