Justin Hammond
Instructor: Cajsa C. Baldini
ENG 200
6 October 2015
Nature versus Nurture All of my life I have been a party to numerous arguments on what it takes to raise a child to be a responsible and well-adjusted adult. On the one hand, the discovery of genetics has led to a large field of research to support that we are predestined to certain activities. On the other hand, our environmental surroundings and the experiences we endure may also play a role in making us who we are. There are surely plenty of literary examples tackling this theme, but the one I plan to focus on is the novel Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. I think that this novel illustrates that it isn’t as simple as just saying “Nature vs Nurture”. The development of the individual is dependent on both, with varying degrees of dependence based on the person in question. The novel is set in a semi Utopian/Dystopian future where all of humanity has bound together due to an Invasion of alien beings called the Formics. The whole of humanity was saved by a single commander by the name of Mazer Rackham. Because of this the International Fleet, genetically tests people for specific traits that may reveal the ultimate Commander that can win the war. I believe that the reason for this is because genetics are a good determination of your baseline traits. The government is basically practicing meta-analysis “a technique...in which results from a large number of individual studies of familial resemblance were
Often, authors often use literary techniques to convey a particular effect, which can range from a tone, a message, a sense of danger, a feeling, etc. Portraying these techniques throughout a text allows the reader to develop a deeper understanding of said text. In the book Ender's Game, the author Orson Scott Card, uses foreshadowing, comparison, and inner dialogue to convey a sense of danger that renders the readers feeling.
Young kids can be easily affected by their surroundings. They learn from the roles of their teachers and their fellow students and peers. This is clearly demonstrated in Ender’s Game, a science fiction novel written by Orson Scott Card. It shows how Ender Wiggin, a very young boy, is put into a position of leadership and what he learns through this experience, Through a computer game, Ender learns that he is a very clever killer. Through his experience as commander, Ender learns that being strict will help him be a better leader and win games. Finally, his experience with Shen and Bernard teaches Ender that having humor will easily allow him to make friends. Overall, Ender’s experience in Battle School teaches him many things about
Did you ever wish you were considered the most important person in the world? In Orson Scott Card’s book Ender’s Game, Ender, a six year old boy, who is chosen to save the world. Ender has to overcome many obstacles to become this great leader. The obstacles include being small, weak, and a third. Ender eventually overcomes these obstacles, however as a result Ender becomes a ruthless killer. Ender’s computer game shows how he is unknowingly interacting with the buggers, while the novel itself “Ender's Game” symbolizes how Ender decides who lives and who dies.
“Individual human beings are all tools, that the others use to help us all survive”
One of the main, and most controversial topics discussed in a child’s development is, nature vs. nurture. Nature pertains to genetic influences that a child has inherited from their parents, such as traits, abilities, and capacities. For instance, what color eyes the child may have, how athletic they may be, and even their brain development. Whereas nurture, refers to the environment the child is raised in and how this shapes their behaviors. Such factors can include, the family’s socio-economic status, schooling, parental discipline, as well as whether the child is provided with enough resources. When it comes to nature or nurture having a stronger influence then the other, the answer is both, nature and nurture, influence the outcome of the child. This idea that both nature and nurture, play a part in how the child will develop, is known as the nature-nurture continuum.
Genocide is a term used lightly by tons of people; generally only people who have experienced it are affected by it. This causes many people to turn their backs on mass murders and only have concern for people they know or can relate to. In Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card illustrates one’s journey to speak for the victims of genocide in order to educate others on the implications of this crime. In the article, “The Man Who Coined ‘Genocide’ Spent His Life Trying To Stop It,” by the NPR Staff, the motivation behind the dedication of an individual is shown through helping the victims of genocide. In both texts the authors reveal that the disregard for something such as genocide can inspire certain individuals to take a stand and be even more inspired
The nature vs nurture issue has been a controversial argument among psychologist for decades. This argument exposes two different views. One of them emphasizes that our personality depends solely on genetics (nature). On the other hand, the second view suggests that humans “develop through experience” (Myers 2013, SG 6) (nurture).
Nature versus Nurture is a common topic when discussing one’s personal development while growing up. Children are often affected by how their families treat them and teach them their values and judgements. This sometimes changes the children’s personalities and manners. Because of that the way they’re brought up can also often impact the choices they make in their future lives. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates how children are influenced by their families using the Finch and the Ewell families. Personally, my family has also greatly impacted my life and personality growing up.
“You won’t fail, Ender. Not this early in the course. You’ve had some tight ones, but you’ve always won. You don’t know what your limits are yet, but if you’ve reached them already you’re a good deal feebler than I thought.” (Card 286). Ender’s Game is a dystopian novel by Orson Scott Card that follows the training and thoughts of the protagonist, Ender, ultimately ending with the destruction of an alien race, the buggers. Ender’s militaristic and desperate society forces him to unwillingly commit genocide to an extent where Ender’s withering and empathetic mind begins to question the consequences of his actions.
This literature review will analyze what people think about the nature versus nurture debate. It will talk about the nature side and the nurture side of the debate.
Studied and debated for generations, is the conflict of Nature versus Nurture in the development of the human population; nature being the genetics that makes up the new human being and nurture being any other influences in the environment, such as: pre-natal health, care givers, location of development, education systems, and more. Some regard all happenings in a life time to genetics. Everyone is pre-destined by the genes from their parents to do certain things. An example of this would be if the child’s parents are both in jail, then the child would be a criminal as well; or if both parents are saints than the child will be an innocent being. As Berger says, children are innately good or bad in the view of people who see nature as the
The concept of nature vs nurture is easily one of the oldest and most controversial arguments of modern times. Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker is notably known in the world of psychology and the social sciences for his book “The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature.” In his book, Pinker addresses this exact argument and reasons that human behavior is mostly and at its roots is formed by evolutionary psychological adaptations. In 2003, Steven Pinker gave a Ted Talk regarding his book and the idea that human behavior is predisposed, rather than formed by socialization, interactions between people and the exposure to culture. Pinker discusses the reasoning behind his stance on nature over nurture using five key discussion points, these points being, human universals, neurology and DNA, political reasoning, the arts and parenting. During his Ted Talk, Pinker begins by stating that there are human universals, concepts, behaviors and traits that are carried and found, with many similarities, throughout every human civilization, he then explains that a common example of this is with twins separated at birth, and can be proven through neurological studies. Another concept that Pinker address to further solidify his stance is the idea that the argument that humans are ‘blank slates’ and human behavior is developed through nurture rather than nature is the political reasoning behind the benefits of everyone being ‘blank slates’. Two critical points he made however
The Nature vs. Nurture has been a long never ending debate for some time now. Nature vs Nurture has been so profoundly debated, that now it’s unclear whether what makes us who we are and what we do, nature or nurture. For purposes of this essay Nature is going to be defined as characteristics we acquire through our genetic and biological factors, while that Nurture is going to be defined characteristics we acquire through our interactions and influences with the environment. There are endless ways of taking an approach to the Nature vs Nurture conflict, thus the reason that it’s truly unclear if its Nature or Nurture or even both what makes us who and what we are.
Through history, the idea of nature vs. nurture has been a hotly debated issue. Nature, or genetics is often believed to be the most important aspect of a persons’ upbringing, as nature is something intrinsic to any one person. However, many debate that nurture, or the care and encouragement of any human life, trumps nature. The earliest evidence and rebuttals of these theories have been honed and developed over time by specific psychologists and educational theorists – all who hoped to prove their own ideas as fact at one time in history.
The long-running nature vs. nurture debate explores if a person’s development is a predisposition in their genetics (nature), or if it is a product of the individual’s environment and personal experiences (nurture). In both The Metamorphosis and Frankenstein, both main characters are born into the world free and uncorrupted by society. They then go through a series of changes in their lives and are shaped and influenced by their environment.