The Nature of Psychopathic Personality Revealed by Peter and Val - Essay Sample

Introduction

The Ender's Game is a novel whose main character is Ender. However, the novel involves different characters who comprise of adults and children. It is apparent that the children are manipulated into thinking that they are only playing a game, but the adults are training them to become grand military leaders. The characters portray cruelty, hatred and egoistical traits to each other for they are manipulated into believing that some of them are their friends while others are their enemies (Gross, 115-126). Other characters expose psychopathic personalities which involve antisocial behavior, boldness, and impaired empathy and remorse. This essay will expound on the psychopathic personality revealed by Peter and Valentine.

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In chapter 9, Valentine, Peter and their family reside in Southern Carolina wilderness where their parents moved in the belief that the calm surrounding would have a soothing effect on Peter thereby alleviating his anger and violence (Doyle, 301-318). However, this is not as effective as expected. Peter still reveals violence and antisocial nature in different aspects. For instance, he is cruel to the squirrels which are harmless. He also threatens to hurt Valentine. Peter and Valentine are antisocial in that, during their stay in the wilderness they don't seem to hang out much as siblings should. On Ender's birthday, only Valentine lights a small fire to celebrate his birthday which they should have done in unison with Peter. Their antisocial nature is also brought out in the approach they use to communicate to people about the Russian war. They believe that adults hardly listen to children. Therefore they decide to insight people by writing articles on the internet. Their approach seems highly effective since educated men such as Valentine's father are thrilled.

Peter and Valentine also reveal Boldness in several ways in chapter 9. First, when Peter threatens to hurt Valentine, she doesn't flinch since she knows that he has nothing to lose by hurting her. Peter has fantasies about Russian war and out of his confidence, he decides to insight people by posting articles which would encourage people to do something to bring change. It also takes courage for Valentine to write and upload those articles although she knows the effect they would have on their brother Ender (Doyle, 301-318).

Valentine also portrays psychopathic personality by experiencing impaired empathy and remorse. She shows compassion in that she is concerned that their parents' effort of moving to Southern Carolina in the hope of improving Peter's condition is hardly baring fruits. She also feels empathy for Peter when he begs her to write the articles and accepts even though it is against her will. After writing articles about the Russian war and reaching out to many people including Ender's 'teachers' she feels guilty and remorseful for the effect it has on his brother as stated towards the end of chapter 10 (Campbell, 490-507). Both Valentine and Peter depict psychopathic personality in a variety of ways which include, handling issues with boldness, showing violence, being antisocial and experiencing impaired empathy and remorse. Those traits compel them to bring about change, For instance, writing articles about Russian war and posting then helped reach out to a lot of people stirring in them the desire to take action.

Works Cited

Campbell, James. "Kill the Bugger: Ender's Game and the Question of Heteronormativity." Science Fiction Studies(2009): 490-507.

Doyle, Christine. "Orson Scott Card's Ender and Bean: The Exceptional Child as Hero." Children's Literature in Education35.4 (2004): 301-318.

Gross, Melissa. "Prisoners of childhood? Child abuse and the development of heroes and monsters in ender's game." Children's Literature in Education 38.2 (2007): 115-126.