MY COMMENTS

JOHN SONG (x2)
David Kang(x4)

Who is your favorite character in the book?Whos the least? Do you relate with him/her?

My favorite character in the book is Bean. He is almost like a mini Ender Wiggin. He is young, smart, and bold. He goes against the rules from the start so that he can show his ability to dominate. Fortunately for him, Ender sees potential in young players, so Ender later uses Bean to completely terrorize enemy strategies. Bean, being the young boy that he is, helps Ender hold on to his compassion by reminding Ender of the past. Bean takes the initiative to do the right thing and thats what helps Dragon Army dominate.
My least favorite character in the book is Bonzo. I used to know people like Bonzo and I hated them. Bonzo thought that he was the best just because he was older and bigger. His stupid pride blinded him from seeing potential in other soldiers, which ultimately deteriorated his ability to command efficiently.****SPOILER ALERT**** Bonzo Madrid was so shocked at the fact that Ender was better than him, that he took it upon himself to kill Ender to make sure nobody would be better than him. Bonzo's stupid pride is what ends up causing his death. ***SPOILER ENDING*****
When I was a little kid there was a bully in my elementary school. I was 3rd grade while he was a 5th grader. He-who-shall-remain-nameless used to steal Yu-Gi-Oh cards from our grade, and used us as punching bags. He threatened anybody who wanted to tell the teachers. He stole 5 dollars from me once. He asked me nicely if he could borrow 5 dollars and that he would give it back the next day. I never saw those 5 dollars again. However, karma came back to bite him, and he was expelled when he got caught by a teacher in the act of bullying.

My favorite setting

In the book, most of the settings were in space. Ender spent most of his time in zero-gravity areas, so when Ender finally came down to Earth, that was very special. Before Battle School, Earth had been Enders home. But after Ender had become accustomed to Battle School, Earth felt like a foreign place to him when he came down to visit. He stayed in a house by a big lake, in which he swam in everyday. Although he didn't know it, he probably was very happy to be a place where gravity is normal. Where there is sun to burn your skin and water to swim in. I think he chose the lake house as the location he would stay in on purpose so that he can reconnect with his old self. Nature would probably be more helpful than the honking of cars and bright annoying lights of the city.
This setting was meaningful to me because it relates to me. When I first came to Korea from America, I was so uncomfortable. Everything about Korea was unknown to me. I was completely American style and my cousins called me "Yankee" and stuff. I didn't really care then because I too made fun of Korean people who tried to speak English in America. However, as I have lived here for a long time, I find that I can identify with Koreans more than Americans. I am also Koreanized sort of. I don't shave my head anymore, but instead have the typical teenager haircut. I also understand mostly all Korean words, which is SOOO much better than when I was in America. In America I knew maybe 6 words at most? Anyways, my point is that when someone lives somewhere for some time, no matter how uncomfortable it may seem at first, you will eventually get used to it, and maybe love it.

What is the climax? What happens? How does this make me feel?

The climax of the novel was the last test of the training in Command School. Before that, Ender had already endured various challenges, such as unfair matches in Battle School, and very hard fights in the simulator of Command School. Ender had grown extremely tired of it and was planning to just fail on purpose so he can go home. However he knew that the last test was very important and that he had to succeed no matter what. When the task appeared before him, it looked worse than impossible. The odds were against Ender, one thousand to one. Nevertheless, Ender takes control of his squadron and commands with great precision and efficiency, which gives him a miracle victory in the end. Ender is finally happy that he has beat the adults in their own game and is about to jump for joy, when he notices that all the grown-ups are already doing it. He finds out from them that he had just annihilated the bugger race and in the process, saved humanity. He had been tricked the whole time into thinking that the simulator was a game, when in truth it was the real battle between humans and buggers. Ender had been commanding each fight the whole time. Ender becomes devastated knowing that he had just wiped out an entire race. This leads him to believe that he and Peter don't have much of a difference in their character.

This climax made me feel very happy and sad at the same time. I knew that something fishy was going on when Ender was still "TRAINING" even towards the end of the book. I was expecting two chapters dedicated to the exciting battles of Ender and the buggers. I was expecting Ender to be a teenager boy in a ship commanding a fleet to attack. Like Star Wars. But when the story didn't get close to any of that, I knewing that Ender was saving the world while playing the simulator.
I was very happy that the buggers were killed because honestly, I would hate to live in the same universe as them. I am scared of even regular bugs, so why would I would I want to live knowing that theres a chance for an invasion of human-sized ants. I liked it when the grown-ups rejoiced because they suddenly became so childish in their actions.
I was a little sad though when I read about how Ender was feeling. No matter what happens, Ender always seems like a depressed guy.

Why is this passage meaningful to me?

"So the whole war is because we can't talk to each other."
"If the other fellow can't tell you his story, you can never be sure he isn't trying to kill you."
"What if we just left them alone?"
"Ender, we didn't go to them first, they came to us. If they were going to leave us alone, they could have done it a hundred years ago, before the First Invasion."
"Maybe they didn't know we were intelligent life. Maybe—"



This particular passage was meaningful to me because it can relate to my life. I remember a time in my life when I was in L.A that I had a quarrel with some other people. Me and my friends had somehow offended the other group and this caused the other group to start screaming cuss words at us. We had no idea what we had done, or if any of our friends had done something to provoke the other group. However, since they were showering us with curse words, they got us really angry and we began retaliating. There began to be fists being swung and kicks being launched into ribs. It was when I was really young though, like around 10 years old, so luckily we didn't have that much power in our attacks. However, some people got a few bruises and what not but after the fight we asked what was the matter. Apparently one of my friends was glaring at the group for quite some time without us knowing. The other group misunderstood the stare as a sign of disrespect when my friend was just checking out a hoody that one was wearing. I'm just kidding, after the fight we didn't talk to the other group and we just found out from a confession from my friend. You see what the problem was? MISCOMMUNICATION.

If my friends and I were able to communicate with the other group there probably wouldn't have been any conflict. However, our desire for ruthlessness caused us to forget about reason. If the humans and the buggers were able to communicate, it would have been so peaceful. Unfortunately the humans were blinded by fear and had no more compassion left in them. Only Ender was the one who still had the sense to think of buggers like humans.

What is the mood of the novel? Do you find that the novel saddens you in anyway?

The mood for Ender's Game IS VERY pessimistic. Bugger this, bugger that. Training this, shooting that, killing that, and etc. The world of Ender's Game was always drenched in fear, but that was not why the mood was pessimistic. It was Enders feelings.
Ender was always sad. No sad isn't the word for it. Ender was always DEPRESSED. You ask why? He was depressed because of his capabilities and his own intelligence. He knew he had the capability to destroy and kill. Even though many things were extremely hard and didn't seem right, he was intelligent to understand that it was a necessary action. The adults in this book always seem to put Ender in situations that force Ender to behave like Peter, which is being ruthless and without compassion. Ender however is still Ender, and will not lose the compassion which is one of his defining character traits. Ender is also sad of the pressure and seemingly impossible goals that the adults have put on his shoulders. Ender knows that he is being manipulated and although he wants to outsmart the adults by not playing THEIR game, he knows that if he doesn't play their game then the world might be gone. So he is sad knowing that he doesn't have any choice at all because the fate of humanity rests on his genius brain. Even after *SPOILER ALERT SPOILER* Ender achieved his ultimate goal (killing the buggers) he wasn't happy. Because the fact was that Ender really hadn't wanted to kill the buggers because he was starting to have second thoughts about them. Another thing was that Ender had kill the buggers without actually knowing it, and in doing so he felt like he was as evil as Peter. **END OF SPOILER** Throughout the whole book Ender was sad, until finally he found a path in which he could undo his ruthless actions. *SPOILER ALERT SPOILER* It was when he found the bugger queen egg and communicated with it. He realized that this was his chance to revive the bugger race and have a clean conscience. *END OF SPOILER*

When I thought of how Ender was feeling my heart was angry. I was angry at the teachers for doing bad things to Ender on purpose (isolation, not stopping fights, ridiculous challenges). No child should have to go through the things that Ender has gone through. I hope in the future that the government doesn't start training child soldiers.

what is the major theme of this novel? why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2008?

The theme for Ender's game is that ruthlessness is sometimes necessary. Now I am not talking about fighting and killing. I am talking about being tough and strict. The reason why I think this is the theme of the book is that many acts of ruthlessness occured in the book. And there was always a valid reason for it. For instance, when Ender was being ganged up upon in the beginning of the book, he had no other choice but to brutally beat up the leader. He tried to talk it out peacefully but that was a futile attempt. He knew that if he just threw a few punches that they would just come back to finish the job they started. So he had to instill fear into them and make sure they would never come back to bully him. The only way was to damage the leader badly, and Ender killed the leader without having the intention to. That was just one fight that Ender had to face, and many more of these similar situations occur again later in the book. Another example is how strict the teachers were on the kids in Battleschool. However, their strictness was necessary because that was the only way they would be able to train kids who would save the world. Imagine if the kids were just left to play around anytime they wanted, or come late to appointments. The school would just be full of hooligans who would prove to be useless in real battles against aliens. Teachers were especially strict on Ender, so that they would be able to bring out the best of him. They wanted to see how much he could handle, and whether he would be a perfect commander. Sometimes you need to be hard on people in order to help the future. Sometimes you need to destroy instead of just attacking.

This theme is important to a teenager living in the current time because it will teach them that attacking for no reason is stupid. Teenagers should learn that fighting out a argument should always be the last second resort. They should only fight when they know that they are going to brutally harmed. This theme will also help teenagers understand why teachers give homework and detentions. Why schools give suspensions and probations. Without these punishments how would the students act accordingly. Punishments and assignments are set with the intention to help out students in life and to teach them to take the iniative to do the right thing.

COMMENTS

I HAVE COMMENTED ON TANNERS BLOG, DANIEL SO'S BLOG, JANE'S BLOG, HANNAH'S BLOG, JUN DO'S BLOG AND YOUNG JO'S BLOG

Who do you relate with most in the novel? Why?

When reading this novel, I related with Ralph with the most. Ralph is someone who is loyal to his beliefs and will not let other people tarnish his values. I also have values that I wish to uphold until I die. Ralph values being civil and not acting like a idiot. I value loyalty in a friendship and holding onto my dreams. In the novel, everything threatens to destroy Ralphs hope in rescue and even his normal civilized being. The savagery that occurs around him sometimes seems incredibly overwhelming that Ralph feels like he too is falling into the category of being a savage. However, Ralph is strong-minded and disregards the actions of those around him. I too am strong-minded and do not let people bring me down. I am not cocky or anything but when people talk trash about me I snicker inside because that gives me more of a chance to prove them wrong.
I sometimes get into the same situation as Ralph. Ralph unknowingly participated in the killing of Simon. He came to realize that his actions were wrong and felt deep lament and sorrow. I too do wrong things and I always realize it when it’s too late to change. Ralph found out his flaw and instead of giving into it, he used the experience to learn about the evil inside, and as result he fought off the temptations of savagery easily. I also learn from my mistakes and strive to not make the same mistakes twice.
I also react to certain things the same as Ralph. In the end when Ralph meets the grownup on the shores he cries because of all the ordeals he has gone through and the new knowledge he has gained about life. I also cry when something extremely shocking has hit me. When I get news of death of someone I know I cry a lot because it is something that I can’t change and that I need to live with.

Settings in this novel which I have found beautiful?Disturbing?Why were these settings meaningful to me?

The island. Thats all I have to say. An island. William Golding is a pure genius I must say. He chose an sunny tropical sandy shore island. Now I imagine a island like that being a oasis of paradise. Don't you see all the commercials on T.V telling you how wonderful these islands are? Telling you that its impossible for you not to enjoy the cool breeze of the coconut tree shading you from the warm sun. Well, William Golding chose this island on purpose which is why I love this setting so much. He portrayed the stereotypical "tropical" island capable of causing extreme grief and misfortune. With this setting, he converted the mellow happy feel of the island into a eerie dark island inhabited by a scary beast. Disturbing, yet delightful at the same time.

This setting is meaningful to me because of my trip to Hawaii. I went to Hawaii with my family a couple years back and I absolutely loved it. I loved how it never got cold and the people were always nice to me. I loved how houses and hotels were situated right next to beautiful beaches and that you were able to gaze upon sunsets easily. I loved Hawaii so much that I chose it as my spot to live in when I become a old man and retire. Hawaii is just so easygoing. The setting in Lord of the Flies reminds me of Hawaii which is why I find it attractive.

What is the climax of this novel?What happens?How do the events of this novel make you feel?

The climax of this novel would be when the conch gets shattered. Roger rolls a huge rock onto Piggy and kills him. Piggy and the beautiful milky shell he was holding gets demolished. Piggy not only represents order and the last traces of civilization left on the island, but also Ralph’s main source of guidance and comfort. The conch represents rules and serves as the last thing from keeping Jack and Roger from killing anyone that opposes their wants. When both are destroyed, Ralph becomes helpless and is forced to run.
In the beginning when they find the conch, it is used to bring all the scattered boys on the island together with its booming roar. The conch is used to unite the boys and also a symbol of authority. Piggy makes the rule that only the person with the conch would be able to speak during meetings, and the person who carries the conch with them is officially the leader. The conch symbolizes rules and laws at that point. However the conch slowly starts losing its power throughout the book. We know because later on in the book the novel starts saying that the conch is beginning to lose its milkyness. Rules start losing its meaning as Jack and his hooligans begin rebelling. The moment when the shell shatters is when it is absolutely clear that LAW is just a fantasy on the island.
This event made me feel sad because I really liked Piggy. Piggy was always getting picked on by the boys because of his chubbiness and glasses. I picture Piggy as a cute little plump boy with chubby cheeks and Harry Potter spectacles. However when this book described how Piggy was killed, I felt like throwing up. I didn’t want to picture my little fat boy with his brains spilt all over a rock.

Are there any current situations that relate to the novel?How do they relate?Does the novel shed any light on how current situations can be fixed?

There are still many situations in the world that are like this novel. An excellent but horrid example would be child soldiers in various parts of the world. A big area of the use of child soldiers would be Africa. Like Lord of the Flies kids, child soldiers are often taken by disgusting people who train them to kill. The people who take them and train them might as well represent the absence of guidance for the Lord of the Flies kids. The people who train the kids often brainwash the feeble minds of them by telling them that if they do what they wish, they will be able to fulfill every desire they have.
This novel gives us an idea on how to resolve these types of situations. As we can see, children do not have guidance. We MUST GIVE AND SHARE OUR KNOWLEDGE WITH THEM. The children in the world, just like the Lord of the Flies kids, don't know right from WRONG. We must, I'll say it again, MUST save these poor misguided innocent children from falling into the abyss of evil. Stupid rulers of countries choose to remain apathetic of what is going on in the world. It is their responsibility to order MASS forms of help to the areas where child soldiers are being used. It is OUR responsibility to try and reach out to the rulers and inform them of how much damage this is causing. Lord of the Flies is a very good book which indirectly can help our world.

What is the mood of this novel?Do I find this novel saddens me in anyway?Why？

The REOCCURING mood for this novel would be eerie or grim. This is so because most of the time in the book there a weird sense of evil lurking in the pages. In the beginning of the novel the mood feels care-free. As we advance a little bit towards the middle of the novel the evil creeps out as conflicts slowly emerge. As the kids develop a fear of some sort of ''beast'' on the island, the eerie mood pretty much creates a home for itself in the rest of the pages. When the pig is cut and made into the ''LORD OF THE FLIES'' that REALLY made me shiver. I could picture the savageness and demonish look in the eyes of Jack and Roger when they were doing the horrible deed. I could feel how shocking it was for Ralph when Piggy was killed. I could imagine the kids doing the satanic dance with bloodlust in their eyes.

This novel saddens me because I hate the think of kids in our community capable of behaving like the Lord of The Flies kids. William Golding had witnessed many acts of human cruelness in his life and this novel depicts that perfectly. When I was a little kid I always had guidance because my parents helped me step in the wrong direction. However I realize that many kids in this world are like the Lord of the Flies kids. War and the evil of the world leaves many kids stranded without anyone to guide them in the right direction. We hear of many kids in Africa becoming soldiers and kids being sold in sex slavery. This novel should open the eyes of the world to the Lord of the Flies situations still existing today.

What is the major theme of this novel?Why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2008?

The theme for this novel is that the human heart is extremely challenged to abide by the rules of civilization when nobody is looking. Its basically law verses utter chaos. In this book the little kids are stranded in a island with NO adult supervision whatsoever. The kids in the beginning hold onto the values and rules that grown-ups and society taught them to uphold. These simple values would be being orderly, obedient, and respectful. However as time goes on, raging rebellious demons that lives inside all human hearts, slowly being to hatch from the kids' souls. They realize there is nothing to stop them from fulfilling their inner desires. Throughout the book we see the enormous change that occurs in each character in the novel. This is especially true when we look at characters such as Jack and Roger. In the beginning they reluctantly follow the rules that Ralph has laid down. However their jealously and thirst for power ultimately obliterates the good human being inside them. This leads to the serious conflict on the island between the savages and the ones with common sense of order.

This theme is important to a teenager living in 2008 because many of us are like Jacks and Rogers. These days many messed up things are shown in the media, and those of us(teenagers) that are weak-minded will be easily influenced and will attempt the things shown in the media. A huge number of teenagers in todays society break laws and disturb the set boundaries that were created by civilization to craft order into daily life. Such examples would be buying and using drugs, disrupting the peace in schools and communities, and violent crimes. I also think that underage sex is a huge issue. People my age have the ''adolescent'' rebellious mindset and often choose to disobey authority. Reading this book can cause them to mature and realize their actions are futile because in the end what good will it do them? This book made me feel sad because people are like them.