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Dehumanization introduction
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Essay about dehumanization
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In “ Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave, and Exterminate Others” David Livingstone Smith states “Rather than looking for explanations for why all people deserve to be treated with compassion and respect, we ought to be working at creating a world in which people are treated with compassion and respect. Human rights aren’t lying around waiting to be discovered. They’re made, not found.” Human rights is a blanket term that covers many subtopics from racism to child labor to dehumanization. In the novel Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card the main human rights issue is dehumanization, Ender and Valentine dehumanize their enemy much like soldiers do now, the government dehumanizes children and only sees them as tools at their disposal much like …show more content…
“`it's very difficult, psychologically, to kill another human being up close and in cold blood, or to inflict atrocities on them.’ So, when it does happen, it can be helpful to understand what it is that allows human beings `to overcome the very deep and natural inhibitions they have against treating other people like game animals or vermin or dangerous predators.’” (“Less Than Human”). Ender throughout the novel says that he doesn’t want to hurt anyone. In the novel Ender states that the buggers are just like the humans except for appearance towards the end of the novel Ender is told he is playing a simulation, he later finds out that he killed off all of the buggers like it was some sort of game. “During the Holocaust, Nazis referred to Jews as rats. Hutus involved in the Rwanda genocide called Tutsis cockroaches. Slave owners throughout history considered slaves subhuman animals.” (“Less Than Human”) When Ender arrives at battle school he is no longer a person he is simply referred to as “soldier” in order to make him less of a person so that if and when he gets hurt or killed it is not a big deal just like when you kill a bug. These children are simply that, children from 6 to 16 who are generalized and treated like pawns in a game of
“Dehumanized” by Mark Slouka explores the issue of our nation’s education and how science and math are being used to primarily teach students about business and capitalism. Although I believe that students should have a good understanding of economics for the sake of their future. I, like Mark Slouka, believe that the humanities should be taught and accepted in our schools to help students further their education.
At the very start of the book Ender is called a “Third”. Every time he is referred to as a “Third” it is used as an insult. “Experiment entitled Andrew Wiggin hadn’t worked out” (Card 5) Even Ender looks at being a third as a bad thing and means something bad about him. However When Colonel Graff comes to take Ender to the battle school we are shown that this is not the case. “I’ll go with you.” (Card 26) Despite being a third Ender was chosen over either his sister Valentine of his brother Peter speaking to the theme that one’s past doesn’t shape their future.
One reason that shows that this book is anti-war is how Ender’s life changed in a bad way. For example, when Ender found out that he was not playing a game, but he was really commanding armies to fighting the bugger, he cried “I didn’t want to kill them all. I didn’t want to kill anybody! I’m not a killer! You didn’t want me, you bastard, you wanted Peter, but you made me do it, you tricked me into it!” (Card, 297). This quote explains that after killing the buggers Ender is somehow showing that he is not himself anymore. The war has forced him to kill the buggers or anyone without knowing. Even though he found out in the end, but he still can not control the shockness and guiltiness of killing anyone since he never wanted to kill anyone but he did, and he had to, in order to go back to his
Through the entire story, we watch as Ender is manipulated and wronged by authority figures. He does not receive the love, affection and care that parents are supposed to deliver to their children. He is constantly being physically and mentally abused by his older brother and school bullies, yet no adult ever comes to his rescue. This pattern isn’t just apparent during his life on Earth because it continues and follows him as he moves on to battle school. A specific example of this can be seen as him and his launch group are making the journey to the school for the first time. During this trip Graft makes a show of telling all the other launchees how impressive Ender is, which results in him being repeatedly struck in the head. Not only does this authority figure fail to intervene and help Ender, but as the abuse continues Ender has a sudden realization. “Then it had become clear. Graft had deliberately caused it”(Card, 32). This example shows how someone who
In the beginning of the book, Ender is ashamed when his decisions harm others. After receiving ‘special treatment’ on his way to Battle School, Ender is being harassed
“.When you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters.” –Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Over the years, many groups of people have been denied basic human rights based on simple things such as gender or race. These acts go against the UDHR, or the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UDHR is a document of the equal and inalienable rights/freedoms all people are born with.
After much internal debate Ender decides to go to battle school and leave home. He knows he won’t see his family until he is at least 12 but most likely he will have to wait until he is 16. When Ender is inside the ship on the way to battle school, the adults start their manipulation game. Graff calls out Ender as the only one who will save mankind, making the other kids hate Ender and become envious. Ender already lost the chance at having a normal childhood when he was born a third, but he was also considered to be the chosen one to save mankind from the very beginning. The manipulation of Ender is shown through the book and the children at the school either take part in his abuse or ignore the adults who cause it. Through this abusive training tactic Ender becomes the skilled fighter and leader the government wants. Ender gets moved through the program fast. He gets to the command school at age 9, a school no one can go to until they are sixteen. The adults tell him he will be doing simulations to practice the attacks on the buggers, but after the last simulation he finds out he killed the entire bugger species. The novel shows Ender to be morally innocent throughout his story, but he takes on the guilt of xenocide of the buggers. He is shocked at what he did, even when he didn’t know what he’s doing. Ender loses his innocence at this moment. He knew he was being manipulated by the adults throughout his career at the battle schools, but he had no idea he was being manipulated into exterminating a whole race. When he realizes what he did he goes into another depression slump and does not come out of his room for days. He doesn’t understand why he was manipulated into what he
Throughout the book, Enders Game it is arduous to establish what it authentically denotes to have human rights. The regime relies on children to preserve the world from the buggers. They are treated like they are adults and are purloined of their youth. Ender realizes that the adults are manipulating the children and his cognizance of what is right and what is not is what preserves the world from the manipulation from the adults. Because of Ender kenning what is right and was is not and withal is authentic this is what he does that culminates up preserving the Earth from extirpation. In Orson Scott Card’s novel, the Ender’s Game shows how in authentic life that children can be utilized in Warfare, which they are called “child soldiers”, and
In the story Night by Elie Wiesel, dehumanization occurs through the loss of religious belief. While in the concentration camps, Elie's friends and family suffer each and every day. He prays to God every night but he soon questions why God has not helped even one time through the suffering.
In the story “Ender's Game” many interesting actions and events happen. From wars to death, to games, that are not games anymore. This story is about a young boy that lives in a world that is constantly under attack from extraterrestrials called the Buggers. In the beginning, Ender is just a young boy constantly controlled and watched by the government (The IF). In the middle, he is taken to battle school and there the people realize that he is the best person for the job and will lead the human race to victory over the Buggers. Lastly, the IF puts Ender and his group together to beat the buggers in a final war. The book “Ender’s Game” written by Orson Scott Card is a fun and exciting science fiction book that leaves the reader at the edge of its seat. The symbolism and hidden messages in the book make the reader connect to the story. The title, the characters, and the setting all have something more to bring to the table and change
When the novel starts Ender Wiggin is a six-year-old genius. He has a brother, Peter, and a sister, Valentine, whom is the only person Ender truly loves. Ender is the third born in the Wiggin family, which is rare, because the limited amount of children per family is two. The government had been running a Battle School in space to train young boys and girls to become military commanders to fight against the buggers, aliens who had invaded Earth in the First and Second Invasions. Peter and Valentine had both been tried out for the Battle School, but Peter was too ruthless and Valentine was too soft towards the enemy. They both failed to go to the Battle school. But, the government wanted Ender. They wanted the death threatening genes that Peter had and the merciful and loving genes that Valentine had. They hoped that Ender would make the perfect military commander. So, The government had Ender born and they put a monitor on the back of his neck to watch his every move to see if he had what it took to get into Battle School. The monitor protected Ender from Peter and kids at school because if anything got out of hand the officers would stop it to help Ender.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card is a novel that shows what would happen if the government had too much power and has a powerful angle on inequality and child labor. My novel has taught me a lot about inequality, as did my research. But I found out a lot about my main point; child labor. Child labor effects everyone without them even knowing. I’m sure you’ve unknowingly bought something that aids people who do these things to people.
... he commanded his own platoon. Those are phases Ender went through. During one battle he faced, he cheated. Page 218 describes Ender’s men passed through the gate without soldiers before the gate was reversed. He had to cheat because he was exhausted and he needed assistance. Ender was battling two teams at once, never done before at battle school.. Finally every game has a final stage or battle. In Ender’s Game the final battle was against the buggers. Ender fights them on page 297. Ender was actually tricked into fighting them. This point proves how life is a game because games have a final battle/stage and Ender fought in one. Ender as a game piece, cheating and fighting in a final stage/battle prove how life is a game.
I related to Ender with many of the decisions that he was forced to make. I agree with his philosophy about ending the fight so that no more fights can grow from it, finishing your opponent, but only in self defense, and standing up too bully's. Ender's game reminded me of countries that expect to much for their children, and that would give everything for them to succeed, almost like overprotective parents.
Another reasons why I like Ender is because he doesn't let people take advantage of him.