chap 10: Sneaky

• Who is sneaky and why?

• When Bean overhears Col. Graff and Dimak talking, he hears them debating whether or not Bean is human if he's genetically enhanced. Graff says, "Isn't that debatable? The difference between humans and chimpanzees is genetically slight" (181). Dimak responds saying, "He's still a kid. He's a human being. He's not some alien --" (181). What do you think? If Bean is genetically enhanced, would you still consider him human? What makes a person human?

• Bean begins to question who he is. He thinks to himself he felt the same emotions as the other kids, yet he "did not let his fleeting needs and passions control his actions. Did that make him alien?" (183). Do you agree with Bean's self-assessment?

• After long and careful analysis, Bean comes to the conclusion, "He had to become Ender Wiggin" (186). What does Bean mean?

chap 11: Daddy

• Who is daddy?

• Once Bean gains access to the teachers' files, he thinks a lot about heroism. Many of the kids call Ender a hero, and Bean tries to figure out why. Bean notices that "Wiggin does not really care as much about himself as he does about these other kids" and wonders if "...this may be the very trait that makes everyone focus on him" (192). What information does Ender's friend Shen give Bean? What is Bean's response to that information?

• What connections does Bean draw between Ender, Achilles and Poke? Why?

• Bean's desire changes course after he thinks to himself "That's Wiggin's gig"(193). What does he mean and what course of action does he decide on?

• What does Sr C discover about Bean when she visits Volescu?

chap 12:

• Colonel Graff tells Dimak that Bean has a "Theory and it's wonderfully wrong" (212) and that Bean believes his theory because he doesn't know about the ansible. What is Bean's theory? Is he wrong? What is an ansible?

• Colonel Graff and Dimak ask Bean to make up an army out of launchies and transfers. Is this a good idea? What are the positives and negatives of this?

• Graff and Dimak agree not to make Bean the commander of the hypothetical army because they thing Bean is "too young and hungry for it." They also claim "the hungry ones always have something to prove" (215). Do you think this claim is true? They also figure Ender will be a better commander. Do you agree with their evaluations of the two boys? Why or why not?

• Bean thinks to himself. "half the best kids in the school are launchies or are on the transfer list because they haven't been beaten into submission" (218). What does Bean mean? Is he right? Why or why not?

Go to Soldier, Leader, or Victor.