Anthropology assignment

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The Quiet American is a film portrayal of Graham Greene’s famous novel of the same name, based on observations he made while spending time in Vietnam during the First Indochina War. It depicts increasing, covert U.S. involvement in Vietnam in the early 1950’s, more than a decade before the beginning of what we now call ‘The Vietnam War’ in the U.S.  The film is available on amazon.com instant play and other on-line sites.

 

For this assignment, you are required to watch the film carefully, taking notes along the way, and then answer the following questions. 

Questions:

1) Summarize the historical context of the movie, connecting it (the historical context) with our readings in the Heidhues and Fadiman texts. What I mean by ‘historical context’ is, for example, what is happening in Vietnam at the time the movie is set, what countries are involved and why, what is going on ‘behind the scenes,’ i.e., how is the U.S. becoming covertly involved in the 1st Indochina War, and so on.  

2) Early in the movie, after Pyle and Fowler have just met, they are walking down a street in Saigon and Pyle is saying that Vietnam needs ‘democracy.’ What is Fowler’s reaction to this statement, and who does he say would be elected if Vietnam had a democratic election?

3) What happens when Fowler journeys up to Phat Diem and goes on patrol with French soldiers? What does he see, and whom do the French soldiers blame for what has happened? What is Fowler’s response re: where to place the blame?

4) Who is General Thé, and what is Pyle’s/the U.S.’s relationship with him and his so-called ‘Third Force’?

5) After the movie has ended, reflect back on the character Pyle (Brendan Frasier). Graham Greene intended Pyle to symbolize America and American attitudes toward Vietnam in the 1950’s. In what ways does he symbolize America, based on your viewing of the movie? In your response, reflect on the issue of Pyle claiming to know what is best for Vietnam (and what is best for Phuong, who is meant to symbolize Vietnam). Pyle is said to have ‘good intentions,’ but he causes a great deal of harm. How can this be the case? Reflect on the image and caption I’ve included on the next page of this handout in your response.

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