Quiet American Morality

The American is a new man who is neither a European, nor his direct descendant. He is a strange mix of blood which cannot be found in any other country. The American is described as a person whose grandfather was an Englishman, his mother was Dutch and who has married a Frenchwoman. The American is a person who has left behind all his ancient manners and prejudices, and has received new ones from the mode of life he has embraced, the rank he holds and the government he obeys. A person becomes an American after being received in the broad lap of the great Alma Mater, and he becomes melted down into the new race of men whose posterity and efforts could transform the world in the days to come.

On the fateful May day of 1846, America, under President James Polk, declared war on Mexico. By the end of the war in 1848, Mexico lost nearly almost half its territory to the United States. Do you think this was justified? Taking another’s land through 2 long years of war? Is it worth it? I believe that Polk and Congress’s decision was wrongful for the following reasons: Polk had provoked war, [American but Amerishouldn’t] and finally the United States was committing a robbery by stealing Texas.

The reports in this novel are prefaced with a quote by Robert Shaplen, which sums up the feelings of those Americans involved in the Vietnam conflict. He states, "Vietnam, Vietnam . . .. There are no sure answers." In this novel, the author gives a detailed historical account of the happenings in Vietnam between 1950 and 1975. He successfully reports the confusing nature, proximity to the present and the emotions that still surround the conflict in Vietnam. In his journey through the years that America was involved in the Vietnam conflict, Herring "seeks to integrate military, diplomatic, and political factors in such a way as to clarify America's involvement and ultimate failure in Vietnam."

Of crucial importance is the different attitudes between Nguyen and Quang has towards the Vietnam War. Nguyen represents the traditional view that the Vietnam War was a failure on the part of the Americans, a mistake and pointless war that ruined the lives of many. What is surprising is Quang’s view. With an immediate and loud retort to Nguyen’s negative feelings towards the Vietnam war, Seol’s portrayal of Quang immediately grabs the audience’s attention. Quang is grateful for the Vietnam war, and “thankful for the American soldiers that gave up their lives so [he] could live.” Actor Seol aptly captures the spirit and sentiments of an actual Vietnamese refugee, and in doing so provides a refreshing and different perspective about the Vietnam War. Faced with these differing perspectives, the audience must come to realize that America is not a monolith, but instead composed of people from many different backgrounds with varying experiences, attitudes, thoughts, and

John, also known as John the Savage, is the son of Linda and his father, who are both members of Utopia. He was born and raised on the Savage Reservation. John is an outsider both on the Reservation - where the natives still practise marriage, natural birth, family life and religion - and the apparently civilised Brave New World: a totalitarian welfare-state based on principles of stability and happiness, even if it`s a happiness of a superficial and bland nature.

His narrative begins well before American forces set foot in Vietnam, delving into French colonialism 's contribution to the 1945 Vietnamese revolution, and revealing how the Cold War concerns of the 1950s led the United States to back the French. The heart of the book covers the "American war," ranging from the overthrow of Ngo Dinh Diem and the impact of the Tet Offensive to Nixon 's expansion of the war into Cambodia and Laos, and the final peace agreement of 1973. Finally, Lawrence examines the aftermath of the war, from the momentous liberalization-"Doi Moi"-in Vietnam to the enduring legacy of this infamous war in American books, films, and political debate.

I believe that the best approach to political culture is the moralistic culture because it best reflects the common ideologies of the United States, benefits the common interest of the people, and is a selfless means of government. The United States is based off of a common belief that all people are created equal and therefore should have equal opportunity. Moralistic culture focuses on the common good of the people, where as the individualistic approach is every man for themselves. In the individualistic approach the government is solely focused on the minimal amount of help it can give to its citizens. Moralistic government is the most beneficial form of government for the people. The politicians focus on what is best for state as a whole,

In “The Quiet American,” Pyle and Fowler are the main characters, and have many similarities, as well as differences. Pyle, whose job is unknown in the portion of the book in focus, has been in Vietnam for around two years, and has recently arrived in the “flashback,” portion of the book. On the contrary, Fowler is a reporter who has been in Vietnam for many years, and even says he does not want to leave.

In the book The Quiet American Phoung, the beautiful Vietnamese girl caught in a love triangle with an American spy and a war correspondent, is seen as a commodity, something to be bartered, without actually taking her feelings into consideration. She is treated as a delicate victim who needs saving by the men in the book but although it seems like Greene is portraying Phuong as nothing more than an object, he means for her to represent much more than that. Greene’s portrayal of Phuong as an object represents the treatment of the Vietnamese people in the hands of the Americans. She is meant to be symbolic of her country, both men, American and British want to possess her, much like the war raging in Vietnam.

The Quiet American by Graham Green is a story set during the Vietnam War before the United States became involved. The main character is Thomas Fowler, an English Reporter stationed in Vietnam. The story follows approximately six months of his life where he is faced with personal, professional, and ethical trials. The story also follows closely, the lives of two close friends, Pyle and Phuong. Each of the three main characters are from a different country, and they were used to represent it.

It is usually quite clear to distinguish what is right and wrong in everyday life; it is wrong to kill people, it is wrong to purposely hurt others and it is wrong to leave others behind. In life, most if not all know what they should and shouldn't do. However in war meanings of morality change. In the novel All Quiet on the West Front by Erich Maria Remarque, the meaning of morality changes as the immoral becomes moral because the boys now fight for their lives.

“An Episode of War” by Stephen Crane proves to be a fantastic way to illustrate the stylistics of the American Realist movement. The grit of the war and the formation of the blob army where each person is indistinguishable from the next provides a realistic view on how wars were fought during this time period. The way Crane shows off the world he creates is an intriguing fashion; a man severely wounded walking around with a battle raging on while he is pumping full of adrenaline. “An Episode of War” shows how a nameless character is capable of showing off a world with minimal effort.

How long can you sit on the fence and not get involved? How long before you're forced to choose sides? Thomas Fowler learns the answers to this dilemma the hard way.

In discussions of Nietzsche’s “Morality as Anti-Nature”, a controversial issue has been whether Nietzsche is correct when he states that religion and morality is based on “Do this and do that, refrain from this and that- then you will be happy!”(352). Nietzsche argues that religion is based on strict guidelines that you must follow to be happy because he believes religion teaches people to cut out passions. Others argue that religion is not meant to be read like a rulebook but more as a moral guide while readers can take what they will from the teachings. In sum then the issue is whether Nietzsche is right about religion inhibiting its followers by making them follow strict rules or if he is incorrect and all the points he makes are opinions without real evidence.

James Rachels' article, "Morality is Not Relative," is incorrect, he provides arguments that cannot logically be applied or have no bearing on the statement of contention. His argument, seems to favor some of the ideas set forth in cultural relativism, but he has issues with other parts that make cultural relativism what it is.