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Ender's Game Chapter 5: Games
The voices discuss the fact that the broken arm might overly isolate Ender from the rest of the school so that he cannot become the success. They hope the damage is not detrimental. Ender, by simply familiarizing himself with the bunk and locker systems, is again an example of excellence to the adults. This adult, Dap, was the teacher whose job was to be their "mom," as he put it.
It turns out that Ender's newest tormentor is that boy who broke his arm, Bernard. To his own dismay, Ender remains isolated. At dinner, in the mess hall, Ender notices the central placement of the scoreboards, and realizes that the team games are central to life in Battle School. There he meets Mick, a jaded older student who tries to help him: "I noticed you eating all alone... I think the teachers do that on purpose. The teachers aren't very nice... Make friends. Be a leader. Kiss butts if you have to, but if the other guys despise you-you know what I mean?" Chapter 5, pg 42-3 Ender decides he will not be the failure Mick has become, but he will not become another Mick either.
Ender becomes acquainted with Battle School basics - lockers, bunks, how to know where to go, how time is spent, mess hall, and the game room. In the game room, Ender beats a much older student (2 out of 3) in ender's first try. This indicates to Ender that he is not only equipped to be at Battle School, but that he is indeed a top-flight student.
Back at the barracks, Bernard has made life more and more difficult for Ender, and another student who does not follow Bernard's antics named Shen. Ender decides to undercut Bernard's power by sending messages via the desk system. The first is from "God," and the second is from "Bernard," though it puts Bernard in a very compromising position. Bernard's power over the entire launch group is then undercut, and he only sustains a small core of followers. Ender is happy, because he is no longer a target: "[Shen and Ender] laughed together. Ender's isolation was over." Chapter 5, pg 53
