Pyle Character Analysis

Throughout the novel, Pyle is referred to as “innocent”. Greene portrays him such a naive character who does everything just to have a positive influence on the country of Vietnam as well as Phuong. He causes great trouble and harm because he thinks he is helping the Vietnamese people. Reshetova (2003) acknowledges that Pyle’s naivety and innocence trick him into thinking that he is doing the right thing and make him even work with General Thé to form a democratic Vietnam. Frankly, he doesn't know how to do things any better. He thinks of himself as courageous young man who enters the scene like a hero to save the world. Nevertheless, this is not quite true as he does not understand the consequences he is doing with his sloppy actions. For example, when he decides to bomb Place Garnier, he did

When Fowler says: “God save us always... from the innocent and the good.” (Greene, 1955, p.12), he means that sometimes innocent and naïve people do the harm and become evil, in a way. Pyle is young and his main problem is the lack of life experience, unlike Fowler who is very mature and preserved. His lack of experience is one of the main flaws which make him an intolerable and narrow-minded person. Burns (2007) adds that a lot of analysts have noticed that Pyle and Fowler display “the classic dichotomy of innocence and experience”. Pyle does not want to do harm, he has good intentions, but he does not know how to execute his actions appropriately. For example, in order for Phuong to be safe, he wants to take her to America. This shows that Pyle worships her physical appearance and not her Vietnamese culture and traditions. He thinks that the only form of life is the American one and he is consumed about the mission of bringing democracy to Vietnam. Because his ignorance, naivety and innocence have blinded him, Pyle thinks that all the things he is doing are for Phuong’s