posted
Personally, Bean is the heart of the Enderverse. I’ve read somewhere that Orson Scott Card first conceived his idea on writing Ender’s Game after thinking about the problems that would be ignited if there were multiple Alexander the Greats in the world. Bean is the smartest character out of all of them, due to his genetic condition. But, ironically, he is the most human. In the Ender’s Shadow, I loved the dynamic between his unparallel genius with others who unfortunately had to endure his indirect condescending presence.
Bean works as a character due to his super-intelligence as it makes him unique. Orson Scott Card has effectively utilized the impossibilities that science fiction can offer. But, I wish his intelligence was greater. In the last few novels, his intelligence suffered mitigation. In some areas, he is written to be very smart, but in others, mediocre. The character’s appeal as a mental juggernaut was so interesting to read in Ender’s Shadow, where Bean’s intelligence was never undermined. I wish Orson Scott Card would make his children appear extraordinary intelligence. Such creation of existences would really propel the novel to levels that only science fiction could embrace.
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posted
Well, the problem with Bean is that he is so smart. OSC isn't a genius, so it is really hard for him to write a novel about a character that is. I'm not saying OSC is stupid, because he is really gifted and intelligent, but he's not a super genius. Characters can only be as smart as their authors.
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posted
Would you consider the fact that Bean might have been a bit distracted near the end? He knows his condition is fatal, he has family responsibilities, and he has to consider the possibility of passing his genetic condition on to his kids, plus the new earth war is going on. Plus near in the last book, he is considering going into space flight and leaving his family behind. That's a lot to handle.
Enough to distract even a genius.
Also consider, the most of the people he has to deal with are also geniuses, not to Bean's level, but still genius. It is easy to stand out as a genius when you are at state college, but suddenly when you are at MIT or Stanford, genius doesn't stand out that much.
posted
I know what you’re saying, but the whole superficial appeal to the character for me is that he is this mental juggernaut. His brain constantly makes new synaptic connections and also adds neurons at rapid pace like the mind of an infant’s. It is stated that an adult’s brain consists of 100 billion neurons, in comparison to an infant’s mind which has nearly 1 trillion (in normal human, the brains eradicates nearly 9/10 of them as one ages). Bean’s brain continues to grow and grow. He is supposed to be the SMARTEST person who ever lived.
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quote:Originally posted by Jeff C.: Well, the problem with Bean is that he is so smart. OSC isn't a genius, so it is really hard for him to write a novel about a character that is. I'm not saying OSC is stupid, because he is really gifted and intelligent, but he's not a super genius. Characters can only be as smart as their authors.
This is kind of funny and true at the same time.
Posts: 115 | Registered: May 2011
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posted
i need to refresh my memory on these books.. it's been a year or 2 since i read the last one! i just remember the connection/twist with bean & ender was interesting.. during battle school.
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