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Tom Pearson, Reference Librarian Special Collections Department
St. Louis Public Library
Missouri Library AssociationOctober 8, 2010
1
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About Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers was first published as a serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction in October & November 1959. It was
entitled “Starship Soldier.”
3
About Starship Troopers
The serial title was the editor’s choice: Robert A. Heinlein’s preferred title
was always Starship Troopers.
5
About Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers was originally written as a juvenile title for Scribner.
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About Starship Troopers
But Scribner rejected it, and it was eventually published as a young adult
novel by G. P. Putnam’s Sons.
8
About Starship Troopers
Heinlein began writing novels intended for the adult science fiction market
after this experience.
11
About Robert A. Heinlein
Served in the Navy for six years,first on the U.S.S. Lexington,
an aircraft carrier.
14
About Robert A. Heinlein
He never saw combat while in the Navy (some later criticisms of Starship Troopers focused on his
lack of combat experience).
15
About Robert A. Heinlein
In what ways did Heinlein’sown military experience
influence the plot and themes Starship Troopers ?
16
About Robert A. Heinlein
He did R&D work during WWII at the Philadelphia Navy Yard (he’d been referred to them
by Isaac Asimov).
17
About Robert A. Heinlein
Heinlein said that felt compelled to write Starship Troopers after
seeing a newspaper ad that called for unilateral suspension
of nuclear testing by the US.
18
About Robert A. Heinlein
Heinlein felt that Starship Troopersclarified and served as a defense ofthe political and military viewpoints
he held at that time.
19
About Robert A. Heinlein
Does Starship Troopersfunction effectively as a defense ofthe political and military viewpoints
Heinlein held at that time?
21
Plot of Starship Troopers
Rico enlists in the Mobile Infantry, and participates in an interstellar war between the Terran Federation and the Arachnids
(“Bugs”) of Klendathu.
22
Plot of Starship Troopers
It is narrated as a series of flashbacks,and includes discussions by
various characters of political theory and philosophical beliefs.
24
Plot of Starship Troopers
We learn that Rico comes from a wealthy family. His father objects to his decision
to join the Mobile Infantry, but cannot stop him from doing so.
25
Plot of Starship Troopers
Rico is trained as a Mobile Infantryman. We learn as the book progresses that it costs $500,000 to train, equip, and arm
a Mobile Infantry trooper.
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Plot of Starship Troopers
Johnnie wanted to be a pilot, because a girl he liked (Carmen)
requested that duty.
27
Plot of Starship Troopers
He is rejected for that training. His alternate choices are any Navy job,
then a job in the K9 Corps, and finally Mobile Infantryman.
30
Plot of Starship Troopers
Chapters 3-9 follow Rico’s training. We learn that only 10% of trainees
finish MI training.
31
Plot of Starship Troopers
The other 90% either resign; are expelled;
receive a medical discharge; are assigned to less strenuous duties;
or die in training.
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Plot of Starship Troopers
MI recruits learn to handle the armored flight suits they wear, weapons handling,
and how to safely make jumps from Navy ships onto hostile worlds.
35
Plot of Starship Troopers
Training is very demanding, and recruitsfound deficient in their performance
can be legally flogged.
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Plot of Starship Troopers
Rico is flogged as punishment for hisnegligent handling of a simulated
nuclear weapon during a training exercise.
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Plot of Starship Troopers
Chapters 10-12 focus on daily routineaboard a Navy ship in transit, and onthe relationships between officers
and NCOs.
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Plot of Starship Troopers
Rico decides to become a career soldier,and attends Officer Candidate School.
40
Plot of Starship Troopers
He receives more rigorous physical training, but also receives training in History and
Moral Philosophy (he had previously received somewhat similar training in high school).
41
Plot of Starship Troopers
Heinlein appears to be using the instructor in this course
(Major Reid) to provide uswith some of the author’s
own political beliefs and opinions.
42
Plot of Starship Troopers
Rico is commissioned a temporary Third Lieutenant, commands his own
unit (under supervision) during a military operation, and finally
receives a permanent commissionas Second Lieutenant.
43
Plot of Starship Troopers
The final chapter brings us full circle,echoing the opening scenes of the novel-
but this time Rico is in command of amajor strike against the Bugs
on their home world.
44
What is the significance of Rico beinghis own father’s commanding officer
during this major strike against the Bugs?
45
Characters of Starship Troopers
Juan (Johnnie) Rico.
Surname, Rico, means “rich” or “wealthy” in Spanish.
47
Characters of Starship Troopers
Carmencita (Carmen) Ibanez.
Surname is that of General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, army officer and President of
Chile, 1927-1931 and 1952-1958.
48
Characters of Starship Troopers
Major Reid.
Surname appears to refer to General Sir Alexander John Forsyth Reid, British Army officer who attended Aberdeen Grammar
School and University (veterans first take over civil government duties
in Aberdeen- Chapter 12).
49
Characters of Starship Troopers
Sergeant Jelal.
Surname refers to Jelal ad-Din, Persianleader who was the first Muslim ruler
to oppose Genghis Khan (with some success).
50
Characters of Starship Troopers
Camp Arthur Currie.
Surname refers General Sir Arthur Currie,a pre-WWI civilian who went on to lead
Canadian Expeditionary Forces in Europe.
51
Characters of Starship Troopers
Camp Arthur Currie.
He was widely considered one of the ablest military leaders on either
side during that conflict.
52
Characters of Starship Troopers
The Rodger Young.
A Navy ship. Name refers to a WWII Army reservist who was called
to active duty.
53
Characters of Starship Troopers
The Rodger Young.
He demoted himself from Sgt. to Pvt. because he thought his poor eyesight
and hearing would make him a poor leader.
54
Characters of Starship Troopers
The Rodger Young.
On New Georgia, he pinned down Japanese machine-gunners with
rifle fire and grenades long enough for his platoon to escape.
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Characters of Starship Troopers
The Rodger Young.
He was wounded twice by rifle fire,then killed by machine-gun fire.
56
Characters of Starship Troopers
Camp Spooky Smith.
Appears to refer to Staff Sgt. Maynard H. “Snuffy” Smith, an Army Air Corps ball-
turret gunner in a WWII bomber.
57
Characters of Starship Troopers
Camp Spooky Smith.
He put out fires, disposed of burning ammunition, and worked machine-guns
long enough for his B-17 to escape German fighter planes.
58
Characters of Starship Troopers
Camp Spooky Smith.
As Smith’s B-17 landed back at its home base,
it broke in half.
61
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
What is citizenship?
The political and legal rights and responsibilities of persons recognized as citizens by the
states in which they live.
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Major Themes of Starship Troopers
What legal responsibilities should citizensreasonably be expected to shoulder?
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Major Themes of Starship Troopers
What legal responsibilities should citizensreasonally be expected to shoulder?
1. Obey civil and criminal laws of their society.
65
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
What legal responsibilities should citizensreasonably be expected to shoulder?
2. Pay applicable taxes.
66
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
What legal responsibilities should citizensreasonably be expected to shoulder?
3. Register for service in the armed forces if required, and serve if called to duty.
67
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
What moral and ethical responsibilities should citizens be expected to
shoulder?
1. Participate to the extent possible in activities that improve civic
and political life in one’s local area.
68
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
What moral and ethical responsibilities should citizens be expected to
shoulder?
2. Demonstrate commitment and loyaltyto one’s government and
fellow citizens.
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Major Themes of Starship Troopers
What moral and ethical responsibilities should citizens be expected to
shoulder?
3. Constructively criticize the conditions of one’s civic and political life.
72
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at various times been granted based on:
1. Wealth/property
73
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at various times been granted based on:
1. Wealth/property2. Gender
74
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at various times been granted based on:
1. Wealth/property2. Gender
3. Ethnicity
75
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at various times been granted based on:
1. Wealth/property2. Gender
3. Ethnicity4. Religion
76
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at various times been granted based on:
1. Wealth/property2. Gender
3. Ethnicity4. Religion
5. Place of birth
80
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Suffrage consists of:
1. The right to vote.2. The exercise of that right.
84
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Types of suffrage:
1. Universal suffrage.2. Manhood suffrage.3. Census suffrage.
85
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Types of suffrage:
1. Universal suffrage.2. Manhood suffrage.3. Census suffrage.
4. Equal suffrage
86
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Types of suffrage:
1. Universal suffrage.2. Manhood suffrage.3. Census suffrage.
4. Equal suffrage5. Compulsory suffrage.
88
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at times been denied certain persons based on:
1. Age
89
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at times been denied certain persons based on:
1. Age2. Gender
90
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at times been denied certain persons based on:
1. Age2. Gender3. Poverty
91
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at times been denied certain persons based on:
1. Age2. Gender3. Poverty4. Ethnicity
92
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at times been denied certain persons based on:
1. Age2. Gender3. Poverty4. Ethnicity5. Religion
93
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at times been denied certain persons based on:
1. Age2. Gender3. Poverty4. Ethnicity5. Religion6. Literacy
94
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at times been denied certain persons based on:
1. Age2. Gender3. Poverty4. Ethnicity5. Religion6. Literacy
7. Mental health
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Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Citizenship has at times been denied certain persons based on:
1. Poverty2. Gender
3. Age4. Ethnicity5. Religion6. Literacy
7. Mental health8. Criminal convictions
96
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Crime and punishment.
Execution and corporal punishment are both legal in the novel, and appear
to be viewed favorably by the author himself.
97
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Military history and traditions.
Heinlein in the novel makes not so veiledreferences to numerous previous wars,
especially WWI, WWII, and Korea.
98
Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Military innovation and technology.
The armored exo-skeletons in the novelhave inspired real-life research projects
by the Department of Defense.
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Major Themes of Starship Troopers
Military innovation and technology.
MI weapons, tactics, and training have been studied by the U.S. armed forces:
Starship Troopers is still on reading lists at three U.S. military academies.
100
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
“Not a well-written novel.”
Some literary critiques hold that Starship Troopers is really just a vehicle
for Heinlein’s own political views.
101
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
“Novel is militaristic/pro-military.”
Some critics have called the novel “a book-length recruiting poster.”
103
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
Typical elements of a militaristic society:
1. Governed according to concepts embodied in its military history and culture
104
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
Typical elements of a militaristic society:
1. Governed according to concepts embodied in its military history and culture
2. Order & stability best maintained by constant preparation for military activity
105
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
Typical elements of a militaristic society:
1. Governed according to concepts embodied in its military history and culture
2. Order & stability best maintained by constant preparation for military activity
3. Military operations generally benefit society and its individual citizens
106
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
Typical elements of a militaristic society:
1. Governed according to concepts embodied in its military history and culture
2. Order & stability best maintained by constant preparation for military activity
3. Military operations generally benefit society and its individual citizens
4. Civilians subservient to soldiers
107
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
“Novel favorably depicts a fascist society.”
Some critics say the novel depicts afascist society, although its residents
appear to enjoy freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of conscience.
110
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
Typical elements of a fascist society:
1. Cult of action2. Emphasis on self-discipline/self-denial
111
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
Typical elements of a fascist society:
1. Cult of action2. Emphasis on self-discipline/self-denial
3. Contempt for weakness
112
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
Typical elements of a fascist society:
1. Cult of action2. Emphasis on self-discipline/self-denial
3. Contempt for weakness4. Rejection of liberalism
113
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
Typical elements of a fascist society:
1. Cult of action2. Emphasis on self-discipline/self-denial
3. Contempt for weakness4. Rejection of liberalism
5. Rejection of differences of opinion
114
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
Typical elements of a fascist society:
1. Cult of action2. Emphasis on self-discipline/self-denial
3. Contempt for weakness4. Rejection of liberalism
5. Rejection of differences of opinion6. Us against them mentality
115
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
“Novel depicts a racist/sexist society.”
Some critics feel that the novel depictsa racist society, partly because enemy
soldiers are called “Bugs”.
116
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
“Novel depicts a racist/sexist society.”
However, this criticism ignores the fact that Rico and numerous other recruits and NCOs have clearly ethnic last names (and women
are said to be the best pilots by far).
117
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
“Novel depicts a utopian society.”
Some critics feel that the novel depictsa political system that could not work
In the real world.
119
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
Do veterans in fact already receive benefitsnot enjoyed by all citizens?
120
Criticisms of Starship Troopers
Is it really inconceivable that national service of some sort
might one day be a requirement for suffrage/citizenship?
121
I hope you’ve enjoyed this class,
and that you’ll be able to startan SF discussion group at
your school or library.
You can reach me at: