Public Service in "Greeneland"

Abstract

The essay examines four of Graham Greene's "administrative" novels.The focus of the article is on three basic perspectives that characterizeGreene's treatment of bureaucratic systems, in general, andpublic sector careerists, in particular. The central theme that Greeneseems to pursue in all of his novels-the persistent human struggle inthe attempt to attain a sense of authentic being-is developed withparticular effectiveness when he focuses on career civil servants andtheir organizational environments. His treatment of the public sectorserves to inform us of the ever-present danger of pursuing aninauthentic career in the service of democracy.