The Ugly American

Dexter Peterson works for the State Department in Washington, DC. In a letter, Sears tells him that the negative press about him in Sarkhan is false. He also tells him that he is concerned about Finian, who has recently arrived in Sarkhan and is already beginning to organize a new revolution. Sears closes the letter asking for additional staff members. He wants loyal people whom he can trust, including Joe Bing and “a few good looking girls as secretaries. They’d be a good advertisement for America” (64).

A man named Hamilton Bridge Upton speaks to a group of people who have responded to fliers advertising an opportunity to work abroad. Upton frames the opportunity in terms of the applicants finding a way to do their duty and fight Communism, while also seeing the world and visiting exotic places. 

Joe Bing also speaks. His remarks boast nationalistic slogans and promises that those who are hired will rarely have to interact with natives. He focuses on the rich social lives they will have, how many parties they will be able to attend, and that there will be no need for them to learn a foreign language. Joe Bing’s speech is more influential than Upton’s.