Eye of the Needle Study Questions
Chs. 19, 20 Just skim. There are no questions for these chapters.
Chs. 21 -22
- What condition was Faber in when he woke up? What did he check for? (p. 194)
It was almost dark when he woke up. He saw the last streaks of grey being inked out of the sky by encroaching night. He was tired and slumped back onto the pillow. He was very afraid of being weak in his present condition. He was not afraid because of his profession. He checked his possessions that included the can of photographic negatives, stiletto, his papers, and money.
- Why did Faber tell Lucy and David his name was Henry Baker, not James Baker? (p. 196)
He told Lucy and David to call him Henry Baker because he wanted Lucy to call him Henry. Henry was the nearest equivalent of his real name, and he started taking an interest in Lucy.
3.What did Faber think about David and Lucy? Their looks? Their relationship? (pp. 197 – 198)
He found Lucy attractive. He loved the way she laughed and looked at her teeth and eyes. She had an oval face, wide-set of eyes, cat-like amber color, and dark hair. She had a fullish figure. He also found David handsome and had a very dark beard. His hair was nearly black, and his skin looked the Mediterranean. Although the couple was very attractive, Faber suspected that something was wrong between them. They barely looked at each other, and there was no intimacy. There was tension in their relationship and a deeper enmity.
4.What did Faber talk to Lucy about? (pp. 198 – 199)
Faber talked about London and asked Lucy why she came down to this island. He also discussed marriage problems.
5.Why does Lucy break the brandy glass? (pp. 200 – 201)
She was feeling tense due to her failed marriage, and when Faber provoked her about her future of finding another man, she broke the bandy glass due to Faber’s judgmental remarks.
6.What did the harbormaster find when he checked the boats? ( p. 207)
He found out that Marie II had gone missing. It was a small fishing boat, sixty feet, and broad in the beam.
Ch. 23
After Lucy and Faber made love, was Lucy in love with Faber or want to run off with him? (p. 217)
She was never in love with Faber or wanted to run off with him. She only wanted to have sex with him because he was a perfect man in physical appearance.
Ch. 24 Just skim it.
Chs. 25 -27
- Does Lucy feel guilty about last night? Does Faber? How do you know? ( p.227)
Lucy felt guilty about last night because she was not good at deception and lived by lofty principles. She was not comfortable about lying. She spent her whole day working at the stove out of guilt. However, Faber did not feel guilty about last night because he was very good at deception.
2.Where does David want to take Faber? Who drives? What do they talk about? (pp. 228 -231)
David wanted to take Faber to meet his shepherd on the other end of the island. David was driving the jeep, and they started talking about fishing, work, financial jobs, and wartime experiences. David also discusses the marriage topic with Faber and the nature of their jobs.
3.Who does Godliman go to see (p. 236)? What is Churchill’s final comment about Faber? (p. 240)
He goes to meet Mr. Churchill. Mr. Churchill’s final comment is as follows: “Don’t bring me probabilities, professor. Bring me Die Nadel.”
4.How does David try to kill Faber? (p. 243)
David tried to kill Faber using a gun. David also fought with him and also tried to run him over with his jeep.
- How does David find out Faber is a German spy? Does he know Lucy and Faber made love? (p. 246)
David searched Faber’s jacket and saw the negatives, which was the evidence of him being a spy. David also knew that Lucy and Faber made love.
6.As David is hanging off the cliff, what does Faber ask for? Then what happens to David? What does he yell as he’s falling? What’s Faber’s response to this? (p. 246)
Faber asked for the negatives of the photos David stole from him. After taking the negatives from David’s breast pocket, he uproots the bush David was clinging to, and as a result, he falls off the cliff. He yells, “no, it’s not fair,” and in its response, Faber says, “Not fair? Not fair? Don’t you know there’s a war on?”
- The theme (message) of this novel is social isolation and what it does to you. How are David, Lucy, and Faber victims of social isolation?
Faber is the victim of social isolation due to his profession, becoming a spy that allowed him to leave his community and his normal life. He was unable to develop relations with others. Similarly, Lucy and David wanted to run away and elope. They had to abandon their lives in order to get married and live far off on an island.