Tom Pearson, Reference Librarian Special Collections Department St. Louis Public Library Missouri...

Tom Pearson, Reference Librarian Special Collections Department

St. Louis Public Library

Missouri Library AssociationOctober 8, 2010

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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.”

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The serial title was the editor’s choice: Robert A. Heinlein’s preferred title

was always Starship Troopers.

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Why Starship Troopers and notStarship Soldier?

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Starship Troopers was originally written as a juvenile title for Scribner.

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But Scribner rejected it, and it was eventually published as a young adult

novel by G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

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Is Starship Troopers really a young adult novel?

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Heinlein began writing novels intended for the adult science fiction market

after this experience.

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About Robert A. Heinlein

Born in Butler, Missouri, and lived for some time in Kansas City.

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Graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy

in 1929.

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Served in the Navy for six years,first on the U.S.S. Lexington,

an aircraft carrier.

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He next served on the U.S.S Roper, a destroyer.

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Forced to leave the Navy after six years due to tuberculosis.

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He never saw combat while in the Navy (some later criticisms of Starship Troopers focused on his

lack of combat experience).

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In what ways did Heinlein’sown military experience

influence the plot and themes Starship Troopers ?

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He did R&D work during WWII at the Philadelphia Navy Yard (he’d been referred to them

by Isaac Asimov).

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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.

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Heinlein felt that Starship Troopersclarified and served as a defense ofthe political and military viewpoints

he held at that time.

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Does Starship Troopersfunction effectively as a defense ofthe political and military viewpoints

Heinlein held at that time?

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Plot of Starship Troopers

Novel follows the experiences of Juan (Johnnie) Rico,

the narrator.

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Rico enlists in the Mobile Infantry, and participates in an interstellar war between the Terran Federation and the Arachnids

(“Bugs”) of Klendathu.

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It is narrated as a series of flashbacks,and includes discussions by

various characters of political theory and philosophical beliefs.

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Why did Heinlein choose to tell Starship Troopers as a series of flashbacks?

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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.

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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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Johnnie wanted to be a pilot, because a girl he liked (Carmen)

requested that duty.

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He is rejected for that training. His alternate choices are any Navy job,

then a job in the K9 Corps, and finally Mobile Infantryman.

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He gets his last choice, of course— Mobile Infantryman.

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Why is Rico chosen to train as a Mobile Infantryman?

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Chapters 3-9 follow Rico’s training. We learn that only 10% of trainees

finish MI training.

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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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Fourteen of Rico’s fellow recruits die in training; one is hanged.

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What is the significance of

the high death toll intraining camp?

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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.

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Training is very demanding, and recruitsfound deficient in their performance

can be legally flogged.

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Rico is flogged as punishment for hisnegligent handling of a simulated

nuclear weapon during a training exercise.

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Why does Heinlein subject his hero

to a flogging?

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Chapters 10-12 focus on daily routineaboard a Navy ship in transit, and onthe relationships between officers

and NCOs.

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Rico decides to become a career soldier,and attends Officer Candidate School.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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What is the significance of Rico beinghis own father’s commanding officer

during this major strike against the Bugs?

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Characters of Starship Troopers

Juan (Johnnie) Rico.

Surname, Rico, means “rich” or “wealthy” in Spanish.

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Juan (Johnnie) Rico.

What is Rico’s nationality?

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Carmencita (Carmen) Ibanez.

Surname is that of General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, army officer and President of

Chile, 1927-1931 and 1952-1958.

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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).

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Sergeant Jelal.

Surname refers to Jelal ad-Din, Persianleader who was the first Muslim ruler

to oppose Genghis Khan (with some success).

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Camp Arthur Currie.

Surname refers General Sir Arthur Currie,a pre-WWI civilian who went on to lead

Canadian Expeditionary Forces in Europe.

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Camp Arthur Currie.

He was widely considered one of the ablest military leaders on either

side during that conflict.

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The Rodger Young.

A Navy ship. Name refers to a WWII Army reservist who was called

to active duty.

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The Rodger Young.

He demoted himself from Sgt. to Pvt. because he thought his poor eyesight

and hearing would make him a poor leader.

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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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The Rodger Young.

He was wounded twice by rifle fire,then killed by machine-gun fire.

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Camp Spooky Smith.

Appears to refer to Staff Sgt. Maynard H. “Snuffy” Smith, an Army Air Corps ball-

turret gunner in a WWII bomber.

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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.

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Camp Spooky Smith.

As Smith’s B-17 landed back at its home base,

it broke in half.

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Major Themes of Starship Troopers

Rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

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What is citizenship?

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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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What are natural rights and legal rights?

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What legal responsibilities should citizensreasonably be expected to shoulder?

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What legal responsibilities should citizensreasonally be expected to shoulder?

1. Obey civil and criminal laws of their society.

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2. Pay applicable taxes.

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3. Register for service in the armed forces if required, and serve if called to duty.

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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.

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shoulder?

2. Demonstrate commitment and loyaltyto one’s government and

fellow citizens.

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shoulder?

3. Constructively criticize the conditions of one’s civic and political life.

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Who should be eligible to become a citizen?

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Citizenship has at various times been granted based on:

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1. Wealth/property

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1. Wealth/property2. Gender

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3. Ethnicity

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3. Ethnicity4. Religion

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3. Ethnicity4. Religion

5. Place of birth

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Who should be eligible to vote?

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Suffrage consists of:

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1. The right to vote.

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1. The right to vote.2. The exercise of that right.

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Types of suffrage:

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Types of suffrage:

1. Universal suffrage.

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Types of suffrage:

1. Universal suffrage.2. Manhood suffrage.

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Types of suffrage:

1. Universal suffrage.2. Manhood suffrage.3. Census suffrage.

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Types of suffrage:


4. Equal suffrage

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Types of suffrage:


4. Equal suffrage5. Compulsory suffrage.

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Citizenship has at times been denied certain persons based on:

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1. Age

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1. Age2. Gender

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1. Age2. Gender3. Poverty

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1. Age2. Gender3. Poverty4. Ethnicity

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1. Age2. Gender3. Poverty4. Ethnicity5. Religion

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1. Age2. Gender3. Poverty4. Ethnicity5. Religion6. Literacy

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1. Age2. Gender3. Poverty4. Ethnicity5. Religion6. Literacy

7. Mental health

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1. Poverty2. Gender

3. Age4. Ethnicity5. Religion6. Literacy

7. Mental health8. Criminal convictions

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Crime and punishment.

Execution and corporal punishment are both legal in the novel, and appear

to be viewed favorably by the author himself.

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Military history and traditions.

Heinlein in the novel makes not so veiledreferences to numerous previous wars,

especially WWI, WWII, and Korea.

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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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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.

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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.

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“Novel is militaristic/pro-military.”

Some critics have called the novel “a book-length recruiting poster.”

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Typical elements of a militaristic society:

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1. Governed according to concepts embodied in its military history and culture

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2. Order & stability best maintained by constant preparation for military activity

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3. Military operations generally benefit society and its individual citizens

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3. Military operations generally benefit society and its individual citizens

4. Civilians subservient to soldiers

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“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.

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Typical elements of a fascist society:

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1. Cult of action

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1. Cult of action2. Emphasis on self-discipline/self-denial

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3. Contempt for weakness

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3. Contempt for weakness4. Rejection of liberalism

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5. Rejection of differences of opinion

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5. Rejection of differences of opinion6. Us against them mentality

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“Novel depicts a racist/sexist society.”

Some critics feel that the novel depictsa racist society, partly because enemy

soldiers are called “Bugs”.

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“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).

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“Novel depicts a utopian society.”

Some critics feel that the novel depictsa political system that could not work

In the real world.

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Is Heinlein’s society really all that far-fetched?

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Do veterans in fact already receive benefitsnot enjoyed by all citizens?

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Is it really inconceivable that national service of some sort

might one day be a requirement for suffrage/citizenship?

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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:

[email protected].

Tom Pearson, Reference Librarian Special Collections Department St. Louis Public Library Missouri...

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