Name: _________________
Hour: ________
Background Information About Enderverse
According to Scott’s prequel to the series, First Meeting in Enderverse, the following is known about this
imaginative world.
Imagine a world where there is population control, religious control, an alien invasion, and genius
children.
Here are a few points to know:


The Aliens are called “Buggers”; the wars against the aliens are called “Bugger Wars”
Hegemony: a term used to define one social group of people who are in power and have control
over the world (1).
o Scott doesn’t name the Hegemony or tell us what type it is (although we can assume this
through details in the story). He just refers to following the Hegemony, which implies that
most people are in compliance with this view of a political power.


The military leaders recruit brilliant children to repel the alien invasion in space.
Ender is the main character of this series—an extremely small, young, but an incredibly genius
child (smarter than we could ever imagine).
Principles of Hegemony:
 Controls overpopulation—each married couple can only have 2 children
 In Poland, many families live in noncompliance with the population laws because their religious
beliefs (Catholic) don’t believe in controlling how many children a couple may have. According
to the first book, “Catholics believe you should have as many children as God sends you” (14).
 Noncompliant families tend to live poorly and not be favored by the people in control (13).
 One person controls all the nations in the world (except Poland—which is exempt from
Hegemony) (13).
 Extremely genius children can be removed from the family at a very young age (5 years old) to go
to space and train for the Bugger wars on the Military Fleet (14).
How Ender’s Family came to be:
John Paul—Ender’s Dad—went to college at age 14. Fell in love with his professor—a graduate student
who 15. Came from a family of 7 (noncompliant)
Helen Brown—Ender’s Mom—a genius with a famous father. She teaches Ender in college and is the
first teacher to actually challenge him. Her father, Hinckley Brown, was a well-known military strategist
who resigned from the International Fleet and went into seclusion because he refused to live under the
population laws (71).
These two were supposed to get married and have children because they would produce extremely
brilliant children.
They have 3 Children (noncompliant with population laws):
Peter (mean older brother--genius)
Valentine (older sister, very sweet, protects Ender, also genius)
Ender (the youngest, the smartest of all and taken to command school at a young age)—his real name is
Andrew. He will be constantly surrounded by bullies.
Pre-Reading
Outlining
Objective: Creating group visions of a futuristic society
Activity
Ender’s Game is a novel that takes place at an undetermined time in the future. While many events in
the text resemble events that could happen in your own life, most events clearly refer to a futuristic world.
Take a few moments to consider how you envision life in a futuristic society. Collect several concrete
ideas, then describe your own futuristic vision in a few paragraphs.
Consider the following possibilities when outlining your vision of the future:
1. Do you envision a world that is fifty, one hundred, five hundred, one thousand, or more years in the
future?
2. Does your vision include ideas for your own country, for other countries, for the entire world, and for
other planets?
3. Do you include political, social, technological, and religious details?
4. Do you envision changes in fashion, family relations, and lifestyle?
Be prepared to share your vision with the rest of the class.
The appearance of a book – including the cover design, the title, the summary, and the reviews on the
back – can often help readers predict what central themes and ideas they will encounter in the text.
Take a close look at your edition of Ender’s Game. Carefully study the cover and the back of your book,
paying very close attention to every image, to the title, and to every piece of written information you can
find.
In two or three paragraphs, outline and describe your expectations of Ender’s Game. Address the six
questions below in your writing.
1. What characters do you expect to encounter in the text?
2. What do you expect the world of Ender’s Game to look like?
3. What do you expect will be major themes of the text?
4. What do you think the title refers to?
5. What in particular are you looking forward to reading when you study the cover of the book?
6. What aspects of the book do you think you will be most interested in?
Chapter 1
1. What case does the antagonizing speaker make about the possibility of accepting Ender into the
academy?
2. Why is Andrew Wiggin called “Third”?
3. How do you know Ender lacks faith in adults and has negative feelings for them?
4. How do you know Ender is intelligent?
5. Why does Ender fear teasing from the other kids now that he has no monitor?
6. How does Ender “forestall [the] vengeance” (Pg. 7) of Stilson and his gang?
7. How does Peter dominate Ender, and how does Ender feel about his older brother?
8. A controlling government is suggested. What is the first indication of this?
Chapter 2
1. How does Peter react to Ender now that the monitor is gone?
2. What do you learn about the character of Valentine?
3. How are the attitudes of Peter and the government alike?
4. Why does Peter flop onto his bed and laugh?
5. What is surprising and ironic about Peter apologizing to Ender?
6. How does Ender’s father make Ender feel when he sees the monitor is gone?
Chapters 1-2
Theme
Objective:
 Understanding the significance of thematic ideas
 Relating textual themes to life
Activity I
When Ender returns to his classroom after losing his monitor, the following message appears on his desk:
THIRD
In the world of Ender’s Game, the government dictates that each family is only permitted to have two
children. Only under special circumstances does the government allow the birth of a third child. The third
child is commonly called “the Third,” a name that sets these children apart from their peers.
Thirds who cannot live up to the expectations set for them by the government become outcasts, because
they are considered useless, and their failures to fulfill their designated purposes disgrace their families.
When Ender loses the monitor, he believes that he has not passed the government’s test. His classmates
and parents likewise believe that Ender is a failure. (Pg. 5)
When Ender sees the message on his desk, he understands that it has been sent by one of his classmates
and that it is meant to ridicule and insult him. In his mind, Ender responds to the other children:
It was not his fault he was a Third. It was the government’s idea, they were the ones who authorized it –
how else could a Third like Ender have got into school? And now the monitor was gone. The experiment
entitled Andrew Wiggin hadn’t worked out after all. (Pg. 5)
When Ender returns home, he senses resentment from his parents for having lost the monitor, and for
being a Third:
Mother came home and commiserated with Ender about the monitor. Father came home and kept saying
it was such a wonderful surprise, they had such fantastic children that the government told them to have
three, and now the government didn’t want to take any of them after all, so here they were with three, they
still had a Third… until Ender wanted to scream at him, I know I’m a Third, I know it, if you want I’ll go
away so you don’t have to be embarrassed in front of everybody, I’m sorry I lost the monitor and now you
have three kids and no obvious explanation, so inconvenient for you, I’m sorry sorry sorry. (Pgs. 14-15)
Take a poll in class to find out what it means to each member of the class to have older or younger
brothers and sisters, to be an only child, to be from a large family, to be the firstborn, second-born, or
third-born, and so on. Then collect the challenges, advantages, disadvantages, etc. that can come with the
individual role a child plays within his or her family depending on the family situation. Add your findings
to the following Challenges, Advantages, and Disadvantages in Sibling Relations Chart.
First, determine the number of siblings each class member has:
Classroom Sibling Distribution
Number of students who are the only child in the family
Number of students with one sibling
Number of students with two siblings
Number of students with three siblings
Number of students with four siblings
Number of students with more than four siblings
Student’s Page Ender’s Game
Now, fill in the following chart by discussing and collecting the experiences of other students in your
group. When you have collected your answers, compare your findings with the other groups in your class.
Challenges, Advantages, and Disadvantages in Sibling Relations Chart
Challenges
Only Child
Youngest Child
Middle Child
Oldest Child
First – second – third
born, etc
From a large family
Add Your Own
Advantages
Disadvantages
Activity II
In Ender’s Game, the title “Third” becomes a vicious slur used by the other children to ridicule, insult,
and threaten Ender. In fact, Ender is subject to a large amount of swearing and offensive language.
Record all the slurs and insults used against Ender in the first two chapters:
Now, take a moment to consider how these words affect Ender. Remember that he has just lost his
monitor and that he considers himself to be a failure, because he is afraid that he has not passed the
government test and has been deemed useless. What slurs and insults have you been faced with in your
life? Have you ever been in a situation when you failed at something – a test, maybe – or were especially
vulnerable, and other children were insensitive to your feelings and hurt you? Have you ever used insults
without considering how they might affect others?
This activity will be one that you would not have to share with the class, unless you strongly believe that
people might benefit from your views on name-calling and insults.
Final Project: Poem
Take a moment to collect your memories and write a short poem in which you reflect on your experiences
with insults that may have been hurtful to you or to someone else.
 Your poem should be 15 – 20 lines long.
 Your poem should contain a metaphor, simile and a piece of personification
 Your poem should contain imagery
Chapter 3
1. Under what pretense does the International Fleet [I.F.] officer come to Ender’s home?
2. How does Graff conclude Ender is the one?
3. Why do Ender’s parents have a Third?
4. Why do Ender’s parents resent him?
5. What reasons does Ender give for not wanting to join the fleet? What reasons does Ender give for
joining the fleet?
6. What explanation does Graff give for the prediction that Ender’s parents will not miss him for long?
7. What is ironic about Colonel Graff taking Ender’s hand?
8. Why does Graff say Peter hates Ender?
Chapter 3 Discussion
1. Should the government interfere with people’s religious beliefs? Yes __ No __
2. Should the government prohibit religion in general? Yes __ No __
3. Should the government allow some religions and forbid others? Yes __ No __
4. Should people be persecuted/punished for their religious beliefs and practices? Yes __ No __
4. Should people secretly practice religion even if the government prohibits religions? Yes __ No __
5. Should people openly defy the government and practice religion, no matter what the consequences?
Yes __ No __
Chapter 4
1. How is Ender different from the other boys?
2. How does Graff set Ender up to be ostracized?
3. What plans does the military have for Ender?
4. How does Graff feel about Ender?
5. How does Graff blaspheme God?
6. Graff tells Ender not to talk to him. Why?
Chapter 5
1. The military wants Ender to be isolated without friends or parents. Why?
2. What is ironic about the boys taking all of the good bunks and leaving Ender with the bottom bunk by
the door?
3. What does Mick tell Ender will help him succeed at the academy?
4. Ender is not moved to tears when Dap gives him a loving touch. How is Ender able to put on his “lying
face”? (Pg. 44)
5. What gives Ender the confidence he can survive Battle School?
6. How does Ender stop Bernard’s attempt to be “ruler of the room,” and why is he happy about it? (Pg.
52)
7. How do you know Ender’s isolation is over?
Chapter 6
1. What does the following statement foreshadow? “He [Bernard] tightens up when he’s flying. He
panics. Ender stored the information away for future reference.” (Pg. 57)
2. Ender sees Alai as a bridge. Explain.
3. Ender feels Peter would be proud of him because of his victory over the Giant. Explain.
Chapter 6: Conceptual Thinking
Objective: Relating literature to life
Creating a visual to extend the meaning of the text
Activity I
By chapter 6, Ender has already been introduced to several of the games he will play throughout the book.
Ender has played against older boys in the game room, and he has played his first game with the other
Launchies in the Battle Room.
During Free Play, Ender and the other boys are encouraged to play quietly at their desks. Ender plays a
strategic computer game that is probably very similar to some of the games you are familiar with. He
controls a figure on the screen of his desk that represents him in the game. On the screen, Ender must
maneuver his playing figure through an imaginary landscape in which he encounters a number of
creatures and faces several challenges.
At first, Ender is unable to pass the first round. The Giant he encounters repeatedly defeats Ender in a
guessing game, and Ender has to start the game over again and again. However, at the end of the chapter –
after several attempts – Ender manages to defeat the Giant and enter the second level of the computer
game.
Ender’s computer game resembles some of the turn-based strategy games popular today. In order to
clearly envision and understand the playing platform of the first level of the game, sketch a picture that
outlines the landscape Ender passes through and demonstrates the chronological order of events in
the game. Be sure to include any landmarks, events, and creatures described in the chapter in your
drawing.
To prepare complete the following The Giant Game – Level 1 Chart and add all information you need
in order to begin your sketch. A few examples have been collected for you. Once you have completed
your chart, please create a sketch of Level 1: Landscape, Creatures and Chronology
THE GIANT GAME - LEVEL 1 Chart
Ender as a boy
Ender as a bear
Ender as a mouse with long, delicate hands
Furniture
The mousehole
Sketch of the Giant Game – Level 1
Landscape, Creatures and Chronology
Chapter 7
1. Why does Ender want to finish the game?
2. Ender imagines the Salamander Army as the wolves in the game. What gives Ender hope in the midst
of these “wolves”?
3. What changes Ender’s perception of his first meeting with the Salamander Army?
Chapter 7
Research
Allusion
Interpretation
Objective: Researching allusions made in the text
Understanding how allusions create meaning within the text
Activity
At the beginning of each chapter, the author dedicates a few lines to the conversations between the adults
in Ender’s world. Most of these passages feature Colonel Graff and Major Anderson discussing
Ender’s fate and debating the challenges Ender must face and the risks that are involved. The adults
must be careful, because Ender is young and valuable; it is important not to damage his psyche
irreparably.
On pages 66-67, Colonel Graff and Major Anderson have the following conversation:
“Does it ever seem to you that these boys aren’t children? I look at what they do, the
way they talk, and they don’t seem like little kids.”
“They’re the most brilliant children in the world, each in his own way.”
“But shouldn’t they still act like children?” They aren’t normal. They act like –
history. Napoleon and Wellington. Caesar and Brutus.”
Often, writers use allusions to compare characters within the text to other literary or historical figures in
order to illustrate certain characteristics, events, or actions. The allusions to Napoleon and
Wellington as well as to Caesar and Brutus are important, because they help to demonstrate how intense
and serious the children’s training is. These allusions also serve to emphasize the language of war that is
used throughout the text. Ender and the other children attend Battle School in order to be commanders and
aid in the fight against the Buggers. Fully comprehending Card’s allusions to these historical figures will
help you can develop a more precise image of the world Ender and the other children live in.
Both Napoleon and Wellington and Caesar and Brutus were notorious adversaries in history. Use the
Internet or other reference sources to research these four historical figures. Add your findings to the
following chart by answering the questions provided for you. Be prepared to discuss the significance of
Card’s allusions in class.
Napoleon and Wellington
Their full names and
titles, birth/death
dates, countries of
origin
Their political,
professional, social,
and/or cultural
significance
Their greatest
achievements
Their relationship
Their importance as
figures of war
Other interesting
details
Caesar and Brutus
Their full names and
titles, birth/death
dates, countries of
origin
Their political,
professional, social,
and/or cultural
significance
Their greatest
achievements
Their relationship
Their importance as
figures of war
Other interesting
details
Chapter 8
1. What does the following statement reveal about the I. F.? “If Ender isn’t the one, if his peak military
brilliance does not coincide with the arrival of our fleet at the bugger home worlds, then it doesn’t really
matter what our training method is or isn’t.” (Pg. 98)
2. What is Dink’s theory about the plan of the I.F.?
3. Why do the people view Rose de Nose with respect and resentment?
4. Why does Dink want Ender in his toon?
5. What keeps Rose from bothering Ender even though he dislikes Ender?
6. What does Dink reveal about the true enemy?
7. Card says Ender has a “seed of doubt” (Pg. 111) about the bugger invasion. What does this metaphor
mean?
8. What does Ender’s desire to stop the practices with the Launchies reveal about his character?
9. Ender uses the jeers of the onlookers as a teaching tool. What does this reveal about the character of
Ender?
10. What leads Ender to violence? How does Ender feel about hurting others, even the enemy?
11. In the Giant’s castle, Ender looks into a mirror and sees the face of Peter. What does Peter symbolize?
Chapter 9
1. Why was Peter rejected by the I.F.?
2. Why does Ender’s family move to North Carolina?
3. Valentine keeps herself safe from Peter. How? What does this reveal about the character of Valentine?
4. What meaning is in the statement: “They have a word for people our age. They call us children and
they treat us like mice”? (Pg. 127)
5. Peter plans to take control of the world. How does he plan to accomplish this goal and when?
6. What does Peter learn from the leadership of Adolph Hitler?
7. Peter explains to Valentine his vicious treatment of her and Ender. What is Peter’s reason?
8. Why does Peter want to take over the world?
9. What pseudonyms do Peter and Valentine choose for themselves?
10. Why do you think Peter chose Demosthenes and Locke for pseudonyms?
11. Why did Peter ask Valentine to write Demosthenes?
12. Valentine did not like some of the positions Peter made Demosthenes take. She says, “I thought the
idea was to unify the world. If I write this like you say I should, Peter, I’m pretty much calling for war to
breakup the Warsaw Pact.” (Pg. 136) Explain.
13. A common theme in the novel involves the isolation of the gifted child. Explain.
14. Graff asks Valentine to help Ender, and she replies with an allusion to the Bible story of Daniel’s
interpreting dreams. Why?
15. What does Graff plan to learn from Valentine?
16. How does Graff trick Valentine into talking about Peter? What does she reveal about Ender?
17. Graff asks Valentine to write Ender a letter. What does he say this will accomplish?
18. How does Ender know the letter is another attempt at manipulation of him? What theme does this
reveal?
19. Valentine’s letter symbolizes Ender’s loss of ambition. Explain.
20. What is the significance of the unicorn, the dragon, and the exit with Valentine from the End of the
World?
21. What is ironic about Valentine’s award?
Chapter 9
Research
Allusion
Objective: Researching and understanding allusions
Activity I
Even though Ender’s brother Peter is only twelve years old, he is extremely concerned about the future of
the world. He shares his political views with his sister Valentine, because he is hoping to receive her help
in his attempts to influence and shape future political decisions:
“Val, it was bound to happen. Right now there’s a vast international fleet and army in existence,
with North American hegemony. When the bugger wars are over, all that power will vanish,
because it’s all built on fear of the buggers. And suddenly we’ll look around and discover that all
the old alliances are gone, dead and gone, except one, the Warsaw Pact. And it’ll be the dollar
against five million lasers.” (Pg. 126)
Peter describes a picture of the world that is reminiscent of the time of the Cold War during the 1980s.
What Peter refers to as the “Second Warsaw Pact” is a historic reference to the Warsaw Pact, while the
“International League” appears to be a reference to NATO. According to Peter, the world may well return
to a state similar to the Cold War once the buggers have been defeated.
In your small group, use the Internet or other reference sources to research these historic references that
are important for understanding the plot of Ender’s Game:
1. Locke
2. Demosthenes
3. The Cold War
4. The Warsaw Pact
5. NATO
Chart I
1. When did Locke and Demosthenes live?
2. What were the accomplishments of Locke and Demosthenes?
3. How did Locke and Demosthenes change the world?
Locke
Demosthenes
Chart II
The Cold War
The Warsaw Pact
North Atlantic Treaty
Organization
Chapter 10
1. Why is Ender given the Dragon Army?
2. Why does Ender have an advantage over the other commanders?
3. How does the personnel Ender is given set him up to be different from all the other toon leaders? What
kind of army is Ender given and under what restrictions?
4. Ender has become like the adults who control him, like the enemy. Explain.
5. What does Ender’s treatment of Bean lead Ender to realize about his own life?
6. Explain the symbol of a “wall” between Alai and Ender and Ender’s fear created by this “wall.”
7. The “wall” of separation causes Ender to become more determined than ever to defeat the enemy and to
avoid being hurt emotionally. Explain.
Chapters 1 – 10
I. Compare the role of adults in Ender’s life to the role of adults in your own life. Complete the
following two questionnaires. Study all previous chapters to gather information about Ender’s
relationship to the adults in his life. Be honest and frank about your own experiences.
Role of Adults Questionnaire – Your Life
On a scale of one to five, with five being the highest ranking, rate the ways in which the adults in your
life fulfill their roles in the following areas. Be sure to include specific examples that illustrate specific
ways in which the adults in your life perform (or fail to perform) the following functions.
Functions
Adults teach you how
to live on your own
one day
Adults provide
emotional support
Adults provide food
and shelter
Adults offer spiritual
guidance
Adults help you learn
to socialize with others
Adults provide for
formal education or
training
Adults encourage you
to pursue any dream
you may have.
Specific Example(s)
Ranking
Chapter 11
1. How does Ender metaphorically “…bind them [his boys] better in the small, tight knots of this fabric
[his army]”? (Pg. 180)
2. Describe Ender’s leadership style.
3. Why does Carn Carby want Ender to defeat the next army he fights, and why is this ironic?
4. How does Petra react to Ender’s defeat of her army? What is Ender’s hope?
5. Many commanders hate Ender and this makes Ender “…feel far too much at home.” (Pg. 187) Explain.
6. Why does Ender watch war videos over and over again? What did he notice? What do you think is the
reason for the censoring of the videos?
7. Ender confides in Bean and asks for help. Why? What is the request?
8. What is the significance of the allusion to Julius Caesar in the chapter title, “Veni Vidi Vici”?
Chapter 12
1. Why does General Pace of the I.F. military police come the Battle School, and why is Graff opposed to
this visit?
2. Petra and Dink warn Ender of plots for this death. How does Ender react to the warnings? How is this
reaction ironic?
3. Ender’s situation with Bonzo in the shower parallels the situation with Stilson on Earth. Explain.
4. What does Bonzo hate most about Ender? Explain.
5. After the fight in the shower, Ender realizes Peter was right about one thing. What is the one thing?
Explain.
6. What surprises Dink about Ender after the fight in the shower? Why do you think this surprises Dink?
7. After Ender beat the Griffin and Tiger armies, he says to Anderson, “I beat you again, sir.” (Pg. 218)
What is Ender saying?
8. Ender is being transferred to Command School. Card reveals, “Ender wanted to go back home, back to
the Battle School, the only place in the universe where he belonged.” (Pg. 225) What is ironic about
Ender’s attitude?
Chapter 13
1. What is the irony seen in the two personas, Demosthenes and Locke?
2. Why is Peter jealous of Valentine?
3. How does Graff insure Valentine will answer his questions after her conversation with Ender on the
raft?
4. Why does Valentine cooperate with Graff?
5. Ender compares himself to metal between “two faces of the same coin” (Pg. 236) and as a puppet.
Explain these metaphors.
6. What is the turmoil in Ender’s soul?
7. Why does Val get angry with Ender?
8. Why does Ender’s chest begin to tremble?
9. Why does it seem Ender giving up?
10. Why does the I.F. take Ender back to Earth?
11. What does Ender learn about buggers and the Third Invasion?
12. What is the purpose of the Third Invasion?
Chapter 14
1. What bothers Ender most about Eros? What is familiar about this?
2. What does Ender learn at Command School?
3. Rackman says, “There is no teacher but the enemy.” (Pg. 262) What is Rackman’s explanation of this
statement?
4. What is unique about Mazer Rackman’s teaching?
5. How did Mazer Rackman win his battle?
6. Ender shows sympathy for the buggers even though they murdered the crew of the tug. Rackman
disagrees. Explain.
7. What advantages do the humans have over the buggers?
8. What makes Ender’s squadron leaders successful?
9. Of what does Ender dream, and what is the significance of the dream?
10. What does the following statement foreshadow? “It was as if someone rode him in his sleep, forcing
him to wander through his worst memories, to live in them again as if they were real.” (Pg. 283)
11. How does the relationship between Ender and his squadron leaders change?
12. Why is Ender self-destructing?
13. Ender wakes up one morning without Rackman in the room and an unlocked door. He is free unlike
any other morning at Command School. Ender enters the simulator room and sees men he does not know,
Anderson, and Graff. He is given instructions for a final examination. What does this situation
foreshadow?
14. Mazer says, “Ender, the buggers never deliberately attacked a civilian population in either invasion.
You decide whether it would be wise to adopt a strategy that would invite reprisals.” What does this
statement foreshadow?
15. Explain the irony involved in the “final examination” or Third Invasion.
16. How does the author add to the suspenseful mood during the Third Invasion?
17. Describe Ender’s reaction to the climactic victory over the buggers.
18. Why do Rackman and Graff go to Ender? How do the two men differ in opinion about what is best for
Ender?
19. How does Ender realize he is okay?
Chapter 15
1. For what is Graff acquitted? How?
2. How does Ender spend his final time on Eros?
3. What is ironic about Peter’s actions on Earth and Ender’s actions in space?
4. What plans did Peter have for Ender?
5. How does Valentine bribe Peter?
6. Why does Valentine go to Eros to talk with Ender?
7. Why does Ender agree to go with Valentine and to be the governor of the first colony?
8. Valentine is finished writing her seventh volume in the history of the bugger wars. Her eighth volume
will be about the life of Ender Wiggin. Ender feels nothing in his life after the final battle is worth writing
about. Valentine responds to this attitude with, “Maybe,…And maybe not.” (Pg. 316) What does her
statement foreshadow?
9. What does Ender find when he goes exploring? What does he learn about the buggers?
10. What does Ender find when he removes the mirror?
11. What does Ender realize when he finds the pupa?
12. What is Ender’s plan for his future?
13. Why is Ender called “The Speaker For the Dead”?
14. How does Peter know Ender wrote the book? What is Peter’s request?
15. How does Ender influence all of mankind and redeem himself?