Vietnam before Americanization

The Quiet American by Graham Greene is a terrific novel that ties together the political situation in Vietnam in the early 1950s with an involving fictional plot. There are three main characters in the book. Thomas Fowler is a middle-aged British reporter whose main interest in Vietnam is his lovely mistress Phuong, a young Vietnamese woman who is content to settle with whomever can support her. The third character is Pyle, a fresh-faced American man who has come to Vietnam to organize a "third force" to rid Vietnam of communism.

It is how these characters interact in the setting of Vietnam that truly makes the novel brilliant. Throughout the story, Fowler comes across as experienced but somewhat selfish and Pyle as innocent and almost painfully naive. Pyle arrives in Vietnam and soon falls in love with Phuong, and although Pyle does not seem to know what she wants as much as Fowler does, Phuong takes to him because Fowler's wife at home in Britain will not divorce him.

While these events are occurring, Pyle is trying to organize the disinterested South Vietnamese with his "third force" which he hopes will eventually replace the French who are currently battling North Vietnam. Pyle does not seem to realize that the Vietnamese are more concerned about basic needs like having enough to eat than their current political situation. At times Pyle's actions kill innocent Vietnamese. This leads Fowler to quote, "I never knew a man who had better motives for all the trouble he caused".

In the end, certain problems must be resolved. Will Phuong choose to stay with Fowler or Pyle? Will Pyle's blunders have any repercussions? What does the future look like for Vietnam? These questions, in my opinion, sum to a bittersweet conclusion.

Personally I thoroughly enjoyed The Quiet American because it gave an interesting view of the situation in Vietnam before America became so heavily involved in the area. I enjoyed how the novel contained elements of humor, mystery, adventure, and romance. This book does not drag along, it reads at a snappy pace and is less than 200 pages.

The only problem that I had with the book was its confusing chronology; there are flashbacks and fast-forwards that can be difficult to identify to the reader at first. However, even these jumps in time serve a purpose: to increase suspense and mystery throughout the novel.

I encourage you to read The Quiet American.