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(From the Web site of Spokane Is Reading, the community reading program of Spokane, Washington which read “Ender’s Game” in 2004.)
“Ender’s Game” has often been cited as a good book to read by readers who are not fans of science fiction. Why does it appeal to both fans of science fiction and those who do not usually read science fiction?
Ender’s childhood is unusual. 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?”
Do you think that Ender’s Game challenges your understanding of how children behave? What does Card think marks the distinction between child and adult?
How does Ender’s continual belief that he is like Peter affect his development? How is Ender like and unlike Peter? How does empathy play a role?
Peter appears to be the personification of evil, but, as Locke, he acts as a good person. How does Card treat the concept of good versus evil in “Ender’s Game?”
The Buggers communicate telepathically using no identifiable external means of communication. Was it inevitable that war would have to occur when two sentient species met but were unable to communicate?
Is “Ender’s Game” really about war?
Think about the ethics of Earth’s solution to the previous invasions. Does the threat to Earth justify the Battle Schools?
Why do you think Battle School training involved playing endless games? Did the games do what they were intended to do?
Why doesn’t Ender leave the Battle School? Why are there so few girls in the Battle School?
Why do you think that they kept breaking up the groups every time Ender got his command together? Was this truly productive in making him a better commander?
Talk about some of the other characters in the Battle School. Bean and Petra, how are their roles in the story important?
Was the ending realistic? How would a different ending have affected the tone of the novel? What other ending do you think might have been possible?
