Santa Prepares Us for Disillusionment

Doctor Weekes: "Most children in America are subjected to a particular from of indoctrination from their earliest years, in which they are repeated reinforced in their belief of a powerful figure who does not actually exist. However, evidence is given to them to support that belief by stories to make the child believe that the whole world believes in this particular mythic figure."

Step: "You're saying Stevie's problems are because we taught him to believe in Santa Claus?"

Doctor Weekes: "On the contrary, I think Santa Claus is, by and large, quite beneficial. When the child is finally allowed or forced to recognize the non-existence of Santa Claus, then the child is able to go through the vital intellectual process of reconstructing reality in light of new evidence, complete with back-forming new stories to account for past events. This prepares the child for many other disillusionments and gives her vital and well-supported experience is maintaining her grip on reality independent of the stories told to he at any given time."

Step: "So Santa Claus is good."

Doctor Weekes: "Santa Claus is not usually maladaptive and can be turned to a good end. I doubt many parents have that in mind when they tell them the ludicrous chimney story."

Step: "No I imagine not."

- transcribed from Orson Scott Card's Lost Boys audio book

The Power of Story

"For the first time then, she caught a glimpse of what the power of speaking might be. It wasn’t a matter of confession, penance, and absolution like the priests offered. It was something else entirely. Telling the story of who she was, and then realizing that she was no longer the same person, that she had made a mistake and the mistake changed her."

- Orson Scott Card. Speaker for the Dead. Tor Book, 1986. – transcribed from audio book

I really like this quote and how it speaks to the power of story. I think Card is an amazing storyteller and is doing more than just delivering a tale to entertain us.

This book is the second in what is known as the Ender series. All the books have been produced as stunning audio books with full cast narration and sound effects. I highly recommend this series. The first book Ender’s Game is amazing and this second book is even better.

Everyone is a Somebody

“No human being, when you understand his desires, is worthless. No one’s life is nothing. Even the most evil of men and women, if you understand their hearts, had some generous act that redeems them, at least a little, from their sins.” Orson Scott Card. Speaker for the Dead. – transcribed from the audio book.

This book is the second in what is known as the Ender series. All the books have been produced as stunning audio books with full cast narration and sound effects. I highly recommend this series. The first book Ender’s Game is amazing and this second book is even better.