Valentine Wiggin
General Characteristics
Round & Static
What makes Valentine matter so much to the story does not change throughout the many years in which the book takes place. She loves Ender and wishes to protect him from Peter, all the way from the beginning when she saves him from a violent game of Buggers vs. Astronauts, all to way to the end, when she takes him to the new human colonies with her, to save him from becoming Peter's puppet on Earth. This desire to protect and lover and little brother continues, and is often the motivation behind each choice she makes. While her love for Ender at first seems like her only important trait, throughout the story, the reader discovers that she not only cares for Ender, but many others around her as well. Her intelligence is shown through her actions as Demosthenes, and through her feelings on her and Peter's actions under the pseudonyms, the reader sees thoughts and feelings that she possesses beyond what she feels or thinks for Ender.
Physical
"'I also remembered that you were beautiful.'" (234)
Ender gives the only physical description of Valentine throughout the book, which allows the reader to create their own vision of what she looks like, based on what they might consider beautiful.
Mental
"'Especially because of the letter I've put in my secret file in the library which will be opened in the event of my death.'" (13)
"He is dead, she thought bitterly, because we have forgotten him." (123)
Valentine is a smart girl, who thinks ahead with all of her actions, such as putting the letter in her secret file in case Peter kills her or Ender. Besides thinking ahead of her actions, Valentine's mind is often occupied with thoughts of Ender. She believes that she is the only person in her family who still thinks about him, and misses him.
Emotional
"Valentine, who still loved Ender no matter what happened." (245)
"But Valentine didn't like some of the positions that Peter made Demosthenes take." (136)
"'Now I want a chance to know the little brother I love, before it's too late, before we're not children anymore.'" (313)
Valentine's emotions revolve around Ender. Nearly every one of her actions throughout the story is motivated by her love for Ender, and nearly every feeling that the reader sees from her has to do with Ender, whether it be her loving him, or worrying over his fate. However, once she starts writing as Demosthenes, she begins to develop new emotions. She becomes frustrated with her writing, and because of the help that she needs from him, she also becomes increasingly frustrated with Peter.
Moral
"She found while she rarely agreed with Peter about what the world ought to be, they rarely disagreed about what the world actually was." (126)
"'I tell you that now, so that if you want to hate me, you can hate me from the beginning.'" (311)
Valentine has what most people would call "good" morals. She tries to kind at all times, and enjoys the ideas of peace and freedom in the world, unlike her brother, who seems to wish for total control over the world, regardless of any violence this would cause. Valentine, in addition to this, dislikes secrets, and encourages honesty, as the reader sees from her eventual dislike towards Demosthenes, and the way that she tells Ender that it was her who prevented him from returning to Earth.
Social
"'The biggest asshole,' Valentine said." (14)
"...Val could always see what people liked best about themselves and flatter them. ... Valentine could persuade people to her point of view." (127)
Valentine is a polite young lady who flatters people, making it seem like her only goal is to appear as an appealing person. However, she is actually a rather manipulative person, who uses her polite ways and methods of flattery to make people do - and think - what she wants them to. Her polite ways vanish, though, when she talks to Peter, who she generally treats with contempt, due to his opposing ideals and violent nature.
Round & Static
What makes Valentine matter so much to the story does not change throughout the many years in which the book takes place. She loves Ender and wishes to protect him from Peter, all the way from the beginning when she saves him from a violent game of Buggers vs. Astronauts, all to way to the end, when she takes him to the new human colonies with her, to save him from becoming Peter's puppet on Earth. This desire to protect and lover and little brother continues, and is often the motivation behind each choice she makes. While her love for Ender at first seems like her only important trait, throughout the story, the reader discovers that she not only cares for Ender, but many others around her as well. Her intelligence is shown through her actions as Demosthenes, and through her feelings on her and Peter's actions under the pseudonyms, the reader sees thoughts and feelings that she possesses beyond what she feels or thinks for Ender.
Physical
"'I also remembered that you were beautiful.'" (234)
Ender gives the only physical description of Valentine throughout the book, which allows the reader to create their own vision of what she looks like, based on what they might consider beautiful.
Mental
"'Especially because of the letter I've put in my secret file in the library which will be opened in the event of my death.'" (13)
"He is dead, she thought bitterly, because we have forgotten him." (123)
Valentine is a smart girl, who thinks ahead with all of her actions, such as putting the letter in her secret file in case Peter kills her or Ender. Besides thinking ahead of her actions, Valentine's mind is often occupied with thoughts of Ender. She believes that she is the only person in her family who still thinks about him, and misses him.
Emotional
"Valentine, who still loved Ender no matter what happened." (245)
"But Valentine didn't like some of the positions that Peter made Demosthenes take." (136)
"'Now I want a chance to know the little brother I love, before it's too late, before we're not children anymore.'" (313)
Valentine's emotions revolve around Ender. Nearly every one of her actions throughout the story is motivated by her love for Ender, and nearly every feeling that the reader sees from her has to do with Ender, whether it be her loving him, or worrying over his fate. However, once she starts writing as Demosthenes, she begins to develop new emotions. She becomes frustrated with her writing, and because of the help that she needs from him, she also becomes increasingly frustrated with Peter.
Moral
"She found while she rarely agreed with Peter about what the world ought to be, they rarely disagreed about what the world actually was." (126)
"'I tell you that now, so that if you want to hate me, you can hate me from the beginning.'" (311)
Valentine has what most people would call "good" morals. She tries to kind at all times, and enjoys the ideas of peace and freedom in the world, unlike her brother, who seems to wish for total control over the world, regardless of any violence this would cause. Valentine, in addition to this, dislikes secrets, and encourages honesty, as the reader sees from her eventual dislike towards Demosthenes, and the way that she tells Ender that it was her who prevented him from returning to Earth.
Social
"'The biggest asshole,' Valentine said." (14)
"...Val could always see what people liked best about themselves and flatter them. ... Valentine could persuade people to her point of view." (127)
Valentine is a polite young lady who flatters people, making it seem like her only goal is to appear as an appealing person. However, she is actually a rather manipulative person, who uses her polite ways and methods of flattery to make people do - and think - what she wants them to. Her polite ways vanish, though, when she talks to Peter, who she generally treats with contempt, due to his opposing ideals and violent nature.