It has been said that it is
impossible to objectively review Le Carre’s novel The Spy Who Came In From
the Cold in the same manner that it is impossible to objectively review Uncle
Tom’s Cabin, Gone With the Wind, or the Godfather. (Cobbs).
The novel, like the others mentioned, has a popular mystique built up around
it, but unlike the other novels mentioned, it is less visible in modern
society. Spy both shaped and was shaped the 1960's zietgeist. The novel
was widely received because of the popularity of the Bond novels, and because
of the criticisms of them. The public, whose appetite for spy fiction was
whetted by Flemming’s novels, hungered for something that was less predictable,
and more real. Spy was easily able to fill this role, and established
the common view of intelligence agencies that continues today: large, complex
plots overseen by manipulative shadowy figures who have cast aside the
ideologies that they are trying to protect to get things done. Le Carre is able
to weave together elements of history and culture, such as the defection of Kim
Philby, the true nature of intelligence work, the growing disillusionment of
society and people’s remaining feelings of patriotism together into one
cohesive novel. Spy was able to transcend the strata of society; the
novel is a sterling example of mid-brow literature, which can be read for
scholarly merit, yet can entertain the common man. This novel established Le
Carre’s career, which continues today. Some novels simply are born into a time
that is receptive for them. The combination of events in the 1960’s made people
call for a novel like Spy, and the fact that it was beautifully written
allows it to remain popular. Like Gone With the Wind and other classics,
the novel brings together the elements of the period, and then establishes
itself and its views within those of the general population. Although Spy
does not have the name recognition of Gone With the Wind, which is
examined today mainly as a movie, not a work of literature, the grim, gritty
picture of the intelligence world that it portrays is the one reader’s hold in
their collective memory.

The novel could not have
been written before the Second World War, nor could any modern spy novel. While
spies have been used throughout history, large spy agencies and institutions
have only been seen since World War II. The United States created an
intelligence agency, a precursor to the NSA and the CIA after the First World
War, called the Black Chamber. However, it was shut down by Secretary of State
Henry L Stimson, who stated, “ Gentlemen do not read each other’s mail.” WWII
was won not only because of the atomic bomb, but also because of the
breakthroughs in the field of espionage by men like Alan Turing. Turing and others
were responsible for breaking many of the German and Japanese ciphers, which
allowed the allies to read all of the German and Japanese orders. Admiral
Yamamoto was shot down because of one such interception, and countless lives
were saved as submarines were attacked and convoys diverted. There is a famous
story about how Churchill had to let a town in England be bombed to avoid
giving away the secret that the Allies had broken Enigma, the master German
cipher. People in both public offices and the private sector began to realize
the need for national security, and the need to break the security of other
nations. American and British spies and counter-intelligence agencies took on a
certain mystique, which would only be heightened by the emergence of James Bond
on the screen and in print.

James Bond is certainly one of the
most recognizable literary and film figures in modern history. In the fall of
1999, the 19^th movie was released to find great success at the box
office. However, the popularity of the series today is nothing compared to that
of the 1960’s, when it was said that “Bondomania” was sweeping the country.
American’s and Europeans alike love the suave Englishman who comes armed with a
license to kill. While Poe is often credited with the first spy story, Fleming
is widely considered to be the father of the modern spy thriller. Government
officials followed Bond; the spymaster Allen Dulles believed that the “correct”
type of novel would strengthen support for his agency. (Homberger). E Howard Hunt
was given formal CIA permission to write American spy novels. However, these
works were seen thought to possess only pop entertainment value, and were
rejected by scholars as being without literary merit. By the time that You
Only Live Twice was released, many people were growing weary of the series.
The novels are formulaic, and predictable. As the database entry points out
“Anthony Boucher of the New York Times called YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, “a
protracted but enjoyable travelogue of Japan, towards the end of which the
author reminds himself to insert a some action-adventure… but much of the book
seems an exercise in filling pages with no narrative material.” (Maloney)
Everyone knew that Bond would be attacked but come out fine, that he would get
both the nice girl and the evil one sent to kill him, and that the villain
would lose. People began to yearn to see what the life of a spy was really
like. There was a void in literature, a space for a realistic, intelligent spy
novel. The Spy Who Came In From the Cold was able to fill this gap.

The publishers of The Spy Who
Came In From the Cold knew that there was a market for a more intelligent
spy novel. The quotes on the jacket and the press releases all are from noted
figures, such as Graham Green, who were chosen to give the book a literary
backing. This backing, and the controversy that the book spawned, were enough
to have the book reviewed by academics and serious critics. In turn, as they
found that they enjoyed both the story of the book, and its academic merit,
they told others about the book. In time, the novel would take its place in the
canon, and is now used in many university level classes. (Beene)

The Spy Who Came In From the
Cold is acclaimed for being far more realistic than the Bond series. In fact,
given the novel’s realism and Le Carre’s employment in the British intelligence
agency MI6, many readers began to suspect that the novel is not merely fiction.
The intelligence communities had been pleased with the Bond movies, and with
the positive light and publicity, they gained from them. LeCarre’s novel met a
very different fate. Le Carre was greeted by a contemporary with cries of “You
bastard. You utter bastard” at a state dinner. (Homberger 27). Richard Helms,
former chief of the CIA detested the novel, not for its lack of credibility,
but because of its portrayal of spymasters deceiving their own operatives. This
condemnation furthered speculations that this was a problem in the intelligence
community. Ironically enough, Kim Philby, whose deception as a double agent was
famous, and helped lend credibility to the novel, regarded the level of
deception as too great, and unrealistic to anyone in the community. Yet, he
praised the work for being a far better read and more intelligent then the Bond
novels. (Homberger 29). The controversy helped book sales, because people were
curious what about the book the CIA hated so much, and whether it was true, or
an elaborate ruse. Ultimately, it may not matter how realistic it actually is,
because people thought it was realistic, and that caused them to buy novels.
This is a truism of advertising; perception is reality. In this case, the
events of the book rang true to the readers, and thus became truth for them,
which helped sell the book to the curious.

The realism that people see in the
book is caused, in a large part, by the feel of the novel. The novel is always
characterized as feeling gritty and cold, even in comparison with other Le
Carre novels. J.B. Priestly is quoted on the jacket saying “Superbly constructed,
with an atmosphere of chilly hell.” The novel was in fact criticized for being
too cold, and for not allowing the “good guys” to win. Critics were especially
harsh on the ending. The end of the novel is quite bleak, and is generally seen
as either the best or worst thing aspect of the novel.

In the end of the novel, Leamas and
Liz die after they realize that they have been set up. Leamas is the
protagonist of the book, the “spy who came in from the cold.” However, he is
sent back out on one last mission, to assassinate Mundt, the German official
responsible for revealing all of Leamas’ agents. Rather than killing him
directly, Leamas tries to implicate him. He plants evidence that Mundt has
betrayed Germany and become a British agent with Mundt’s immediate inferior,
Fielder. However, the deception is uncovered, and Fielder, Leamas and Liz are
condemned to execution. However, it is revealed that this is what Control, the
enigmatic head of MI6, wanted to happen. Mundt is actually a double agent, and
Fielder had gathered evidence implicating him before the novel begins. Leamas
is actually being sent to discredit Fielder, and to cause him to commit treason
by attacking his superior, Mundt. Leamas meets Liz when he begins his fall from
grace before his insertion into Germany. The meeting is not coincidental,
unbeknownst to both; they are steered together to provide evidence that can
later be used to prove that Leamas is still an agent, not a defector. Liz is a
member of the communist party, or as she puts it, a believer in history.
Despite the obvious ideological differences, the two fall in love. Liz is
brought to Mundt’s trial without knowing what is going on, and inadvertently
exposes that Leamas was sent to discredit Mundt. Leamas and Liz have their moment
of epiphany when Mundt frees them. However, they are gunned down as they sprint
for the wall; their fate is similar to that of Leamas’ last agent, who is also
shot crossing the wall in the first chapter.

This ending is in keeping with the
changes going on in society. America’s youth was disillusioned by Vietnam, and
some felt that “the man” was keeping them down. This idea of an overarching
central government is reflected in Control, the spymaster who pulls Leamas’
strings. While the government in the novel is in fact British, the messages and
structure are similar to that of the United States. American’s have always
overlooked the fact that Bond is a foreigner, and easily make the same leap
with Le Carre. The feel of the novel and its government matches the growing
discontent with the United States that many felt. At the same time, Leamas,
like many in the country, did not want to abandon the old ways, because he felt
that British capitalist democracy was the best system overall. At the time of
the book’s publication 1964, the Hippies were still a fringe group, and while
people were becoming disillusioned, wide scale protest against the government
was rare. The novel has elements of martyrdom and disillusionment, which have
rung true with Americans since the Lost Generation. The loss of the Fifties
ideal is similar to the loss of Romanticism that followed the First World War,
and can be seen in the novel. The gritty, cold feeling that older critics
attacked matched the growingly jaded American psyche.

The novel is not without
some romanticism. Leamas seems to be in a state of perpetual adolescence, which
calls out to the reader, and lets many identify with him. He is like a grown up
Peter Pan, a man who lives his life as an adventure. Leamas has become disillusioned
with the ideas and morals of the society that he is protecting. He no longer
toes the party line, or espouses its greatness. Yet, he continues to work to
save England because he feels its system is best. This is similar to many young
adults, who are jaded and cynical of the government; yet do not want to live
under another system. Leamas, like many middle aged men, and in fact most of
society, lives a very stressful life. He and Control work out a plan for him to
let go, and begin a downward spiral, falling from grace. Cobbs has pointed out
that this does not seem entirely planned. Rather, Leamas, like many of us, has
always been fighting the urge to let go, and degenerate. Many readers identify
with this urge, and want to be able to throw away the rules and conventions of
the world, and seek base pleasure. Also, like many in adolescence, Leamas
encounters his first true love. In this case, he knows that Liz is a communist,
and probably being used, with or without her knowledge, by the party. Despite
himself, he begins to really care for her, and urges her not to follow him as
he begins the final fall that precedes his false defection. However, she does
follow, and nurses him back to health when he falls ill. Afterwards, he
realizes that he loves her, and wants to protect her from Control, the head of
MI6 and the Germans. He threatens both groups, saying he will not go along with
their plans if they involve her. This idea of a first love and the power of
love is an American ideal. Leamas remarks about how all of life seems beautiful
to him, and how he knows he owes it all to Liz. Again, this sentimentality
endears the reader to the novel, and is responsible for much of its success.