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[coraxjabberwock]

I recently came across this essay, Creating the Innocent Killer by John Kessel, which is a really intriguing discussion of some of the ethical problems in and with Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game.

Like a lot of other people I know, I once loved the Ender series, but, rightly or wrongly, I began to like it less when I heard about Card’s extreme right

Comments

[cacahuate]

I found that article a while back and found it really interesting and convincing... but I've never read Ender's Game, so I don't think I get to have an opinion. :p

[coraxjabberwock]

Well, it's a pretty good article-- it can even convince people who haven't read the book :-)

[bluedragon716]

I still like Ender's Game

[coraxjabberwock]

I see your point about Ender being a child who was following orders. Of course, he is a super-genius child, but just because his tactical intelligence is above average doesn't mean he's particularly smart about emotions or morality. So while I do think he bears some culpability-- he may have been following orders, but he knew what he was doing and could have refused-- you're right that Graff and the other adults are more responsible

[darreldoomvomit]

when you first soured on osc you told me it was because of his religion, which always seemed sort of crap to me, so this makes me understand SO MUCH MORE!!! i am so relieved. i cannot blame you for misrepresenting your reasons, since i think you told me about it it grade 11 bio, but this still makes me feel better.

Do you know how i don't like phillip pullman? i have told you how i just get like, a sort of creeping feeling when i read his books, like i am doing something wrong? (i don't think i am doing something wrong, that is just the feeling, this rising uneasiness, akin to making a wrong turn or following badly worded instructions)
well, i sort of get the same feeling when reading enders game now, which makes me sad, because, you know, i used to love that book. so i totally get what you are saying, and i think taht you aren't looking outside the text for these opinions, they are represented inthe text, and reading his essays just confirms waht you already suspected, sort of.

[coraxjabberwock]

I think I know what you mean about having a sort of visceral feeling of distaste when reading certain books. I get that a little with Ender's Game as well, and more so with some other novels