Is there really a possibility of love in this novel? Fowler and Phuong clearly have a close relationship but is it love?
Even though Fowler doesn’t think that he loves Phuong the same way that he loved another woman, there are signs that hint that he actually does. “…wasn’t he perhaps a better man for a girl to spend her life with?” (pg 149) Fowler wants the best for Phuong, and he starts to think that Pyle is able to supply her with security and financial support. Because he wants the best for her, he was willing to give her up and let her go to Pyle, and this shows real love. The relationship between Pyle and Phuong is also a main part of the novel. Pyle claimed that he fell in love with Phuong as soon as he saw her at the Chalet, and when he danced with her he wanted to save her from ending up in the brothel, like many other women.
‘I had to tell you—I’ve fallen in love with Phuong.’
‘People do. When did it happen?’
‘I guess it was the night at the Chalet, dancing with her.’
‘I don’t think you ever got close enough.’
‘You know, I think it was seeing all those girls in that house. They were so pretty. Why, she might have been one of them. I wanted to protect her. (pg 49)
Pyle stated that he fell in love with Phuong, and that he wants to give her protection and security. Is this love? He instantly “fell in love” with her when he got close to her, and he wants to provide for her. This is a comparison to how the Americans always try to get involved with the Vietnam War and they try to help, but they don’t realize that their actions are not always useful. Another possibility of love in this novel is Pyle’s love for Fowler. Love can mean that they care about that person, and this shows throughout the novel.
‘And we can still remain friends, Thomas?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘I’ve said it before, I know, but I do really wish it hadn’t been you.’ (pg 148)
Pyle constantly worries about his friendship with Fowler and asks if they can still be friends after all this. He clearly values this friendship dearly and he wouldn’t want it to end. Pyle’s love for Fowler is also shown when he saves his life. Fowler has broken his foot and wouldn’t have been able to escape the attacks if it hadn’t been for Pyle. “He crept round to my side and hoisted my arm over his shoulder. ‘Couldn’t leave you,’ Pyle said.” (pg 101) Pyle risks his life to save Fowler, so this proves how much he cares for him. In this aspect, love does exist in the novel.
There are also parts where both Pyle and Fowler hint that they don’t really love Phuong. They have second intentions for being with her other than love. “I want her around. I want her in my bed.” (pg 123) Fowler explains how he wants Phuong for sex. He has also claimed that he does not love her.
‘But don’t you find the same thing with Phuong?’
‘Not the same, you see, the other one loved me. I was afraid of losing love. Now I’m only afraid of losing Phuong.’ Why had I said that, I wondered? He didn’t need encouragement from me.
‘But she loves you, doesn’t she?’
‘Not like that. It isn’t in their nature. You’ll find that out. It’s a cliché to call them children—but there’s one thing which is childish. They love you in return for kindness, security, the presents you give them—they hate you for a blow or injustice.’ (pg 95)
Fowler tells Pyle that he does not love Phuong because she doesn’t love him back. He says that Phuong loves him in order for him to provide security for her. This gives Fowler second thoughts about actually loving her. He likes the fact that he has an affair with her, nothing more because he is afraid of commitment. The first and main reason that Fowler claims that he likes to have Phuong around is that he likes her in bed. Another sign of “false love” is the relationship between Pyle and Phuong. Pyle has good intentions towards saving Phuong, and he thinks that by saving Phuong, he is doing a good deed. This is maybe a selfish reason because it makes him feel good that he has done a good deed for the day, therefore his love does not exist, and there is an impossibility of love in this case. Referring back to Fowler’s words, “love is a western word” hints the readers that love does not exist in the eastern side. There, women don’t fall in love, but they like the fact that they are with a man who can provide them with protection. Knowing this, Fowler is aware that he should not fall in love with Phuong because he would never get that back in return, and therefore he claims that he doesn’t really love her.
At the end, Phuong ends up back in Fowler’s arms. She is very happy that she is able to be with the man she knows and is comfortable with. Furthermore, Fowler is also glad that he is with the woman of his dreams. Is he happy that he gets to be with her and spends his life with her? Or is he glad to win her over his friend, Pyle, and gets to keep her as a token of victory? This leaves the story’s ending ambiguous because readers are left unsure of what happened and who killed Pyle. Was it Fowler’s great desire to win Phuong over?
Do they really love her? This question remains throughout the novel and it stays unanswered and unclear. There are parts and hints that Pyle and Fowler really have fallen in love with her, but according to Fowler’s words, this is just an obsession. It is not true love. Fowler wants her in bed, and Pyle wants to save her from the brothel because it makes him feel like a good person doing the deed. “The Quiet American” contains the reoccurring theme of love and friendship, even though it is not vaguely possible for love to exist in this situation.
