Graff, Peter, and Ender: The Good and Bad

Good versus evil is all around. In fact, it is seen it in moves, television shows, books, games, and in real life. The Greek gods Zeus and Hades are an example. Also, the superheroes and evil villains, such as Spiderman and the Green Goblin. Ash and Team Rocket are an example from 'Pokémon', a television show for children. The childhood game Cops and Robbers, also portray good versus evil. In Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game, good versus evil is represented in Colonel Graff, Peter Wiggin, and Ender Wiggin.

Colonel Graff had some traits of good versus evil in him. Colonel Graff wants Ender to go to Battle School with him and asks him, "'... then I'm going to ask you to do it. To come with me'" (Card 25). Graff seems like an awful person for wanting to take Ender with him to the Battle School. Graff makes it even more horrible because he makes Ender choose between his family and going to Battle School. Graff is thinks that separating Ender will help Ender keep his imagination, so he tells Anderson, "'I'll have him completely separated from the rest of the boys by the time we get to the School'" (Card 27). Separating Ender from the rest of the boys is a pretty awful thing to do when he had no friends. Graff sees this as an opportunity to help Ender, which it will, but not without damaging Ender first. Ender had thought Graff was his friend, but Graff had not shown it; to Anderson, Graff says, "'The kid's wrong. I am his friend'" (Card 36). This statement portrays Colonel Graff as a kind and caring person. Graff is kinder than he leads on. Graff cares mostly for what is good for Ender, but doesn't think of the out coming effect.

The concept of good versus evil is portrayed in Peter Wiggin and Locke, his alter ego. "Ender looked at Peter only to detect anger or boredom, the dangerous moods that almost always led to pain"(Card 10). Peter is shown as a terrible person. Peter abuses and terrifies Ender, his younger brother. After a Ender loses his monitor, Peter gets mad and threatens to kill him in his sleep, that night when Ender is pretending to be sleeping, "Peter whispers to him, 'Ender, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I know how it feels, I'm sorry, I'm your brother, I love you'"(Card 15). Here Peter is seen as a kind, caring person. He shows that he loves his brother, but is afraid to show it because he might lose the power he has over Ender. Graff and Anderson were talking about the true identities of Lock and Demosthenes, and Anderson brings up that Locke was praised as "...'The only truly open mind in America'"(Card 228). This praise exhibits Locke as a wise and smart person. He is seen as a person who is against a war. Peter has some good in him even though it doesn't shine much through his evilness.

Good versus evil is also seen