The Quiet American

The Quiet American

by

Graham Greene

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Quiet American makes teaching easy.

York Harding Character Analysis

An influential intellectual and author of The Role of the West, a book idolized by Alden Pyle. York Harding believes that the proper “path” for Third World Countries must be neither Communism nor colonialism, but rather a mysterious Third Force (yet it’s never explained what form this “Force” takes). Harding plays a huge role in compelling Pyle to use violence to enact political change—indeed, Fowler blames Harding for Pyle’s death.

York Harding Quotes in The Quiet American

The The Quiet American quotes below are all either spoken by York Harding or refer to York Harding. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Vietnam and the West Theme Icon
).
Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 1 Quotes

I liked his loyalty to Harding—whoever Harding was. It was a change from the denigrations of the Pressmen and their immature cynicism. I said, “Have another bottle of beer and I’ll try to give you an idea of things.”

Related Characters: Thomas Fowler (speaker), Alden Pyle, York Harding
Related Symbols: The Role of the West
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4, Chapter 1 Quotes

“No. I’m not so stupid. One doesn’t take one’s enemy’s book as a souvenir. There it is on your shelf. The Rôle of the West. Who is this York Harding?” “He’s the man you are looking for, Vigot. He killed Pyle—at long range.”

Related Characters: Thomas Fowler (speaker), Vigot (speaker), Alden Pyle, York Harding
Related Symbols: The Role of the West
Page Number: 159
Explanation and Analysis:
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York Harding Quotes in The Quiet American

The The Quiet American quotes below are all either spoken by York Harding or refer to York Harding. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Vietnam and the West Theme Icon
).
Part 1, Chapter 2, Section 1 Quotes

I liked his loyalty to Harding—whoever Harding was. It was a change from the denigrations of the Pressmen and their immature cynicism. I said, “Have another bottle of beer and I’ll try to give you an idea of things.”

Related Characters: Thomas Fowler (speaker), Alden Pyle, York Harding
Related Symbols: The Role of the West
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4, Chapter 1 Quotes

“No. I’m not so stupid. One doesn’t take one’s enemy’s book as a souvenir. There it is on your shelf. The Rôle of the West. Who is this York Harding?” “He’s the man you are looking for, Vigot. He killed Pyle—at long range.”

Related Characters: Thomas Fowler (speaker), Vigot (speaker), Alden Pyle, York Harding
Related Symbols: The Role of the West
Page Number: 159
Explanation and Analysis: