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Mazer Rackham
Colonel Graff is one of the most complicated characters in the novel: a stern, callous bureaucrat who believes in the importance of defeating the Buggers at all costs, but also seemingly comes to believe that he’s pushing Ender too hard. Graff is instrumental in spotting Ender’s potential and convincing Ender to come to Battle School. In spite of his persuasive persona, Graff regularly uses manipulation and cruel deceptions, always with the stated goal of making Ender a better soldier. Ender comes to despise Graff for singling him out at Battle School and provoking the hatred of his classmates. His disgust with Graff grows after Graff convinces Valentine to persuade Ender to continue fighting against the Buggers. Graff is ultimately court-martialed for endangering Ender’s life, but he’s acquitted after he argues that his measures were justified by Ender’s growth as a warrior. At the end of the novel, he has accepted a post as the new Minister of Colonization—the agent of war and violence has become an advocate for peace.
Colonel Hyrum Graff Quotes in Ender’s Game
The Ender’s Game quotes below are all either spoken by Colonel Hyrum Graff or refer to Colonel Hyrum Graff. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
“So what do we do? Surround him with enemies all the time?”
“If we have to.”
“I thought you said you liked this kid.”
“If the Buggers get him, they’ll make me look like his favorite uncle.”
“All right. We’re saving the world, after all. Take him.”
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Chapter 3
Quotes
“Tell me why you kept kicking him. You had already won.”
“Knocking him down won the first fight. I wanted to win all the next ones, too, right then, so they’d leave me alone.”
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“They look at you and see you as a badge of pride, because they were able to circumvent the law and have a Third. But you’re also a badge of cowardice, because they dare not go further and practice the noncompliance they still feel is right.”
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Chapter 4
Quotes
“I won’t lie now,” said Graff. “My job isn’t to be friends. My job is to produce the best soldiers in the world. In the whole history of the world. We need a Napoleon. An Alexander.”
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Chapter 8
Quotes
“Ender Wiggin is ten times smarter and stronger than I am. What I’m doing to him will bring out his genius. If I had to go through it myself, it would crush me.”
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Chapter 15
Quotes
“We got the judges to agree that the prosecution had to prove beyond doubt that Ender would have won the war without the training we gave him. After then it was simple. The exigencies of war.”
“Anyway, Graff, it was a great relief to us. I know we quarreled, and I know the prosecution used tapes of our conversation against you. But by then I knew that you were right, and I offered to testify for you.”
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Colonel Hyrum Graff Quotes in Ender’s Game
The Ender’s Game quotes below are all either spoken by Colonel Hyrum Graff or refer to Colonel Hyrum Graff. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
“So what do we do? Surround him with enemies all the time?”
“If we have to.”
“I thought you said you liked this kid.”
“If the Buggers get him, they’ll make me look like his favorite uncle.”
“All right. We’re saving the world, after all. Take him.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 3
Quotes
“Tell me why you kept kicking him. You had already won.”
“Knocking him down won the first fight. I wanted to win all the next ones, too, right then, so they’d leave me alone.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“They look at you and see you as a badge of pride, because they were able to circumvent the law and have a Third. But you’re also a badge of cowardice, because they dare not go further and practice the noncompliance they still feel is right.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4
Quotes
“I won’t lie now,” said Graff. “My job isn’t to be friends. My job is to produce the best soldiers in the world. In the whole history of the world. We need a Napoleon. An Alexander.”
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Chapter 8
Quotes
“Ender Wiggin is ten times smarter and stronger than I am. What I’m doing to him will bring out his genius. If I had to go through it myself, it would crush me.”
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15
Quotes
“We got the judges to agree that the prosecution had to prove beyond doubt that Ender would have won the war without the training we gave him. After then it was simple. The exigencies of war.”
“Anyway, Graff, it was a great relief to us. I know we quarreled, and I know the prosecution used tapes of our conversation against you. But by then I knew that you were right, and I offered to testify for you.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
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