Graham Greene

These factors are reported more or less objectively by Fowler, a reporter who is supposed to be serving not a corrupt and corrupting governmental policy, but instead the truth, or at least the truth as he sees it. Complicating the relationship between Pyle and Fowler are two important factors. First, Pyle, before his death, has taken as his mistress the woman who was previously Fowler's mistress. Second, Fowler himself becomes involved politically in the activities of Pyle because he sees the bloodshed that results from Pyle's activities and determines to eliminate Pyle in order to prevent further destruction.

Despite these factors, Fowler is portrayed by Greene as a man whose reporting can be generally trusted. Perhaps the major reason that Fowler's account of Pyle's activities can be trusted is that Pyle is dead at the beginning of the book, having been assassinated as the result of a conspiracy between Fowler and a Communist leader opposed to Pyle's involvement in carrying out American policy.

Fowler, with his reporter's realistic &

. . .
s report, Fowler himself is still fresh from having participated in the plot to assassinate Pyle. Here Fowler considers the impact of the news of Pyle's murder on the politics of the region: Not that Pyle was very important. It wouldn't have done to cable the details of his true career, that before he died he had been responsible for at least fifty deaths, for it would have damaged Anglo-American relations, the Minister would have been upset (21). The cynical nature of this report is shocking not only because it comes after Fowler's participation in Pyle's murder, it also comes after Pyle's saving of Fowler's life after the latter is wounded Pyle's attitude toward the entirety of the Far East--that he and his democratic ideals will save it--reflects his attitude toward Phuong as well. Phuong is the woman who comes between the two men. She is far more worldly and able to take care of herself than Pyle believes, just as Vietnam is able to determine its own destiny. To Pyle, however, lost in the fog of his ivory tower, both the woman and her nation must be saved through his efforts. Pyle at one point confesses his love for Phuong, and says that his intentions are of the purest sort. He tries to explain the moment he fell in
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1619
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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