Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- When it comes to the question of human nature, is The Secret Agent a cynical book? What hope, if any, does it offer us for the future of humanity?
- In his author's foreword to the book, Conrad basically says that The Secret Agent is the story of Winnie Verloc. What do you make of this? How might the events of this book revolve around Winnie more than Mr. Verloc?
- What is the book's overall take on anarchy? Do we find any positive role models in Michaelis, Ossipon, Karl Yundt, or The Professor? Do you find these people to be round or flat characters?
- Why do you think Verloc hatches the plan that he does? What explanation does the book give for the craziness of his actions at Greenwich?
- Why does Mr. Vladimir specifically want to blow up the Greenwich Observatory? What other options does he shoot down before choosing the observatory as a target?
- What kind of man is Verloc? Does the book have any sympathy for him at all, or is he a total monster? Please support your answer with examples from the text.
- How does the Professor tend to look at the world? How does he think of himself in this world? Why does he have such a big part in this book?
- Describe Verloc and Winnie's relationship. Is it a happy one, an unhappy one? Is there any love between them? Use examples from the text to support your answer.
- Why did Winnie break off her romance with the butcher's boy (whom she loved), when she was younger? How does her sacrifice relate to the rest of the plot?