The Recruit

Explore how the missions included in The Recruit would have gone differently with adult agents rather than children. What benefits and drawbacks do CHERUB agents experience as a result of their age? Based on how the missions end, does CHERUB seem like it could be a functioning part of real-world intelligence organizations? Why or why not?

What is the point of the jellyfish trick in Chapter 25? Does this add anything to basic training? If so, what? If not, why did Robert Muchamore include it, and what does it show about the instructors and recruits?

Analyze James’s character development from spoiled to arrogant to uncertain about his role as a CHERUB agent. How does Muchamore’s timeline of events set James up for this transformation? Does James’s emotional growth feel realistic for what he experiences throughout the book?

Explore the evolution of Fort Harmony from its inception to the place James experiences in the book. Does the fort and its people still stand for its initial mission to save the environment from the effects of capitalism? If so, what about Fort Harmony in the story present shows it is still an environmental stronghold? If not, how has the cause been lost, and what would be required to get it back? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Compare and contrast the actions of Help Earth and the oil executives, including an analysis of passive versus active harm. Is one group more damaging than the other? If so, which, and how do they do more harm than the other? If not, why are both groups equally harmful?

Using the ideas discussed in Making Difficult Choices, choose three decisions James makes in The Recruit and explore what made each one difficult. How does James’s decision-making process and the outcome of these decisions inform his character arc and help him grow?

Using the exploration of extremist messaging and actions in The Recruit, draw parallels to current events, the use of media, and the actions of world leaders. What messages and lessons from the book offer solutions for finding moderate rather than extreme solutions? Does James’s character arc offer guidance for approaching problems from multiple angles? Why or why not?

Through James’s character arc, explore the link between growth and responsibility. How does James change as he learns to take responsibility for his actions? Do these changes make him a better person or spy? Why or why not? Support your answer with evidence from the text.