“What have I learned so far? Ender listed things in his mind as he undressed in his bunk. The enemy’s gate is down. Use my legs as a shield in battle. A small reserve, held back until the end of the game, can be decisive. And soldiers can sometimes make decisions that are smarter than the orders they’ve been given” (Card 95). As Ender is undressing to go to bed, he lists these things off in his head that he has learned in Salamander Army. He really hasn’t learned these things from Bonzo, but he did learn them from himself. He thinks that Bonzo has taught him virtually nothing.
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Kessie
12/1/2015 09:12:44 pm
Ender does learn a few things from Bonzo such has: how to lead an army. You'll read later that Ender gets his own army and you'll see that Ender uses some of the leadership skills he learned from seeing Bonzo with his own army. Hope this helps :)
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Troop 4
11/3/2014 10:57:38 pm
Enders learns about leadership and tactics from Bonzo from learning watching him and his toons practice in the battle rooms, “The well-rehearsed formations were a mistake. It allowed the soldiers to obey shouted orders instantly, but it also meant they were predictable. Also, the individual soldiers were given little initiative. Once a pattern was set, they were to follow it through. There was no room for adjustment to what the enemy did against the formation. Ender studied Bonzo's formations like an enemy commander would, noting ways to disrupt the formation.” (Card 84). Ender watched and studied how Bonzo was directing his army, Bonzo wasn’t directly teaching him but Ender studied the tactics of Bonzo like an enemy commander, figuring ways to bring them down.
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Troop 5
11/3/2014 11:08:49 pm
Ender learns not to be a leader like Bonzo. The text states, “Even as Ender learned how much he did not know, he also saw things that he could improve on. The well-rehearsed formations were a mistake. It allowed the soldiers to obey shouted orders instantly, but it also meant they were predictable. Also, the individual soldiers were given little initiative. Once a pattern was set, they were to follow it through. There was no room for adjustment to what the enemy did against the formation” (Card 88). Although, Ender still learns from Bonzo to keep his troops disciplined. “Bonzo’s discipline paid off now, for each Salamander that froze took at least one enemy with him” (Card 90).
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Troop 6
11/3/2014 11:10:27 pm
Ender learns some tactics for the battle room from being on Bonzo’s team. For example, in the text it states, “What have I learned so far? Ender listed things in his mind as he undressed by his bunk. The enemy’s gate is down. Use my legs as a shield in battle. A small reserve held back until the end of the game, can be decisive. And soldiers can sometimes make decisions that are smarter than the orders they’ve been given,” (Card 95). This shows that Bonzo taught Ender many leadership skills and tactics even though he wasn’t a good commander. Ender learned from Bonzo’s mistake to improve himself in battle. He also taught the other launchies all of the tactics he learned so they could improve along with him. Even though Bonzo didn’t know it, in the long run he helped Ender a lot.
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Troop 9
11/3/2014 11:10:52 pm
Ender learns a lot about leadership and tactics from Bonzo. Ender notices that he abuses his power, and destroys discipline. In other words Ender realizes how not to act or how not to be a leader. In the text it says, “You fool Bonzo. You aren’t enforcing discipline, you are destroying it (Card 95). This shows that Ender realizes that being a harsh leader does not always work. Another lesson that Ender learns from Bonzo’s strategy of keeping him out of the game, is that sometimes in the games or in battle, orders have to be broken for the better of the team. As Ender is getting ready for bed, he reflects on all of the things he learned in the most recent battle. “A small reserve, held back until the end of the game, can be decisive. And soldiers can sometimes make decisions that are smarter than the orders they have been given” (Card 95). This helped Ender learn that he doesn’t have to always follow orders, and could go with his gut to help the team out, even if it means disobeying a neglectful order. Overall Ender has learned so many good lessons about battle and leadership in his time at Salamander.
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Troop 3
11/3/2014 11:12:54 pm
Ender learns from Bonzo’s leadership that you can use unfavorable conditions in your favor. As the text states, “Instinctively, Ender’s perception of these events changed. It was a pattern, a ritual. Madrid was not trying to hurt him, merely taking control of a surprising event and using it to strengthen his control of his army” (Card 77). The author also states, “You fool Bonzo, you are not enforcing discipline, you’re destroying it” (Card 95). When Ender first gets transferred to Salamander, the other kids in Bonzo’s army looked down at him, and did not expect great things from him. Bonzo did not let Ender equally participate in the battles, since he thought of him as a “useless, untrained, hopeless specimen of underdevelopment…” (Card 76). Ender learns from Bonzo’s tactics that his soldiers can not make independent combat decisions, and must obey all of the same orders from Bonzo, for every battle. Ender believes that Bonzo’s orders are too predictable and do not help his army win any battles. Against Leopard army, Salamander believes that they are losing, because the other soldiers are so unpredictable and keep moving (Card 94). Salamander does not realize that they are out matched because they are too stationary and do not notice the other team, so they give in and begin losing (Card 94).
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troop 8
11/3/2014 11:14:03 pm
Ender notices Bonzo is a great commander, even though this means Ender can’t participate in the Battle Room with the rest of the Salamander Army. Ender learns that he should always follow the orders given to him by Bonzo, because he is the commander for a reason and knows what he is doing. In the book Ender says, “I’ll follow all the orders you’re authorized to give” (Card 87). Ender also feels a sense fear of Bonzo, because he reminds him of Peter, “he was about to climb into bed when Bonzo came toward him, his face hard and set. I’ve seen Peter like this, thought Ender, silent with murder in his eye. But Bonzo is not Peter. Bonzo has more fear,” (Card 95).
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Troop 7
11/3/2014 11:18:34 pm
Bonzo would control the army, and Ender learned from this that you couldn’t control them like Bonzo had. The text states, ”You fool, Bonzo. You aren’t enforcing discipline, you’re destroying it. They know I turned defeat into a draw. And now they see how you repay me. You made yourself look stupid in front of everyone. What is your discipline worth now?” (Card 95). This is explaining how Ender didn’t learn any leadership and tactics from Bonzo. He just learned that Bonzo uses his harshness to make the other boys scared and make them cooperate and listen to them. He uses that as his way to leadership. Ender would observe the ways Bonzo led, and he would think of a better way that he could lead. So, for example, instead of discluding the new recruit, he could teach him and make him a better fighter.
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Troop 2
11/3/2014 11:18:55 pm
Ender learns a lot about leadership and tactics from Bonzo. For example, while watching Bonzo lead his army, Ender learns about battle strategies. “What have I learned so far? Ender listed the things in his mind as he undressed by his bunk. The enemy’s gate is down. Use my legs as a shield in battle. A small reserve, held back until the end of the game, can be decisive. And soldiers can sometimes make decisions that are smarter than the orders they’ve been given” (Card 95). This shows Ender realized that you shouldn’t always do something just because a leader tells you to. Also, Bonzo taught Ender about what makes a good leader. In the text it stated, “How did Bonzo get to be a commander...? Alai would be a better commander then Bonzo. He knew how to bring a group together. I know to bring a group together, too, thought Ender. Maybe I’ll be a commander someday” (Card 81). This proves that Ender learned what it takes to be a good leader and commander through watching Bonzo. Ender knows that you not only need to know good tactics in battle, but you also need to know how to get others to work together.
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N.K.
11/16/2014 11:14:26 pm
Ender has learned many things from Bonzo on leadership and tactics. For tactics, he learns about balancing out your soldiers per toon so that every toon has some good soldiers and some bad ones. “Bonzo had mixed them, so that each consisted of good soldiers and weaker ones.” (Card 84) I believe Ender learned most leadership skills from what Bonzo didn’t do. In other words, he learned from others mistakes. “A good commander, thought Ender, doesn’t have to make stupid threats.” (Card 86) Ender notes this to himself when Bonzo threatens to “paste him to the wall” if Ender gave Bonzo any problems. In the text, it proves my theory to be correct, “Just trade me. I’ve learned all I’m ever going to learn from you. How to fail with style, that’s all you know, Bonzo. What have I learned so far? Ender listed things in his mind as he undressed by his bunk. The enemy’s gate is down. Use my legs as a shield in battle. A small reserve, held back until the end of the game, can be decisive. And soldiers can sometimes make smarter decisions that the orders they’ve been given.” (Card 95) This shows that by correcting Bonzo’s mistakes, Ender has learned a lot about leadership and tactics. “You fool, Bonzo. You aren’t enforcing discipline, you’re destroying it.” (Card 95)