Ender's Game, Chapters 8-15

Chapter 8, "Rat"

In the opening dialogue, Colonel Graff and Major Anderson discuss changing the game to test Ender's abilities.

Ender has been traded to the Rat Army, where he is put in Dink Meeker's toon.  Ender continues his launchy practice sessions.  The commander of Rat Army also picks on Ender, but he allows him to actually fight.  The launchies who practice with Ender are threatened if they continue to attend the extra sessions.  Those who do show up for the session have a real fight with some of the older boys, which Ender and his group win.  The teachers don't do anything to punish the older boys.  Ender goes back to the fantasy game where he kills the snake and sees Peter in the mirror with the snake's tail hanging out of his mouth; his figure in the game is finally killed by a lot of little snakes.  Some of the army commanders send older boys to Ender's practice sessions, assuring that the other boys don't disrupt the sessions.  Ender doesn't go back to the fantasy game, but he worries that he's becoming like Peter.

Chapter 9, "Locke and Demosthenes"

 The chapter begins with a discussion about the Fiaryland game and how it is being directed and the "mind game" it's playing with Ender by putting Peter's face in the mirror. We learn about Valentine's skepticism towards Peter's "changed" personality (in the eyes of the adults) and her understanding of the way he manipulates people and situations to his advantage. Peter decides to create alternate personalities for him and valentine to expose the political issues happening on earth in a plan to look like intellectual superpowers and ultimately gain a following so that they may "take over." Valentine's alter ego is Demosthenes, and Peter's is Locke. Back at the battle school, Ender is now in Phoenix army, his commander is Petra. Ender continues practicing with his friends, but he is recognizing his isolation more and more and is somber. He tries to beat the End of the World segment in the fantasy game, but he can't and is also disheartened by that. On earth, Graff meets with Valentine and asks her to write a comforting letter to Ender. She reluctantly agrees. When ender receives the letter, he is disappointed that even Valentine can be used by the adults. But after reading and deleting the letter, Ender goes back to play the game-- he kisses the snake, though he expects it to kill him as usual, and it turns into Valentine. Valentine is awarded back home for her help with Ender, but she feels like she betrayed Ender, and so writes an article by Demosthenes glorifying the title of "Third." [SM]

Chapter 10, "Dragon"

Ender is made a commander of an army in battle school.  He commands an army that goes by Dragon.  Anderson informs him that they picked his team for him and he would not be able to trade team members.  They gave him both launch students and some veterans.  Ender is shown to his new quarters and then left alone.  He goes to his army’s barracks and meets the boys.  They have their first practice and he shows his army his unique techniques.  Later he runs into Alai and after their discussion both of them realize that because of Ender’s promotion their friendship will be at best put on hold for a time. MF 

Chapter 11, "Veni Vidi Vici"

 At the beginning of the chapter, Ender has an internal struggle over his new responsibilities as Commander.  He isn't sure whether he is fulfulling the teacher's expectations.  Since becoming Commander, he hasn't slept more than 5 hours a night.  His army has a battle with the Rabbit army and wins.  Ender tells his officers not to rest on their accomplishments and feels that they won because the Rabbit army was a weak opponent.  Ender has led his army to 7 wins in the past 7 days.  Ender studies war videos in his spare time to gain more knowledge and others start to follow suit.  Ender makes Bean a toon leader within the army.  (HG)

Chapter 12, "Bonzo"

    The chapter starts with Colonel Graff and General Pace arguing over Dap's report about Bonzo's threat to Ender. Colonel Graff won't help Ender and is convinced that Ender should hold on his own, since he has been in that situation. Ender watches Bean throgh the practice of the battleroom. Bean discovers another way to fight using the twines. After practice ends, Ender is confronted by Petra who was sent to warn him about some boys that want to kill him, ever since he made commander. Later Dink leaves Ender a message to never be alone. The next day, Ender continues the practice and later goes to the shower, where Bonzo and his gang were waiting. They bullied Ender, while Ender wonders where the teachers are and who will protect him, because he's important. He beggs Bonzo not to hurt him, which encourages Bonzo to start beating him up. Ender fights back and kicks Bonzo from against the wall. After Bonzo falls, he does move, and Dink leads Ender away, after Dink leds him away, Ender cries. the next day, Ender doesn't want to battle, and loses his motivation to fight. He confides in Bean at the end of the day, and tells him he doesn't want to play their game anymore. Graff appears and hands him a paper that announces Ender will be going to Command School. As he and Graff board the shuttle, Ender realizes he's going back to Earth. The chapter ends with two unknown voices discussing General Pace, Colonel Graff, and the death of Bonzo. At the very end, it is implied that they are running out of time. (S.G.)

Chapter 13, "Valentine"

 The chapter opens with a conversation revealing the identities of Demosthenes and Locke. Valentine comes to enjoy writing Demosthenes, and her writing grows independent of Peter. She goes with Graff to see Ender at the lake, another request to motivate Ender. She tells her brother about Locke and Demosthenes, discusses with him the changes which have taken place, and by the end, Ender decides to go to Command school with Graff, as he was supposed to do some time ago. He was only allowed to stay because his spirits were so low. On the tug, Ender learns that Graff will be accompanying him all the way, and he also learns about the buggers from Graff: their defeats in the first two invasions, the way they communicate, and the reaction of the military to that information. The chapter closes with Ender commiting himself to at least try his best to become the commander that defeats the buggers. [SM]

Chapter 14, "Ender's Teacher"

Ender is introduced to headquarters--Eros. He hated it, and was kept secluded from everyone else. The headquarters is made up of tunnels, which we eventually come to find out used to be a place buggers inhabited. He was introduced to a much more difficult game, one fighter. He masters the game. Ender is eventually introduced to Mazer Rackham, who begins training him so he can command the ships that will defeat the buggers. We also find out that the buggers communicate telepathically, and how Mazer Rackham "defeated" them, as well as some more information about the bugger species.  Ender advanced to a game in which he commands a fleet, which turns out to be many of his old friends: Bean, Petra, Alai, et cetera. They play in invasion games, and Ender is very successful. Petra is forced to quit because Ender pushes her too hard.  Ender is told he is playing a game to progress in his schooling, which we find out was a real battle against the buggers--of course, Ender wins.  Ender goes through a depressed stage and then is able to spend some time with his friends after the battle. We realize Ender is thought too dangerous to probably ever return to Earth. (D.W.)

Chapter 15, "Speaker for the Dead"

Graff was put on trial for mistreatment of children and negligent homicide, but he was acquitted.  Ender is not allowed to return to Earth, but Valentine convinces him to go with her to one of the bugger worlds where he will be the governor of the human colony.  There he finds the giant's body and the castle tower from the fantasy game he played.  Behind the mirror he finds the fertilized pupa of a queen bugger who communicates with him mentally.  He writes a book about the Hive Queen and one about the Hegemon (Peter) to help people understand them.  He signs both books, Speaker for the Dead.  People start a religion based on the books.  Eventually Ender and Valentine leave the colony to travel to other worlds.  Ender always carries the Hive Queen's cocoon with him looking for a suitable place for her and her children to live.

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