I disagree on Ender being an appropriate self-insert for teenagers and "read it when you're 9-12, or don't read it at all".
Ender is an appropriate self insert for anyone because he is not a tweenager, he is written as a fully formed person. To quote Card on the matter
Because never in my entire childhood did I feel like a child. I felt like a person all along—the same person that I am today [...] the truer answer is that Ender’s Game asserts the personhood of children.
Ender/Peter/Val are not children, they are people anyone can see themselves as. (I hope) Everyone can see Peter and understand the ruthlessness that exists within themselves. They can see Valentine and know the compassion they are capable of. All while understanding the inner turmoil that comes from these two forces interacting (Ender). Without a desire for power they will be abused and taken advantage of. Without kindness their lust will consume them. I think of Card's quote from Speaker for the Dead about a tale of two Rabbi's.
I re-read the series recently (late 20's, having read it in the 9th grade) and appreciated Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead far more this time than I did then. I think Orson Scott Card really captured fire in a bottle with these two stories (Xenocide and Children of the Mind are much more generic sci-fi) and being an adult I was able to grok the story in a way my previous surface level reading never did.
Children/Tweenagers are able to identify with Ender because he has the same shape as them. Adults are able to identify with Ender because he has the same spirit as them.
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I disagree on Ender being an appropriate self-insert for teenagers and "read it when you're 9-12, or don't read it at all".
Ender is an appropriate self insert for anyone because he is not a tweenager, he is written as a fully formed person. To quote Card on the matter
Ender/Peter/Val are not children, they are people anyone can see themselves as. (I hope) Everyone can see Peter and understand the ruthlessness that exists within themselves. They can see Valentine and know the compassion they are capable of. All while understanding the inner turmoil that comes from these two forces interacting (Ender). Without a desire for power they will be abused and taken advantage of. Without kindness their lust will consume them. I think of Card's quote from Speaker for the Dead about a tale of two Rabbi's.
I re-read the series recently (late 20's, having read it in the 9th grade) and appreciated Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead far more this time than I did then. I think Orson Scott Card really captured fire in a bottle with these two stories (Xenocide and Children of the Mind are much more generic sci-fi) and being an adult I was able to grok the story in a way my previous surface level reading never did.
Children/Tweenagers are able to identify with Ender because he has the same shape as them. Adults are able to identify with Ender because he has the same spirit as them.
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