Janet Sonka
Mrs. Kniesely
English 1 – 4th period
8 September 2013
Locke
Original Source/Context: John Locke is an influential British philosopher and physician in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s. John Locke is widely known as the Father of Classical Liberalism and is regarded as one of the most influential of all Enlightenment thinkers. He was famous for arguing that the birth ‘right’ of kings is not supported by any holy grounds or by reason. While, creating his theory about our duty to obey the government, “he attacked the idea that might makes right.” (IEF 6) He believes that everyone should gain knowledge through evidence and formulate their beliefs according to the strength and weakness of that evidence. He highly supported the scientific method and opposed simply accepting the word of authority or common suspicions. He later suggests that there are natural laws which state that every human being is born with natural rights “to our own persons and to our own labor.” (IEF 8) The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution for the United States of America were developed around John Locke ideas of freedom, liberty and the self-governing.
Source Citation:
"Locke, John [Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy]." Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. IEP, 17 Apr. 2001. Web. 8 Sept. 2013.
Quote From Secondary Source:
“What surprised him, however, was the orientation of the two personas. Demosthenes is definitely the girl, but Graff says the girl was rejected for Battle School because she was too pacific, too conciliatory, and above all too empathic.’ ‘Definitely not Demosthenes.’ ‘And the boy has the soul of a jackal.’ ‘Wasn’t it Locke that was recently praised as ‘The only truly open mind in America’?” (Card 228)
Source Citation:
Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Game. New York: A Tom Doherty Associates Book, 1977.
Effect/Insight:
Peter Wiggen is an extremely hostile, power-hungry human being that was rejected from the IF-agency program for being the most unreliable and uncontrollable person the IF ever laid their hands on. He can delay any desire or longing as long as he needs, and could conceal any emotion. Peter isn’t insane, which makes him an even more deadly villainous character. He is a cold and calculating bully, and if the advantages outweighed the risks, a murderer. Still, his number one dream stated at the very beginning of the book is to be elected to office, but his greatest desire is to rule the world. When Peter creates the fake identities of Locke and Demosthenes he chooses to present Locke as the sensible, reasonable and understanding leader. He decides to present Demosthenes as an opposing crazy candidate in a long term election. This is explained by a conversation between Peter and Valentine, after Demosthenes receives an award, when Peter says “Turn it down,’ he said. ‘Why should I?’ she asked. ‘It’s no work at all..It makes Demosthenes into a respectable person, and-‘‘And