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Understanding Loyalty, Trust, and Deception Through an Analysis of Jack Ryan in Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for Red October and Its 1990 Film Adaptation Rachel Collins FYSE Espionage in Film and Fiction 13 December 2014 !1 In his debut 1984 novel The Hunt for Red October, Tom Clancy introduces the character of Jack Ryan as a CIA analyst and protagonist that classically upholds the fictional spy agent’s values of trust and loyalty, as defined by Alan Wolfe in his article “On Loyalty.” Ryan, not an agent, but rather an analyst for the CIA, is thrown into the world of spies and proves his capability through his balanced loyalties, intelligent trust, and straightforward actions. This thrilling character was easily transformed into an unforgettable hero both through Clancy’s novel and its 1990 film adaptation. In both the novel and film, through constant internal and external conflicts concerning trust and loyalty, Jack Ryan expresses the needlessness of deception and what it means to be a spy in a fictional story. To further examine Jack Ryan as a fictional spy character, the definition of loyalty must first be explored so it can be applied to him as a CIA agent. For this, Alan Wolfe, political scientist and sociologist on the faculty of Boston College, in his article “On Loyalty” successfully outlines a thorough definition of the concept of loyalty that will be used throughout this paper. Wolfe argues, “Loyalty is an important virtue because honoring it establishes that there is something in the world more important than our immediate instincts and desires” (48). He goes on to specify: “A loyal person must triumph over his own nature” (54). As a result, loyalty is defined by Wolfe and throughout this paper as an unselfish motivation for supporting something outside of oneself. Loyalty is necessary for the success of the nation, or family, or any entity deserving of said loyalty. Throughout this paper, Jack Ryan’s loyalties will be explored to determine how he embodies this definition of loyalty, and what this says about his character as a spy and everyday individual. !2 Applying the characteristic of loyalty as Wolfe defines it to Jack Ryan’s character, Ryan’s loyalties are introduced from the beginning of the novel as an attentive, unselfish balance between his commitment to his family and to his country. Ryan’s first introduction in Clancy’s novel, The Hunt for Red October, is working at his desk at home, talking to his daughter about Christmas, during which the narrator explains, “Work didn’t appeal to him this Saturday morning. He decided to play with his kids. After all, he’d be stuck in Washington for much of the coming week” (Clancy 32). Knowing he would have to focus his commitment to his country in the future, Ryan loyally is committed to his family while he can be. This concept is continuously repeated throughout the novel. At the end, when Ryan is in the Red October, chasing after a GRU agent trying to destroy the sub, he steadfastly commits to fighting for his life because, as he says, “I have a wife and two kids, and if I don’t get to him fast, I’ll sure as hell lose them” (479). Even when his life is in danger, the success of Ryan in this life-or-death fight is based on his loyalty to family and will to survive for their sake. In his article about loyalty, Wolfe makes the excellent point: “When we are loyal, we stay put, determined to fight for improvements in the situations” (48). Ryan, loyal to his family, does not give up, instead choosing to fight for his right to live and remain with his family, proving that although he is a CIA spy, his family is still in the forefront of his mind. Although extremely devoted to his family, Ryan is not blinded by this single commitment. Instead, he maintains a balance between both loyalty to his family and to his country, the United States, through his work for the CIA and dedication to the mission. The next location Ryan is depicted in the novel at is the mission control of CIA in Virginia, where a higher-up insults him as working too closely with the English (Clancy 67). The narrator clarifies !3 Ryan’s loyalty: “He liked the English, liked working with their intelligence community, but he knew what country he came from” (67). This illuminates that Ryan is resolutely committed to his country and is insulted when others question his loyalty. Furthermore, at the end of the novel, when Ryan discovers that the CIA needs him at the last second to negotiate with Captain Ramius in the Red October, Ryan accepts this mission unhesitatingly (445). Again, this demonstrates Ryan’s unquestionable loyalty to the United States and his dedication to dutifully serving his country for the greater good, despite personal qualms. Thus far, Ryan’s two most distinct loyalties have been examined, but not compared. The significance of Ryan’s loyalties lies in his balance of commitment between family and country. Returning to Wolfe and his article “On Loyalty,” the modern idea of the interaction between loyalties is described: “The question is how we balance them, not how we choose between them” (52). As a result, it is not how Ryan chooses between his family and country, but how he creates harmony between them and why that makes him an effective spy and reliable individual. In multiple scenes in the novel, when talking to a new character, the first conversation often shifts from colloquial to formal. For example, when talking to Admiral Greer at CIA headquarters, the conversation quickly transfers from talking about Ryan’s daughter, Sally, to discussing photographs of the new Soviet missile submarine (67). The seamless flow between these two commitments of Ryan’s portrays his ability to balance his loyalty to his family and loyalty to his job and country. This balance is what makes him a successful spy, not blindly overcommitted to either his country or his family. Loyalty, however, is more than a one way commitment. It is a reciprocated idea that relies on mutual trust between individuals and organizations greater than the individual. Again, Wolfe’s !4 arguments are addressed about the relationship between loyalty and trust: “We have to trust people to find their own sense of loyalty, even when we believe they do not value loyalty enough” (56). Thus, loyalty and trust are strongly interconnected. For example, Ryan earns the trust of his superiors through his own loyalty. The narrator expresses Greer’s thoughts about Ryan: “Ryan could not be bought, bribed, or bullied” (73). Ryan’s obvious dedication to his country is clearly appreciated by his superiors, and thus they return his loyalty with their trust. As a result, the CIA in Clancy’s novel is successful as an organization. Ryan not only earns the confidence of his superiors, but also proves his innate trustworthiness as a character throughout the novel because he is blunt, speaks what he thinks, and has a blatant lack of deception, unlike the typical fictional spy. For example, the president trusts Ryan because the latter gives his unvarnished opinion, despite its controversiality; Ryan theorizes that Ramius is defecting to the United States, and freely gives his judgement that they should capture the sub, the Red October (149). Unlike the rest of the CIA and other upper-level officials, Ryan thinks uniquely and is not afraid to disagree with others. This frankness makes him a trustworthy figure in the eyes of his superiors. In fact, his non-deceptive character makes him a more loyal spy and this is why he is a bestselling character and an excellent spy, albeit a fictional one. Ryan’s genuine trustworthiness is displayed in his lack of deceit, depicting him as a relatable, ingenuous spy hero in Clancy’s fictional novel. Ryan is compelling as a protagonist because he has a clear lack of deceptive qualities, representing his honest, truthful nature. When first acting as a spy, Ryan is ‘disguised’ in the uniform of a navy officer, and he consequently comments, “I don’t like pretending to be what I’m not. The uniform was the CIA’s idea” (169). !5 As a result, it is evident that Ryan is not comfortable with the deceiving methods of the CIA. He Additionally, his lack of expertise with spying contributes to the ingenuousness of his character. At the end of the novel, when the Red October is being chased down by a Soviet attack submarine, Jack Ryan is described as unprepared and incompetent, visibly nervous and chain smoking (593). Ryan is not depicted as a ‘real’ spy; he is neither composed nor proficient in pressured situations. He does not overestimate his capabilities in a situation he is unfamiliar with. At this point in the novel, he is only successful because he unquestionable follows the orders of the officers. This once again returns this paper to the topic of trust and loyalty. Although fearing for his life and vastly unprepared, Ryan has faith in his superiors to make the best decisions, proving his unswerving loyalty to his country. Because of Jack Ryan’s incorruptible, bluntly sincere nature and his consequential captivation as a spy in the novel The Hunt for Red October, it is not surprising that Clancy’s debut novel was adapted into film in 1990. In fact, Jack Ryan went on to become a major film character in numerous movies, represented by a variety of actors. In the 1990 film The Hunt for Red October, the young, handsome Alec Baldwin was cast for the role of Jack Ryan.

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