The Hunt for Red October

Why does it take the death of his wife to convince Ramius to defect from the Soviet Union? Why did he not choose to leave the Soviet Union before his wife died? What criteria did he use in choosing the officers on his ship? What do these choices reveal about the living conditions in the Soviet Union during the novel’s time period?

Compare and contrast Ramius and Ryan. Ryan has multiple fears and flaws that Clancy explores in this novel. Does Ramius have the same sort of frailties? In what way? How do these traits make these characters multi-dimensional?

Red October is showcased as a state-of-the-art submarine at the beginning of the novel, but it begins to lose some of its shine when compared to a submarine belonging to the US. What are some of the differences between these submarines? What do the differences say about each society and about the author’s politics? With these differences in mind, why are the Americans still excited to see the technology in the Red October?

Why does the US President lie to the Soviet ambassador about his knowledge of Red October and the reason the Soviet Naval Fleet is rushing to the US coast? Why does the Soviet ambassador lie in response? How does deception help the US receive permission to help search for Red October?

What is the caterpillar drive? Why does it generate so much discussion in both the Soviet Union and the US, and what are the implications if it is successful? What advantage could such a silent drive give to a submarine?

How did the US place a spy, Cardinal, in the Soviet Union? Who does this spy turn out to be, and why does his position in the government of the Soviet Union make him valuable to the US? How does he demonstrate his loyalties?

Why does the US decide to contact Red October, and how is this accomplished? Explains the risks and the rewards of this action.

Why does Ramius make his enlisted men believe the Red October’s reactor is failing? How does that allow him to work with the Americans to get his the men off the boat without giving away his secret? What are the implications of the chain of events this strategy provokes?