Passage
She arose from the floor of the tower room and walked to the mirror. Ender made his figure also rise and go with her. They stood before the mirror, where instead of Peter's cruel reflection there stood a dragon and a unicorn. Ender reached out his hand and touched the mirror and so did Valentine; the wall fell open and revealed a great stairway downward, carpeted and lined with shouting, cheering multitudes. Together, arm in arm, he and Valentine walked down the stairs. Tears filled his eyes, tears of relief that at last he had broken free of the room at the End of the World. And because of the tears, he didn't notice that every member of the multitude wore Peter's face. He only knew that wherever he went in the world, Valentine was with him (Card 152)
Analysis
This passage illustrates a number of themes from the book. In one paragraph it illustrates the relationship between Ender and his siblings. He is close to and with Valentine, but Peter always lurks in the background and in Ender himself, and is never totally gone. The passage also foreshadows the end of the book. Ender and Valentine, symbolized by the dragon and the unicorn, are heroes. They have conquered and are going off to establish a new world. But every world and every person contains Peters. They will never be free.
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