Graham Greene’s The Quiet American is a story about love. The main focus of
this love is from Pyle and Fowler to Phuong. Through the novel Fowler and Pyle
battle for this women’s love, but the reality is that Phuong’s love is not
obtainable. The two men even speak of her in the third person, which reflects
their idea of her as an object. Phuong sells herself to the highest bidder and
is just looking for the best situation for herself. Phuong’s whoring
personality is seen through her relationships with three characters during the
course of the novel. In Phuong’s relationship with Fowler she is treated like
a prostitute. Fowler’s relationship with Phuong is built on sex. “ ‘I
don’t care that for her interests. I only want her body. I want her in bed
with me. I’d rather ruin her and sleep with her than, than . . . look after
her damned interests,’ ” (p 59). While he does later express an interest to
divorce his wife and marry Phuong this interest only arose out of the
possibility of losing her in bed. Fowler doesn’t want a deep relationship, he
just wants security and to feel comfortable. This is seen in his conversation
with Pyle in the tower. “ ‘I just don’t want to be alone in my last
decade, that’s all,’ ” (p 104). Fowler would rather be with a woman that
he didn’t love than have to be alone. Phuong provides an easy woman to obtain
with little emotional involvement. Fowler just flat out uses Phuong as one would
a prostitute. He takes sex from her and a sense of security. All this is in
exchange for sustaining her lifestyle. Fowler’s and Phuong’s needs
compliment each others, but Pyle provides a more enterprising opportunity for
Phuong. In her relationship with Pyle she shows how willing she is to sell
herself. She goes behind Fowler, who is the man she is with, to pursue
possibilities with Pyle. While never directly said it can be inferred from the
passage where Pyle recognizes Phuong’s footsteps and the passage where the two
look as if they have just parted from kiss. It is not possible for her to have
true emotions for Fowler and be out with Pyle behind Fowler’s back. She
pursues Pyle for his money and her desire to see the American “skyscrapers”,
not for the love that Pyle hopes to receive. Phuong used Pyle and never had any
true feelings for him. Fowler realizes this the night that Pyle is murdered and
he is taking opium hits with Phuong. He sees her lack of pain from the loss of
Pyle and questions if he was “ ‘the only one who really cared for Pyle?’
” (p 22). The whole time Pyle was pursuing a girl who had no feelings for him.
When his material possessions were no longer obtainable Pyle was cleaned from
Phuong’s mind. In this relationship Phuong’s tendency towards selling
herself is most easily seen, but it is her sister that allows for an outside
view on her prostitution. Phuong’s sister can be seen as a pimp in her
dealings with Phuong. In Miss Hei’s first meeting with Pyle the only thing she
is interested in is how much money and authority he has in the United States.
Fowler notices this and comments “ ‘It sounds as though you were examining
Mr. Pyle’s marriageability,’ ” (p 42). This was exactly what Miss Hei was
doing. Miss Hei sees Pyle as a more beneficial option than Fowler and attempts
to set up a meeting without his presence. “ ‘Then you must come and have
dinner with me and my sister when Monsieur Fowler is gone,’ ” (p 43). Miss
Hei’s interest in her sister’s affairs has nothing to do with Phuong’s
happiness. She is only looking for the man with more money. Miss Hei sells her
sisters body for money, which would in turn make Miss Hei a pimp and Phuong a
prostitute. While Phuong can be deemed a prostitute, it does not have to be seen
in a negative light. Her selling of herself comes from necessity and culture.
“ ‘It [love] isn’t in their nature. You will find that out. It’s a cliché
to call them children – but there is one thing which is childish. They love
you in return for kindness, security and the presents you give them,’ ” (p
104). Phuong doesn’t mean to sell herself, but it is just the only “love”
she knows. This is justified by the fact that when a person’s basic needs for
survival aren’t met they can’t be concerned with issues such as love. Phuong
is using the men in her life as a means of survival. From the outside it could
be looked down upon, but there is no other option for her. If she did not use
individual men she would have to become on of the girls that Granger fraternizes
with and use multiple men. Ignoring the number of men she still sells her body
for money. Phuong uses individual prostitution as a necessary means for survival
as it is safe for her, regardless of those around her it may.