The famous psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl once said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation-we are challenged to change ourselves. (Brainy Quotes) Being a psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl knew a lot about human beings changing themselves. In the book Ender’s Game, Ender meets a man named Graff. Graff’s main objective is to train Ender to save the world from the buggers. Graff changes from a cold hearted man to an empathetic and caring person who feels guilt and remorse or Ender at the end of the novel. Colonel Graff is a fascinating character in the book, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.
He displays many different traits that make him interesting to read. This strong character, Colonel Graff transforms over the course of the book. In the beginning, Colonel Graff is a cold hearted man focused on one objective molding Ender into a military genius who could save the world from an evil race known as the buggers. However, Colonel Graff changes as he begins to realize what a great person Ender is. Graff develops empathy towards Ender, and begins to see Ender as more than just a tool to be used against the buggers.
By the end of the book, Graff becomes remorseful for the way he reated Ender; Graff feels very guilty that he sacrificed Ender’s innocence and made him into a killer to save the world. The essay tracks Colonel Graff’s transformation from a ruthless military officer totally focused on his job to save the world, as he actually becomes more humane: ironically, as Graff’s training renders Ender less empathetic, exposure to Ender makes Graff more human thus becoming more of what he was trying to take away from Ender.
In the beginning of the novel, Colonel Graff is a cold hearted dictator and is focused on his main objective, and willing to acrifice anyone and anything to achieve his objective. ” When the story begins, Colonel Graff sums up his own personal philosophy in the beginning when he says, Human beings are free except when humanity needs them. ” (35) Colonel Graff is saying that people are pawns to defeat the buggers. Colonel Graff also says, “I won’t lie now, either. My job isn’t to be friends.
My job is to produce the best soldiers in the world. In the whole history of the world. “(34) Again, this shows Graff being cold hearted and wanting to focus on his sobjective, which is about reating the best soldiers in the world, at whatever cost. Furthermore, when Major Anderson express concern that they will” screw up” Ender because of the training condition they will put him through, Colonel Graff responds, by saying, ” Of course we will, we’re the wicked witch, we promise gingerbread, but we eat the little bastards alive” (10).
Not only is this very callous thing to say about a six- year – old boy, this also how cold- hearted Colonel Graff is toward children in general and Ender in particular. He doesn’t even seem to show much remorse at all; in fact, he seems to think it is funny. Graff doesn’t ever question his own moral character or question his actions because he believes that he is justified in being a ruthless person because he is potentially saving the world. Graff also needs to justify what he is doing to Ender he claims that, ” This is the best for Ender, too.
We’re bringing him to his full potential” (173). Colonel Graff continues not to care about what he is doing to Ender as a human being and pushes him to be a great killer like Peter, and disregarding the fact that tEnder just wants to be left alone, not hurt anyone and to just live a peaceful life. In the beginning of the novel, Colonel Graff is a cold hearted dictator and is focused on his main objective, and willing to sacrifice anyone and anything to achieve his objective. When the story begins, Colonel Graff sums up his own personal philosophy in the beginning when he says, Human beings are free except when humanity needs them. ” (35)
Colonel Graff is saying that people are pawns to defeat the buggers. Colonel Graff also says, “I won’t lie now, either. My job isn’t to be friends. My job is to produce the best soldiers in the world. In the whole history of the world. (34) Again, this shows Graff being cold hearted and wanting to focus on his sobjective, which is about creating the best soldiers in the world, at whatever cost.
Furthermore, when Major Anderson express concern that they will” screw up” Ender because of the training condition they will put him through, Colonel Graff responds, by saying, ” Of course we will, we’re the wicked witch, we promise gingerbread, but we eat the little bastards alive” (10). Not only is this very callous thing to say about a six- year – old boy, this also how cold- hearted Colonel Graff is toward children in general and Ender in articular. He doesn’t even seem to show much remorse at all; in fact, he seems to think it is funny.
Graff doesn’t ever question his own moral character or question his actions because he believes that he is justified in being a ruthless person because he is potentially saving the world. Graff also needs to justify what he is doing to Ender he claims that, ” This is the best for Ender, too. We’re bringing him to his full potential” (173). Colonel Graff continues not to care about what he is doing to Ender as a human being and pushes him to be a great killer like Peter, and isregarding the fact that tEnder just wants to be left alone, not hurt anyone and to just live a peaceful life.
However, as the novel progresses, Colonel Graff is always with Ender, which makes him start to change from a person who thought he was right to someone who starts to question himself about his own actions, and who even begins to feel remorse. Over the course of the novel, he grows closer to Ender because he is constantly monitoring him. In fact, Colonel Graff literally knows how Ender feel because, ” You live inside someone’s body for a few years, and you get used to it”(9) Colonel Graff sees Ender as a person ho is “clean right to the heart. (36)
Colonel Graff also describes Ender by saying; “Theres greatness in him, a magnitude of sprit” (256). These two quotes show that he admires Ender and thinks he is an honest, as well as brilliant person. Eventually, Graff begins to question his own actions in his quest to save the world, especially when it come to his treatment of Ender. “For a few minutes there, it actually occured to me wonder what kind of man would heal a broken child of some hurt, just so he would throw him back into battle again. (155)
Graff has really changed his attitude from joking bout being the “wicked witch” to questioning his own morality for what he’s putting Ender through during the training. This suggests that at least Graff feels uncertain about his actions, and perhaps even feels some remorse. This even mor apparnt for Graff when he shows more remorse after mor ebad things happen to Ender. Graff shows even more intense remorese when, speaking to Major Anderson about the political situation on Earth, he says, “I shouldn’t burden you with my conscience. But my eagerness to sacrifice little childern in order to save mankind is wearing thin. ” (124)
