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Andrew “Ender” Wiggin. Classified. Background. Andrew "Ender" Wiggin was the youngest of three genius children contrary to a strict two-child policy. His existence was called for by a program aiming at producing commanders for humanity's war against the Formics , or "Buggers".
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Andrew “Ender” Wiggin Classified
Background • Andrew "Ender" Wiggin was the youngest of three genius children contrary to a strict two-child policy. • His existence was called for by a program aiming at producing commanders for humanity's war against the Formics, or "Buggers". • As a child, Ender is bullied at school for being a "Third" (The third child in a society where excessive breeding is frowned upon), and tormented at home by his brother Peter, a sadistic bully who resents his superior abilities. • His only refuge is with his beloved sister Valentine, who acts as his protector and only friend. • Ender was conditioned to be entirely self-sufficient from a very young age.
BATTLE SCHOOL • Battle School is the training ground for the future leaders of Earth's war effort. At the school, students undergo a rigorous curriculum, designed to teach military strategy and tactics. • While at Battle School, they are taught academic subjects; especially a heavy grounding in mathematics and science, a setup for work in space. • As befits an elite school, only the very best and brightest students are taken. Prospective students must undergo invasive monitoring, and a battery of tests, to see if they are suitable for the academy. • Students are generally taken to Battle School at a very young age—5 or 6 years old. The common age of "graduation" is usually 12.
Life at Battle School At Battle School, Ender is exposed to great emotional and mental anguish and even physical danger. The administration is forbidden from protecting him in order to guarantee that he would never look to anybody else for help. Ender breezes through academics, his main interest being the centerpiece of the school: a team-based three-dimensional laser tag competition in the zero-g Battle Room. He becomes first a masterful player, then a masterful strategist, and is eventually assigned command of Dragon Army. He molds agroup of untested and unwanted students into the most successful army in the history of the school.
The Battle Room • The academic work is not the complete focus of Battle School. The true evaluation of the students occurs in battle simulations which are run by the school's instructors. • The students are divided into 40-person armies, most named after an animal (real or mythological). • They fight mock battles in null gravity, armed with harmless lasers and suits that freeze when hit with a laser shot. • The object of the game is supposedly to 'destroy' or freeze all the enemy soldiers and then pass through the gate from which the enemy had entered. • These battles are used to test the tactical aptitude of the students. Their performance is used to evaluate their progress. • The student body places a great weight on the standings in these games, a perception which is encouraged by instructors.
Battle room action An snapshot of Battle school students attempting to defeat “Ender” in the Battle Room games.
Command School • Administration promotes Ender to Command School ahead of schedule, bypassing the three years of Pre-Command School entirely. • In Command School, and under the tutelage of Mazer Rackham, the legendary hero of the Formic wars. • Ender plays a game very similar to the Battle Room, where he commands ships in a 3-D space battle simulator. • His subordinate officers are fellow students advanced early from the battle school who later become known as "Ender's Jeesh". • Each day the games become increasingly grueling, and Ender is slowly worn down to exhaustion. • Waking and sleeping blend together as Ender nearly loses his mind, while still maintaining his military innovation and leadership.
Command School Games A rendition of the main game played by students at Command School.
Wrap-Up • This dossier provides a basic description of Andrew’s life and the environments that help shape his thinking • Though this depicts Ender’s growth and psychological progression, the most important information is not displayed: Ender’s relationships both professional and personal, and the challenges he faces. • These relationships and challenges are key to understanding Ender’s persona. From his brother, Peter, to his best friend and confidante, Julian “Bean” Delphiki, all of these relationships affect Ender’s thinking. • For more information, please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender%27s_Game
