Ambivalence and Otherness in Novel The Quiet American: A Postcolonial Discourse Analysis

Abstract

This research paper explores colonial discourses in The Quiet American by Graham Greene using a qualitative textual analysis approach. The novel is set in colonial Vietnam, presenting themes of mimicry, ambivalence, and otherness through its characters and their interactions. The protagonist, Thomas Fowler, represents the conflicted colonial mindset caught between detachment and involvement, whereas, Alden Pyle symbolizes American ideological imperialism. Their rivalry over Phuong, a silent Vietnamese woman, reflects the struggle for control over Vietnam and illustrates how colonial powers often use personal relationships to mirror political ambitions. From a linguistic perspective, the novel shows an imbalance of power where the discourse is dominated by the colonizers, while Phuong’s silence symbolizes the voicelessness of the colonized. Fowler’s irony and ambiguity contrast with Pyle’s idealistic rhetoric shows how language in colonial settings is used to manipulate, justify, and obscure intent. The novel critiques the so-called civilizing mission of the West, showing how it often leads to cultural confusion and violence. Ultimately, Greene exposes the hypocrisy and contradictions of colonial ideologies that not just tell a political story, but rather shows how language and narrative perspective are shaped by and reflect colonial power structures, making it a rich text for both postcolonial and linguistic analysis.