Comparing Fear In Ender's Game And Diver

Throughout both Ender’s Game and Divergent, the protagonists encounter several authority figures. These authority figures help to guide the protagonists and even shape them as people in society. However, some of these authorities abuse their power to hurt or otherwise negatively influence their subordinates. Often times, this negative influence stems from the authority figure’s fear or anger towards something or someone. In Ender’s Game and Divergent, this is especially clear in both Bonzo and Eric. Although Bonzo and Eric deal with their anger and fear in different ways, they are incredibly similar in the way they hold power because they both fear those who are better than them and indirectly teach the protagonists of their respective books.

Bonzo, however, releases his anger through violence. Ender can even “see Bonzo’s anger growing hot” when Bonzo goes to attack him in the bathroom (Card 121). Ender notes that “Bonzo’s [anger is] hot, and so it use[s] him” (Card 121). Meaning that if Bonzo was able to control his anger or focus it elsewhere, he wouldn’t feel the need to resort to violence to solve his issues. Eric, unlike Bonzo, is able to redirect his anger so that other people only see a little of it. Eric’s anger comes through when he talks with people he doesn’t like, such as Four. With Four, Eric is incredibly passive aggressive. Notice, however, that we never read of Eric attacking Four. This shows one of the main differences in how Bonzo and Eric’s anger control them, and ultimately, their power over others. Bonzo does whatever he wants to others, even if it causes harm, while Eric utilizes his anger to make sure no one becomes more powerful than he