A Book Report (II)
I've been re-reading, again. Because Dr. H. surely doesn't give me enough to read! Actually, it's a clever means of escape from unending pages of Edward Said, Gerry Spence, and friends. Really, not a big fan of Mr. Said. More on him later -- this is supposed to be about my fun book.
What is it about first novels that can be so brilliant? Perhaps the author hones his skills considerably later in life, but something seems to change about their perspective and personality as an artist. Maybe they grow and mature and become less naive or idealistic. I think that's what it is. I love the perspective of naivete and idealism that an author has when he is young. Maybe it's because I'm pretty thoroughly naive and idealistic, myself, and I love to see things through wide eyes. When Andrew Lloyd Webber and co. were casting Cats for the anniversary video, they searched high and low for a cat actress with "wide open eyes." I know just what they were looking for. And if you ever watch the video, you'll see the girl they cast so perfectly. Innocence, naivete, curiousity personified.
Anyway. I've been re-reading "Ender's Game," by Orson Scott Card. This was the first book I read by him (I've since read almost everything he's written!); a student (thanks, Nick!) lent it to me when I was teaching physics. There are certainly flaws in the book. The dialogue is not realistic, Mr. Card's philosophical views are not always on target, and it ends with a resounding whimper about forty pages after it should. All the same, it's a great story. More importantly, it's a personal portrait of the brilliant child soldier Ender. One of the reasons the dialogue is unrealistic is because, I think, it is written as Ender would have written it rather than as he would have spoken. The strongest aspects of the book are all inside Ender -- his feelings, his thoughts, his growth, his drive, his terrors and victories. He's a talented guy, thrust into a world that is beyond his control and called upon to exercise his talents to save that world.
I'm not assigned to save the world, but I am called upon to make the most of my talents. I'm called upon to push and learn and work and overcome, to become what only I can become. I'm called upon to grow stronger and wiser, to be hurt and recover, to complete the task set before me, regardless of my feelings or opinions. There are times to "follow my feelings" and do what I want, but that is not my ultimate calling. I can do what I must do, even if I think it will break me. Ender is a great reminder of that.
If there were no more to life than my Self, I'd give it up now. But there is -- there is a reason I am who I am, and there's a purpose in who I shall become.
So take that, Gerry Spence!
posted by Jeanine @ 9/22/2006 10:19:00 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Orson Scott Card is my favorite author. Someone recently remarked to me that the way his characters speak is not like real dialogue to which my reply is, "He does not mimic how humans speak, but how they ARE. This, to me, is more important."
Also, I am not sure if Ender's Game was his first book. It was his first well-known book, but I think he may have written some form of "A planet called Treason" and a few other books before that one. My personal favorite by him is "The Worthing Saga" which is a final synthesis of many short stories he wrote about the planet Worthing and the planet that was first, that Jason Worthing was from.
Also, the reason why Orson Scott Card has weird philosophy may be because he's Mormon. (That, I suspect, is also why he writes the most "moral" of the sci-fi stories. It's not all about how there will be free love in the future, which is often what you'll find *cough* Heinlein *cough*)
Ender's Game was his first publication, though at the time it was in short story form. It's certainly a young effort, regardless. Still haven't read the Worthing Saga, but I keep meaning to...
I think it may be a mistake to assume that one's philosophy is entirely dictated by what church you attend. If I join a church, I agree to certain established points of doctrine, but I don't promise to blindly accept every bit of personal philosophy the eldership might hold. There are times when one or the other of us can be proved wrong Scripturally, or when the point is ultimately unimportant, or when the point is one of those grey sections about which I agree to go along with the authority over me, even though I might not agree with the philosophy.
I think Mr. Card's personal philosophy is certainly guided and developed by the credos of the Mormon church, but I bet he has his own ideas about some things.
I'm partly just be argumentative, but I think it's vital for any person, especially an artist, to make sure their philosophy is solidly their own, not part of a group mentality.
Right. He's not just a mormon who also writes though. He's interwoven some mormon things into his books (Lost Boys, People of the Fringe) and if you know mormon philosophy and then read the stuff later on in the Ender's game series, like when a "Peter" and a "Valentine" are called from Ender's mind from the "a'uia" (don't know if I spelled that correctly) and in various other books it really makes one think. And no, I doubt he only believes what the church dictates to him (the leader of the mormon church himself doesn't know if the mormon church believes certain teachings of Joseph Smith) but to think that he's not influenced by it I think would be far-fetched. I actually think that influence has been fairly positive in that it brought moral books into the sci-fi realm, a genre that can be incredibly crude to read. (Heinlein, Silverberg etc)
for some reason, I couldn't see your post when I was responding. So I think we would agree that he is influenced. I wouldn't say at all his philosophy isn't his own, but I would say he does embrace what the mormon church says...from reading stuff of his. He writes also on religious topics in addition to his books.
Yeah, I think we're on the same page. I'm just on a big individuality kick at the moment. And I think your quote about his dialogue is right on. :)
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