The Quiet American
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The Quiet American
The question of whether or not The Quiet American is anti American or not is simple. If you choose to believe that our government would never dare to lie to you or would never do anything to deceive you and gives you all the facts without misleading you yes you would see it as anti American. I do not see it as anti American or pro American, instead I see it as a novel and a film that seeks to explore the fact that there are realities of war that we do not see or hear about. Take for example Apocalypse Now, the film sought to explore the gruesome realities of war and what the happens outside of what we hear about. We can also relate this to the current situation going on in Iraq, it seems that those who are against the war are considered un-American and those who are gun-ho about it are seen as being patriotic and pro-American.
It seems to be that Warring Fictions criticizes the fictions written about the Vietnam war and attempts to explain that there is great debate on how the literature regarding the Vietnam war should be perceived. It always seems to be that literary critics take a very conservative approach when criticizing works, such is the same if not more when it comes to the Vietnam war works. I have never really been interested in the war because from what I have gathered it seems that it was a war that should not have happened. I have noticed that on television and from articles Ive read in magazines and what not that people compare the war that we are in now with that of the Vietnam war, I wonder if literature and works that are done regarding the current war will be seen in the same way and criticized the same way as that on the Vietnam war.
I find it humorous that after The Quiet American came out it was followed by the Ugly American. It seems to be that when something is considered anti-American it is immediately followed by a piece that will be considered pro-American so that the moral of the county is kept at being for the war and not against it. Like the structure is threatened by the few that choose to go against the grain.
I personally really enjoyed the film The Quiet American, for the simple fact that it is a film that did in fact look at the realities that occur when dealing with war. In true Hollywood fashion though we do have the love story behind the main story. It seems as if it just wouldnt be a film without the female that seeks love from the males, but at first he cannot provide for her what she wants so there then comes a man who will give