Starship Troopers 10

Study Guide Questions for Chapter Ten

If you are looking for the beginning of the study of Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers then you can go HERE for a brief introduction. At the bottom of the introduction you will find the links to each section of the study guide as it becomes available. If you would like to see the growing list of available book studies available for free on this site you can go HERE. Enjoy!

Virtues/Vices/Great Ideas: (Find them in the Text)

Expectation vs. Reality, Providence, Fear, Loyalty, Happiness, Love, Leadership, Grief

Grammar Questions: (The Information of the Text)

1. What had changed from the time Johnnie “enrolled” into Federal Service to the time he graduated from basic training?

2. What item did Johnnie see some of the Wildcats wearing which he was interested in acquiring for himself?

3. What changed Johnnie’s life “enormously” though he didn’t know it at first?

4. How well did Operation Bughouse go?

5. According to Johnnie, why would it be ineffective to just blast the surface of Klendathu?

6. What happened to The Valley Forge while it was firing capsules in orbit?

7. What went wrong with the K-9 Corps?

8. What became of Dutch and “Kitten” Smith, respectively?

9. How did the Roughnecks feel about Lieutenant Rasczak?

10. What guard duty did all the men in the Roughnecks enjoy getting assigned?

11. How did the M.I. change their tactics against the Bugs after Operation Bughouse?

12. How did the Roughnecks lose their Lieutenant?

13. How did Jelly manage the Roughnecks after the Lieutenant died?

Logic Questions: (Interpreting, Comparing/Contrasting, Reasoning)

1. What did Johnnie mean when he said, “people who haven’t been out don’t really believe in other planets?”

2. What do you think was Johnnie’s opinion of General Diennes after Operation Bughouse?

3. Compare and contrast the M.I. against the Bugs. What seem to be their various strengths and weaknesses in this war?

4. Johnnie said, “Everything went wrong.” What do you think might account for why everything went so poorly during Operation Bughouse?

5. What did the earrings the Wildcats wore represent?

6. Why did the men respect Lieutenant Rasczak so much?

7. Why did Johnnie become good friends with “‘Red’ Greene” after he gave him a “medium set of lumps?”

8. Why did Johnnie feel it was better that he was there when the Lieutenant “bought the farm” than to have not been involved on that particular drop?

9. Why did Sergeant Jelal (Jelly) decide to run the Roughnecks as though the Lieutenant was still alive?

Rhetoric Questions: (The Analysis of Ideas in the Text)

1. Johnnie said, “if there ever was a time in history when ‘peace’ meant that there was no fighting going on, I have been unable to find out about is.” Define the concept of “peace.” What are some means by which people and nations have attempted to establish peace? What is necessary to be able to say that two parties (either individuals or nations) are at peace? How is peace maintained? Do you think it is possible to achieve and maintain peace indefinitely? Why or why not? 

2. Johnnie said, “you don’t win a war by defense but by attack – no ‘Department of Defense’ ever won a war.” On August 10, 1949 the U.S. Government changed the name of the Department of War to the Department of Defence. Do you think Johnnie’s evaluation about the nature of war is correct? If so, why might the U.S.A. have changed the name of the department? Do you think that our country should engage in offensive wars or only defensive wars? Explain your rationale for your answer.

3. What does it mean to be a leader? What are two examples of leadership from this current chapter? How does one become a good leader?

Theological Analysis: (Sola Scriptura)

1. Reflect on Luke 2:8-21. How did God extend peace to the world?

2. Reflect on Revelation, chapters 19-21. In the end, how will Christ establish an everlasting peace on earth?