The Cold War is a major factor in this novel. Describe the many ways the Cold War made the subject of this novel possible and added tension to the plot.

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?