Hatrack River Forum: Did Bean get it easy?

This is topic Did Bean get it easy? in forum Discussions About Orson Scott Card at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by llodlean (Member # 2057) on :

Hi everyone,

Something that's been running through my mind when recently re-reading some of the shadow series.In Ender's Game, Ender, Peter etc. went through extremely rigorous tests before they were let into Battleschool, the most prominent of these being a monitor. Ender had to then pass Graff's "test" with Stilson before he was considered.

Bean, however, whilst completing what could be assumed to be IQ and Personality tests, didn't have a monitor. Isn't it strange that Bean was let into the Battleschool without this?

Posted by fallow (Member # 6268) on :

bean sneaked thru on a whiff of Gaff's gas?

Posted by msquared (Member # 4484) on :

A couple of reasons.

First, Ender was a third. True his brother and sister probably had the scores, but there were personality problems with both of them. Graff wanted to make sure that Ender did not have those problems.

Second, Ender was being condsidered for the leadership position, not just a sub-commander. Bean had the highest test scores ever so he was accepted with out the monitoring that was done to Ender. Most of the grownups did not consider Bean to be the ulitmate commander. Even Bean knew that Ender was a better commander.

msquared

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

They were already grooming Ender to be the commander, and the had enough time to make sure about him. When Carlotta finally found Bean, there wasn't time for anything like that. They knew when the fleet would arrive, and knew that if they gave him the monitor and observed him for a while, he wouldn't be around to help with the battles at all.

Also, Bean didn't have a safe family life to monitor. They would have had to give him a monitor and then watch to see if he even survived on the streets of Rotterdam, let alone be of proper phychological make up.

Posted by Julian Delphinki (Member # 6686) on :

No, Bean did not have it easy. I bet they thought that since he was able to survive on the street he must be capable of handling himself. I belive his test was setting up civilization in the child world of Rotterdamn. However, Some may argue that yes, he had it easier because he was not a third. One must also consider that Bean was incredibly small making him a target from the get go!

Posted by Anna (Member # 2582) on :

SPOILERS

I thought that Graff admitting Achilles in the Battle School was the test he had to pass. Someone says after he goes out of that one : Ender, the most friendly and usually respectfull of the rules of the two, did it alone and killed his enemy, when Bean, the most lonely and the street boy, went out of that with a lot of friends and with respect to the authorities. (Or something like that, I read it in French [Smile]

)

[ July 20, 2004, 11:40 AM: Message edited by: Anna ]

Posted by helene (Member # 6710) on :

I agree with you Anna... not only because I read it in french too [Razz]

Achille was not admitted there only because he had good results but also to be confronted to Bean and Bean to him. It definetely was a final test.

Posted by Anna (Member # 2582) on :

Are you French Helene ? What are you studying ?

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Bean wasn't a third. What was he, like a 22nd?

Posted by Soara (Member # 6729) on :

humm. i'd say the streets of Rotterdam were enough of a test for anyone.

Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :

I'm guessing there wasn't any logical way to work it into the Bean's story, so, since the moniter wasn't very important except as a symbol for Ender, OSC decided to drop it in favor of the overall story.

(Sorry, I know there are too many comms, I just don't know what to do about it [Blushing]

)

Posted by MacBeth (Member # 5670) on :

I have to agree with the timetable scenario...and with near perfect scores...only not perfect because he did not "choose" for them to be and with his age I am sure they felt they could shape him. But saying he had it "easy" is like saying...uh like saying...damn brain fart its like saying something...of that I am pretty sure of.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

[ROFL]

Posted by EyesClosed (Member # 6796) on :

You know, this whole idea has bothered me a lot. How come Peter and Valentine couldn't get into Battle School when their abilities sounded far superior to those of many people who did make it to the school. I mean, sure, the book can go with the idea that their personalities weren't fit for the school but they seem more compatible than most of the people selected for the school :-\. But alas, the book was good as is so perhaps I should stop whining.

Posted by Shepherdess (Member # 6115) on :

EyesClosed,
I agree with you that both Peter and Valentine would probably have done well in Battle School. Have you read First Meetings in the Enderverse? Because I just did, and I think the back story of Ender's parents answers your question. Graf and the other commanders weren't simply looking for someone in the Wiggin family to do well at Battle School, they were looking for the one person they could rely on to lead in the final battle with the Buggers.
Welcome to Hatrack!

Posted by MidnightBlue (Member # 6146) on :

I don't think the monitors were necessarily standing testing procedures. I think one reason the Wiggins got them might have been to check on the parents; you know, make sure they aren't instilling religion or anti-Graff views or something in them. They also had Sister Carlotta to watch Bean to make sure that he wouldn't be too rash or violent, or too docile for that matter.

Posted by BeansAchilles (Member # 6813) on :

I agree with Midnight on the fact that Monitors weren't standard procedure. I also think that a lot depended on the Wiggin family not to destroy what they wanted most about Enders personailty. So the only reasonable explaination would be to monitor Ender at all times to make sure there was no questions about whether the International Fleet (IF) was in Enders mindsight as the good guys. And the only reason Bean didn't have a Monitor was because he was never tested because he was never even supposed to exist by law! If someone with Bean's Intellict had been found out early enough they would have allowed all the Wiggin's into the program but the main focus of battle school (and graff) would have been on Bean. My bottom line is this Bean would have been a better choice to have command the fleets if he would have legally been allowed to exist, and he would have had to have a monitor if they would have found out about him. But since none of this happened, Bean got the so-called Easy Way Out. Besides all of this was happening too close to the dead-line of the Great War for them to make any rational and calm decisions about whether to accept bean into battle school. [Party]

How was that for my first post EVER!

Posted by Drake Coluber (Member # 6896) on :

They had a human monitor for Bean: Sister Carlotta. Perhaps not as good as the one Ender had, but for their purpose's, it probably sufficed. Remember Peter's references to reports on Bean sent by Carlotta?

Posted by kaioshin00 (Member # 3740) on :

Ender was born in order to see if he could get into battle school. Bean was just a child who got noticed because of his resourcefullness in his situation and recommended for battle school. He then passed the tests and they deemed him qualified...