The Spy Who Came In From the Cold

(1) What do you think the title refers to:

·   Leamus refuses to take a desk job and remains out in the cold (spy world)

·   Leamus in the end becomes a human being, comes in from

the cold.

·   Leamus rejects his role in the “cold war” – ultimately leaving it

(2) Think of a couple of adjectives to describe the main characters as you imagined them.

·   Alec Leamus

·   Hans-Dieter Mundt

·   Liz Gold

·   Ashe

·   Fiedler

·   Smiley

(3)  Which character did you find most/least sympathetic? Why?

(4)  Why does Munt kill all Leamus’ agents in Berlin?

(5)  Why does Leamus tell Liz so much and put her in danger?

(6)  What did you think of the climactic moment when Fielder asks

Mundt how he knew about Liz’s lease? (p190)

(7)  On page 191 Leamus guesses “the whole ghastly trick”. Who is the

trickster? What was the plan?

(8)  Read the end again from page 200. Why does Leamus go along with the escape plan? Why does he sacrifice himself? And does Smiley want to rescue Leamus and Liz or make sure they are “removed”?

(9)  The main theme of the novel is betrayal. Which is the most important one?

    (10) What do we learn are the main attributes of a master spy? Who is the

           “master” in this novel?