Starship Troopers 2

Study Guide Questions for Chapter Two

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)

Friendship, Freedom, Coming of Age

Grammar Questions: (The Information of the Text)

1. What did Johnnie say he never really intended to do?

2. What was described as “the first completely free choice that anybody gets?”

3. How did Johnnie’s father respond to his announcement that he was planning to sign up for federal service?

4. What claim did one girl in Johnnie’s History and Moral Philosophy class make, which Mr. Dubois called, “an inexcusably silly idea?”

5. According to the story, “What is the moral difference, if any, between a soldier and a civilian?”

6. What role did Carmen intend to seek within the military?

7. What role did Carl intend to seek for his federal service?

8. What was different about the way the fleet sergeant received Carmen versus the way he received the boys?

9. What was the only way a person could fail the physical examination?

10. How long was a term of service with the Terran Federation?

11. After swearing in for federal service, what was the penalty if one decided not to return for duty?

12. What was Johnnie’s last choice for jobs within the armed forces?

13. What reason did Mr. Weiss give for not placing Johnnie in the K-9 unit?

14. What role did Johnnie get assigned in the end?

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

1. What did Johnnie’s dad mean when he asked him, “Do you know how to lead a pig?”

2. Johnnie said that Carmen was, “one of the nice things about being a member of a race with two sexes.” What did he mean by that?

3. Why did the fleet sergeant try so hard to dissuade Carl and Johnnie from signing up?

4. Why would the law prevent anyone from being rejected for federal service?

5. Why would they so carefully scrutinize documents and fingerprints to make absolutely certain to make sure they know who is really standing before them seeking federal service?

6. Why might there have been no penalty for not returning for duty after swearing in?

7. What should be inferred from Johnnie’s reaction to his “temporary roomie” who said he felt sorry for him?

8. Why do you think, ultimately, Johnnie signed up for federal service?

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

1. Johnnie’s father said, “So what is this so called ‘Federal Service’? Parasitism, pure and simple. A functionless organ, utterly obsolete, living on the taxpayers. A decidedly expensive way for inferior people who otherwise would be unemployed to live at public expense for a term of years, then give themselves airs for the rest of their lives.” What are your own thoughts about the value of signing up for military service? Do you think it is something noble and honorable to do or do you agree with Johnnie’s father that military service is mostly just for people who aren’t smart enough to do something better with their lives? Regardless of your own view, why do you think some people have the opposite impression of military service than that which you yourself hold?

2. When Mr. Dubois asked Johnnie whether he believed the textbook answer he rattled off; he replied, “Uh, I don’t know, sir.” What is the difference between knowing an answer and believing it? What is the relationship of knowledge to belief? Is knowledge a prerequisite to belief? Contrariwise, can we say we know something if we don’t also believe it to be true? Explain your answer with good reason.

3. As the story has made clear, not everyone is a citizen of the Terran Federation by birth, it has to be earned. What are your thoughts about the concept of citizenship? What does it mean to be a citizen? What rights, privileges, and duties should be attached to citizenship? Do you agree or disagree with the idea that citizenship should be earned and not merely given by birth? If you think it should be earned, what conditions would you set on its being earned? If you think it should be automatically given by birth, why?

Theological Analysis: (Sola Scriptura)

1. Johnnie Rico and Carl swear an oath to serve the Terran Federation, though Johnnie is told that nothing will happen if he doesn’t uphold it and walks away. Read Matthew 5:33-37 (and feel free to look elsewhere in Scripture about oaths). How should Christians feel about swearing oaths? Is what Johnnie and Carl did here the same as what Jesus was speaking about or something different? Explain your answer.