The Quiet American Lesson Plan

Fowler versus Pyle

Kind of Activity:

Group Work

Objective:

Compare and contrast Fowler and Pyle.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3

Structure:

The central conflict of The Quiet American is perhaps not the war itself, but the conflict between its two main characters. Pyle and Fowler's conflict spans the personal and the political, the ideological and the sexual. In this classroom activity, students should try to delineate the differences between the two men – and while they're at it, see if they can find any similarities.

In pairs or small groups, students create a chart to organize the following information (students are welcome to do this on a piece of...