FOA What is the meaning of innocence in The Quiet American?

[Yueykabuey]

If I were to analyse the theme 'Innocence' in The Quiet American, which extract would be the best one? & could anyone give me any exploration ideas concerning Pyle's 'innocence' or any good quotes? Thank you so much!

[Sandwich]

This sounds a lot like you've been given this task as work to do and are trying to get people to do it all for you. That's not how IBS works - we help you develop and refine your own ideas, give you hints, tips etc. but this is not a forum of free labour where people are dying to slave away on your behalf. If you appear to have no ideas or made no effort of your own, people aren't going to give them to you or feel inclined to help.

Some extremely simply common sense tips I have to help you do your OWN work more effectively are:

1. Identify where you personally have spotted the theme of innocence in the Quiet American, resorting to Sparknotes or similar sites for inspiration if you genuinely have failed to identify this theme at any point in the novel.

2. Go to the sections of the book where you identified this theme.

3. Read these sections. These sections where the theme of innocence occurs are unsurprisingly going to be the best locations for extracts regarding the theme of innocence, common sense suggesting that you should pick an extract which provides you with lots of the points you've thought of...

4. Explore your own ideas and what you've thought of whilst reading it.

5. Having read the book, find quotes which support your ideas. These will by definition be well selected 'good' quotes as they are going to be relevant to both your ideas and the themes of innocence.

It's not rocket science, it just requires a little bit of effort. Good luck.