The Quiet American. Character Exploration

Fowler

Europe

Phuong

VietnamAmerica

Pyle

The Quiet American - Characters

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Thomas Fowler - British, journalist, married, older and experienced

• mature

• addicted to opium

• lover of Phuong

• says he has no opinions

• resists action

• hiding aspects of himselfHome

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Alden Pyle - American, CIA Agent posing as a aid worker, young and fresh from College

• young and immature

• highly idealistic and politicised

• romantic , but inexperienced

• reader, theoretical

• patriotic

• a friendly, quiet fellow?Home

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Phuong - Vietnamese, young, only sister to support her, dancer.

• looking to support herself

• no brothers or father, only sister

• enjoys celebrity and movies

• aims to please, serve, and be looked after in return

• only limited agency

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European role Britain, France - long history of colonial invasion and control in Asia

• France colonised countries in Asia, West Africa, and South America

• Britain colonists in India, Pacific, Africa, Middle East

• Britain learned before France to abandon colonialism

• Colonial forces frequently drafted native peoples to fight in their wars

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American involvement - First war of Indochina

• U.S. did not send troops to fight with colonial French

• worked behind the scenes to fight communism

• foreign policy shaped by domestic politics - McCarthy era

• U.S. did send troops to fight in the second Vietnam War, after the French loss to Ho Chi Minh in first war

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Vietnam - Called Indochina before the late 1950s

• colonised by France

• Vietnamese communist independence movement (Vietminh)

• Nationalist Vietnamese soldiers (fight with French)

• Americans and British fund French defence

• China / Russia fund Vietminh

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