Conflict: Graham Greene and Pyle
Ideas of ‘The Quiet American’
Shades of grey
No one is completely innocent of inflicting harm on another. “I told myself again I was innocent”. Indeed it is the innocent who Fowler sees as more capable of hurting others of their ignorance, “They killed him because he was too innocent to live. He was young and ignorant and silly and he got involved”. Greene uses many symbols to this demonstrate these shades. Light being one, and the manifestation of an explosion; the Vietnamese people are ageless and often child-like in appearance, although Greene in no way infantilizes these people. Pyle is idealistic and strives for honour - he insists upon being fair, but we do not admire him for these heroic ideals. Indeed, we can see how dangerous and unthinking heroes can be - while they may be trying to help, they risk the lives of other people than their own. But nor do we admire Fowler himself for being a bystander - it is clear to him and to us that he must act to stop the heroic antics of Pyle. When Fowler is the victim in the love-triangle that dominates much of the narrative, we do not feel sorry for him, but understand that this is the last in a long line of failed romantic relationships that Fowler did not try hard enough to maintain. Inertia is as despicable a reaction to conflict as action.
Setting
The Quiet American is set for the most part in Saigon, which seems separate from the war, ‘I like it here. At home there are - problems.’ Much of the social activity - particularly for the westerners - is drinking and dancing. The dancing is a symbol of the thin veneer of civilisation and of pre tense. Fowler and Pyle are, naturally, very bad dancers. When Fowler goes out to the country-side, to “take a look at the war”, he contrasts the horror and carnage of the war with the softness of the natural light and the beauty of the landscape. It is in the country that Fowler is confronted not only by the war, but by Pyle’s declaration of love for Phuong. However,
Shades of grey
No one is completely innocent of inflicting harm on another. “I told myself again I was innocent”. Indeed it is the innocent who Fowler sees as more capable of hurting others of their ignorance, “They killed him because he was too innocent to live. He was young and ignorant and silly and he got involved”. Greene uses many symbols to this demonstrate these shades. Light being one, and the manifestation of an explosion; the Vietnamese people are ageless and often child-like in appearance, although Greene in no way infantilizes these people. Pyle is idealistic and strives for honour - he insists upon being fair, but we do not admire him for these heroic ideals. Indeed, we can see how dangerous and unthinking heroes can be - while they may be trying to help, they risk the lives of other people than their own. But nor do we admire Fowler himself for being a bystander - it is clear to him and to us that he must act to stop the heroic antics of Pyle. When Fowler is the victim in the love-triangle that dominates much of the narrative, we do not feel sorry for him, but understand that this is the last in a long line of failed romantic relationships that Fowler did not try hard enough to maintain. Inertia is as despicable a reaction to conflict as action.
Setting
The Quiet American is set for the most part in Saigon, which seems separate from the war, ‘I like it here. At home there are - problems.’ Much of the social activity - particularly for the westerners - is drinking and dancing. The dancing is a symbol of the thin veneer of civilisation and of pre tense. Fowler and Pyle are, naturally, very bad dancers. When Fowler goes out to the country-side, to “take a look at the war”, he contrasts the horror and carnage of the war with the softness of the natural light and the beauty of the landscape. It is in the country that Fowler is confronted not only by the war, but by Pyle’s declaration of love for Phuong. However,