"Would You Like to Know More?": A Comparative Analysis of Robert A. Heinlein's and Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers

Abstract

This thesis revolves around Heinlein's sci-fi classic, Starship Troopers and its Hollywood adaptation. I focus on the crucial differences that set these two media apart, and the four main aspects I consider include society, the military, technology and the enemy image. I argue that Verhoeven deliberately satirizes Heinlein's hardcore militarism, thus opening up the flaws of such a futuristic regime.