[HPFGU-OTChatter] SPOILER: Ender's Game

[Sherry Gomes]

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My other criticism is something I almost feel too sheepish to bring up, 
but here goes anyway.  See, often much is made of the way girls 
gravitate towards fantasy, while boys supposedly prefer science 
fiction.  My theory on this is that both genres offer an appealing 
suspense of RL rules -- magic/technology/genetic 
manipulation/whathaveyou can make children as powerful and as dangerous 
as adults, can allow a hero to succeed where armies have failed, etc.  
Yet, in science fiction (and much less so in fantasy), these "special 
rules" almost never apply to girls.  Even though the author has created 
a world in which there is no reason why girls should still be 
second-class fighters and thinkers, they almost always are, sometimes 
to an even greater extent than in RL.

In Ender's Game, Card argues that females has "too many years of 
evolution working against them" (that's a paraphrase, I haven't got the 
book with me).  However, what do his kids really do that a girl would 
be naturally less equipped to handle?  The only training the "soldiers" 
undergo in which physical strength might be an advantage is the Battle 
Room, but they graduate onto strictly non-physical training before 
puberty begins -- before the boys develop any appreciable physical 
advantage.

So what is Card saying, exactly, when he says that evolution is working 
against girls to make them less capable soldiers?  The only thing he 
*can* be saying, given the framework of the story, is that girls are 
*mentally* inferior when it comes to strategizing, commanding, 
attacking, holding up under pressure, etc.  Indeed, Ender's only female 
"toon leader", despite the fact that she is one of the better fighters, 
is still the only one of his kids to "break" under the stress.  
Typical.  Girls aren't just lacking in physical strength -- they're 
also mentally weaker.  Right.

On some level this bothers me quite a lot, but on others I can see that 
as sexism goes (especially as sexism in science fiction goes), it's 
pretty inoffensive.  It's not even enough to cut into my enjoyment of 
the book in and of itself.  However, the fact is, I *notice* it, 
whether I want to or not, and the mere act of noticing jolts me 
momentarily out of the story, so that even the most banal, passive 
sexism is going to seem like a major flaw in the book to me.


Sherry

i've never read Enders Game.  I began it, but it didn't grab me, so I can't
speak about this book.  But I can recommend an author, who has female
characters who are as important and strong and able as the men.  Usually the
men are the main characters, but there are women who are major parts of the
stories and add a great deal to the action and the resolution of events.
they are not in any way seen as inferior, and they are male authors.  i just
realized I could give you two authors.

Guy Gavriel Kay
My favorite of his is called Tigana.  One of the main characters is a woman,
and she is not portrayed in any way as weaker tan the men.

George R. R. Martin
His song of Ice and Fire series is loaded with strong women and girls as
much as with strong men.  Whether the characters is good or bad they are all
incredibly drawn and very strong, mentally and physically.  I think you'd
like them.

Sherry