In the novel “The Quiet American”, which is written by Graham “Vintage” Green, follows a man called Thomas Fowler, who is a British journalist currently travelling in Vietnam. Thomas Fowler is aged in his fifties or so and his work has been covering the French war in Vietnam. Throughout the book Fowler becomes a greatly changed man, through meeting characters and becoming twisted in events. Fowler at the start of the book has no real feeling on anything, he is a selfish and an uncaring man. Initially Fowler’s ego gets in the way, which leads to him become someone who only thinks for himself.
Throughout the book Fowler is often caught in lies and sometimes there may be speculation that he is lying to himself. Fowler's relationship with Vietnamese woman Phuong often fuels the conflict in the story, especially between Fowler and Pyle. “You can have her interests, I only want her body. I want her in bed with me”, describes how Fowler’s attitude has not changed and that he is still only thinking of himself and not for Pyle or Phuong in this instance.
At the beginning of The Quiet American, Fowler is portrayed as a cynical and self-centred character. It is expressed that Fowler does not care for anybody but himself. He gradually sees himself as Pyle’s protector, “That was my first instinct to protect him”, this proves the fact that even though Fowler shows himself as a cynical observer, he is actually a compassionate participant in the events throughout the novel.
Pyle’s death could be a result of Fowlers attitude at the start of the film returning, as if he was being selfish and uncaring, thinking only of how he can get Phuong back and not caring of the consequences that may follow. Fowler realizes what would seem to be an alternate motive for him to lead Pyle to his death (killing him to get Phuong back) but he tell himself repeatedly that he did not kill Pyle because of this and tells