Our book group choice for July 2003 is The Quiet American by Graham Greene. Narrated in the first person by journalist Thomas Fowler, the novel depicts the breakdown of French colonialism in Vietnam and early American involvement in the Vietnam War.
A subplot concerns a love triangle between Fowler, an American CIA agent named Alden Pyle, and Phuong, a young Vietnamese woman. The novel implicitly questions the foundations of growing American involvement in Vietnam in the 1950s, exploring the subject through links among its three main characters: Fowler, Pyle and Phuong.
The novel opens in Saigon in 1952, as the French are losing their war against the Viet Minh. Fowler is a British journalist who has been living in Saigon for several years. He is cynical about the war and the French, and he is more interested in writing about the local culture than in covering the conflict.
One day, Fowler meets Pyle, a young American who has just arrived in Saigon. Pyle is idealistic and believes that he can help the Vietnamese people by promoting democracy. He is working for the CIA, and he is planning to start a “third force” in Vietnam that will be independent of both the French and the Viet Minh.
Fowler is initially amused by Pyle’s naiveté, but he soon comes to see him as a dangerous threat. Pyle is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals, even if it means violence. He is also willing to use Phuong, Fowler’s mistress, as a pawn in his political games.
As the novel progresses, Fowler becomes increasingly concerned about Pyle’s activities. He believes that Pyle is playing with fire, and he fears that he will ultimately cause more harm than good. Fowler tries to warn Pyle, but Pyle is too blinded by his own idealism to listen.
The novel culminates in a tragic event that leaves Fowler and Phuong devastated. Pyle’s actions have finally caught up with him, and he is killed in an explosion. Fowler is left to pick up the pieces, and he is forced to confront the reality of the Vietnam War.
The novel is set during a time of great political and social upheaval in Vietnam. The French colonial government is losing its grip on the country, and the Viet Minh are gaining in strength. The novel explores the different ways that people respond to this period of uncertainty. Fowler is cynical and world-weary, while Pyle is idealistic and naive. Phuong is caught between the two men, and she is ultimately the victim of their political games.
The Quiet American is a powerful indictment of American interventionism. Greene shows how Pyle’s idealism leads to tragedy, and he suggests that American intervention in Vietnam is only going to make things worse. The novel is still relevant today, as it raises important questions about the role of the United States in the world.
Discussion Questions
- Why is Fowler so antagonistic towards Pyle?
- “Was I so different from Pyle . . .” Fowler wondered. Are Fowler and Pyle very different people?
- Does The Quiet American show that beliefs and ideals are always moderated by reality?
- Discuss how sooner or Later one has to take sides, if one is to remain human.
- How does the book explore the conflict between personal and public politics to show the dangers of simplistic solutions for complex problems?
- What is Greene saying about how easily high ideals can become corrupted?
- Does the suggest that violence can never be justified?
- Are all the characters victims in some way?
- Does Pyle deserve his ultimate fate?
- How relevant is the book today?
- Would you recommend the book?