Chapter 1 Enders Game Questions

1. (pg1) Strange that the first chapter is called ‘Third’
2. What can you tell about the story through the use of two different fonts?
3. What person is the narrative told in?
4. We learn about a ‘special’ family.
5. What is the goal of the speakers at the start of the book?
6. What are they watching and what do they decide about their subject? What type of irony is used by the audience having more information than the main character?
7. What is interesting about the surname of the title character? What does it say about his role in the story?
8. What perspective is the narration for the other section of the opening chapter (not the starting bit)?
9. “Sometimes lies were more dependable than the truth.” (2) What is a possible central theme of the book?
10. What does the title ‘Monitor’ represent to the other boys?
11. (5) What connotations does Ender being a ‘third’ have ?
12. What does Ender know about his intelligence in regards to the other boys?
13. (7) What does Ender do to the bullies?
14. The narrator is sympathetic to Ender: ‘This would not have a happy ending. So Ender decided that he would not be the unhappiest at the end.’
15. (8) While Ender seems emotionally stable on the exterior how would you describe his emotional state on the inside?
16. How has the perspective of the narration changed in this statement: ‘I am just like Peter. Take my monitor away; and I am just like Peter.’ What does this imply about Peter?

1)      The first chapter is called third because it is talking about Ender being the third child in the family and later in the book it reveals that having a third child is unlucky and avoided.

2)      From chapter to chapter the fonts change I can tell that the first font that is used is when it’s following the protagonist Ender. When the font changes it takes us to space in a military compound and there are army officers overlooking the life of Ender early in the book and commenting on whether he would make a suitable army general.

3)      first person

4)      We learn that Ender is the youngest of three children all with special abilities, they have normal parents and the army has been using this family to test the kids. These tests have only been successful on Ender and they believe that he would make a successful addition to the military.

5)      The goal of the speakers is to tell the reader that Ender the protagonist is of a special interest to the military and they have been searching for a special person and they believe that Ender is the special person they have been looking for.

6)      The speakers decide that Ender is the person they have been looking for. The author uses dramatic irony.

7)      Don’t understand

8)      Second person

9)      A possible theme for the book is Ender is tricked into going to battle school and the story of how he gets back to his family and comes to terms for the military to leave his family alone.

10)   The monitor provides protection and self-assurance for ender so for the other boys it’s a symbol of dominance.

11)    The name “third” is connotated to ender because he was the third child born in the family and parents only want two kids so Ender is treated like an outcast.

12)   Ender knows about his intelligence because he is treated specially and he has been through very different experiences including wearing a monitor for a number of years longer than he brother did and unlike the other kids at all.

13)   Ender fights the leader of the bullies and hurts him really badly and when he knocks the leader down he keeps attacking. And tells the other boys that if they continue harassing him this will all happen to them too. Ender went to extreme lengths to try to scare the bullies into not ever crossing him ever again

14)   Don’t understand

15)   Even though he is very intelligent his mind is still at the same maturity age as his actual age so he seems very strong and unbreakable on the outside by using strong body language, but on the inside he is about to break and is always feeling pressured and frightened.

16)   It implies that peter Enders brother was once like Ender with the monitor, Ender believes that the fact that he has had the monitor on longer than his brother makes him more superior and if it goes off he will be just like peter which he wants to avoid.