“It is not a matter of reason or justice. We all get involved in a moment of emotion, and then we cannot get out. War and love- they have always been compared." Part 3 pg. 144
This quote describes how Captain Trouin has rationalized his role in the war, he is a captain of a jet and must make the violent vertical strikes. The violence that Fowler witnessed during the vertical strike pushes him to realize he will need to take a stance. Fowler, like Trouin, will have to make a decision about his role in the war and what side he is truly on. The “moment of emotion” is foreshadowing for the bombing of the square, the moment that forces Fowler to take a side.
“I too took my eyes away; we didn’t want to be reminded of how little we counted, how…show more content… At his most cynical, Fowler describes his relationship to Phoung as purely physical, telling Pyle “I only want her body. I want her in bed with me (51)”. Yet when Fowler is at his most contemplative he describes Phuong as an herb, “she was indigenous like a herb, and I never wanted to go home (7)”. Here Fowler compares Phuong to a plant in the ground - meaning that she has no choice about where she has grown up. However, Fowler is much more transient - he is not indigenous but Vietnam feels like home to him because that is where Phuong is. This shows how Fowler has a level of comfort with Phuong that is exclusive. Even though Pyle declared his love for Phuong outright, I feel as though he is does not value her as a person instead is more infatuated with the idea of her. When approaching Fowler about pursuing his love for Phuong he describes the moment he wanted her as an infatuation where in comparison with other beautiful women he would rather have her. This hardly seems like genuine love or at least the familiarity and understanding shared between Phuong and Fowler. Greene portrays Fowler as idealistic and innocent, making his motivations seem honest but this inexperience makes it seem that Pyle might not be able to deliver on all his promises to Phoung. Phuong is quiet and reserved and maintains a stoic facade