The Ugly American
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21
Themes
All Themes The Failure of the American Foreign Service Communism vs. Capitalism Grassroots Development Self-Interested Philanthropy Racism and Cultural Insensitivity
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Gilbert MacWhite Homer Atkins Louis Sears James “Tex” Wolchek Thomas Knox Monet John Colvin Louis Krupitzyn Father Finian Edwin B. Hillandale George Swift Prince Ngong Deong Ruth Jyoti Solomon Asch Boning Emma Atkins Jeepo Senator Jonathan Brown U Maung Swe Arthur Alexander Gray Dr. Hans Barre Joe Bing Bob Maile Marie MacIntosh Li Pang Jim Davis
Terms
All Terms Sarkhan / Sarkhanese
Symbols
All Symbols Ugliness
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The Ugly American

by

Eugene Burdick and William J. Lederer
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Joe Bing Character Analysis

Joe Bing is a member of the foreign service, a loud, boisterous, quintessential American. Although most Americans love Joe Bing, Jyoti remarks that most Asians find him overly loud and culturally insensitive. He does not try to learn any local languages, he throws wild and disruptive parties, and he belittles non-white non-Americans. Bing serves as a public information officer in several countries before ultimately succeeding Gilbert MacWhite as Ambassador to Sarkhan.

Joe Bing Quotes in The Ugly American

The The Ugly American quotes below are all either spoken by Joe Bing or refer to Joe Bing. 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:
The Failure of the American Foreign Service Theme Icon
).
Chapter 4 Quotes

“But you have to know Joe Bing. He’s six feet tall, fat, wears Tattersall checked vests. Lots of charm. […] I can remember him sitting in the café at he Hotel Montaigne. Nodded to everyone who went by…”

“Nodded to everyone who was European, Caucasian, western-educated, and decently dressed,” Miss Jyoti said coldly. “I know the bastard now. He drives a big red convertible that he slews around corners and over sidewalks. And he’s got exactly the kind of loud and silly laugh that every Asian is embarrassed to hear.”

Related Characters: Ruth Jyoti (speaker), Joseph Rivers (speaker), Joe Bing
The Failure of the American Foreign Service Theme Icon
Racism and Cultural Insensitivity Theme Icon
Page Number: 57
Explanation and Analysis:
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Joe Bing Quotes in The Ugly American

The The Ugly American quotes below are all either spoken by Joe Bing or refer to Joe Bing. 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:
The Failure of the American Foreign Service Theme Icon
).
Chapter 4 Quotes

“But you have to know Joe Bing. He’s six feet tall, fat, wears Tattersall checked vests. Lots of charm. […] I can remember him sitting in the café at he Hotel Montaigne. Nodded to everyone who went by…”

“Nodded to everyone who was European, Caucasian, western-educated, and decently dressed,” Miss Jyoti said coldly. “I know the bastard now. He drives a big red convertible that he slews around corners and over sidewalks. And he’s got exactly the kind of loud and silly laugh that every Asian is embarrassed to hear.”

Related Characters: Ruth Jyoti (speaker), Joseph Rivers (speaker), Joe Bing
The Failure of the American Foreign Service Theme Icon
Racism and Cultural Insensitivity Theme Icon
Page Number: 57
Explanation and Analysis:
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