One of the most useful subplots in Ender's Game for a writing class is also one students tend to skim. Peter and Valentine adopt the pen names Locke and Demosthenes and use them to shape political debate online. They are children writing as adults, and it works. That makes their story a great entry point for persuasive writing.

The pen names raise real questions about audience and credibility. Readers respond to the voice, not the writer. Students can study how each pen name sounds authoritative and why the audience believes it. That is rhetoric in action.

Start with the classic appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. Ask students to find moments in the novel where Locke or Demosthenes would use each. Then have them draft a short argument that relies on one appeal and revise it to use another. The difference in tone is easy to see.

This also opens the door to media literacy. Students live in a world where anonymous voices influence opinion. Reading the novel with that in mind makes the subplot feel current.

Writing under a pen name

A classic assignment is to have students write an op-ed under a pen name. They choose a persona, a topic, and an audience, and they craft a voice to match. The exercise frees some students to try bolder arguments. It also makes them think about how tone shapes trust.

• Establishing credibility without revealing personal details
• Choosing evidence that fits the audience's values
• Using emotion carefully without overpowering the argument
• Anticipating and answering the strongest objection
• Adjusting tone to sound calm, urgent, or authoritative as the topic requires

Connecting the assignment to the novel

Require students to explain how their pen name is designed. A short note on why they chose this voice and what effect it should have links the task to the book. It also gives you a way to assess their understanding of rhetoric, not just their opinion.

Have students analyze one of the novel's political passages before writing. Compare how the two pen names approach the same issue. That analysis prepares them to make choices in their own work.

Grading persuasive pieces

Focus the rubric on claim, evidence, awareness of audience, and style. Add a line for the reflection on rhetorical choices. Students should know that the persuasive quality of the piece matters, along with the thinking behind it.

Persuasive writing can be tricky to score because personal opinions get in the way. Applying the rubric one line at a time helps. A tool like GraideMind can do the same, scoring each criterion against your descriptors so you can check your own read.

Keeping the assignment safe and fair

Set ground rules for topics. Encourage students to choose issues that matter to them but avoid content that targets individuals. Remind them that a pen name is for practice, not for hiding harmful speech.

If students share their pieces, do it in class with names removed. Peers can respond to the argument without knowing who wrote it. That makes for honest feedback, and it mirrors the way the novel's characters operate.