Response to Card Article

I was very surprised to read about Orson Scott Card, the author of Ender's Game, having strong views against gay marriage, especially after reading the end of the book. Though the book has Ender struggling with who he is and his beliefs, it seems like it also involves him coming to accept himself. For example, when Ender and Valentine are on the raft, Ender talks about how he has looked into himself and puzzled out some of the reasons for his anger, and he lives with that knowledge. At the end of the book, Ender finds the bugger eggs and he takes them in, accepting the species for what it is and forgiving it for all of the problems it has caused. He tries to cultivate the eggs and keep them alive, so I am surprised that the author would be so rude and closed-minded about accepting other people and their beliefs.

Card's views change my views on the book slightly, but not too much. I think of the book and the author as separate entities, so the book itself seems to me to be a good book. However, knowing about the author makes it hard for me get the same meaning and understanding of the book as I had before. The way that Card is so strict in his disbelief of gay marriage makes it hard for me to think how he could have been so genius and imaginative when coming up with the plot and the story of Ender's Game. Nevertheless, I don't think that Mr. Vack should remove this book from his curriculum because I think it is a good lesson. To read the book not knowing about the author and then to be told about it at the end made me think about my perception of things and how many different factors play in to how a book is read and understood, and I think that that could be something for Mr. Vack to discuss and talk about. Also, most of the kids enjoyed reading Ender's Game more than most novels, so I think he shouldn't remove it.

I think it is a good idea for the movie company to keep Card out of the limelight because this would be a good movie. This movie could turn into a great business endeavor for them, they just have to separate themselves from Card. Movies are always different from the books they are based on, so they should just make sure one of the differences is Card's involvement. Maybe they could even fire him from being a producer, but that might not work because that might bring more spotlight to the situation. I don't think this movie should be boycotted because by itself it is a good story. Not everyone who sees it will know the truth about the author, and many would enjoy watching it even if they knew. These are good discussions to have, so the movie should be made for people to view it and make up their own opinions about it. I still want to see the movie for Ender's Game.