Final answer:
Ender feels a connection with Novinha on the basis of their mutual isolation and feelings of responsibility stemming from their past actions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristic connection that Ender feels he shares with Novinha is primarily their shared sense of isolation and the burden of responsibility. In the novel 'Speaker for the Dead', which is part of the Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card, both characters carry the weight of their pasts and the consequences of their actions, which leads them to feel separated from those around them. Ender, who is haunted by his role in the Xenocide, empathizes with Novinha, who also harbors guilt and secrets that isolate her from others. This emotional connection forms the basis of their complex relationship in the series.