Smiley's People: Analysis of Major Characters
"Smiley's People" is the concluding installment in John le Carré's renowned espionage trilogy featuring George Smiley, a seasoned operative of British intelligence. The narrative begins with Smiley, drawn out of retirement after the murder of General Vladimir, one of his agents. His investigation unveils a complex web leading back to Karla, his long-time adversary and chief of Soviet intelligence. Throughout his pursuit, Smiley is supported by a cast of secondary characters, each contributing to the intricate plot.
Peter Guillam, Smiley's loyal assistant, faces internal struggles within the agency while safeguarding Smiley's mission, demonstrating the often fraught nature of intelligence work. Meanwhile, Connie Sachs, a retired researcher, provides critical insights despite her own declining health. Key figures like Oliver Lacon and Saul Enderby represent the bureaucratic pressures and political constraints faced by intelligence operatives, emphasizing the delicate balance between national interests and personal ethics.
As Smiley navigates danger and loyalty, he grapples with his own diminishing role in a changing world, ultimately driven by a personal code of integrity rather than blind patriotism. This exploration of character dynamics and moral dilemmas reveals the profound complexities of espionage, loyalty, and the human cost of intelligence work.
Smiley's People: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: John Le Carré
First published: 1980
Genre: Novel
Locale: England, Germany, Russia, France, and Switzerland
Plot: Spy
Time: The early and mid-1970's
George Smiley, who is known as a “case man” for British intelligence. He is called out of retirement when one of his agents, General Vladimir, is murdered. Oliver Lacon, the foreign office liaison with the intelligence service, wants Smiley to wrap up the case quickly, but the dogged Smiley scents a trail that leads directly to his arch nemesis, Karla, the head of Soviet intelligence. Twenty years earlier, Smiley had caught Karla and had tried to convince him to defect, but Karla had refused and was later sent back to the Soviet Union in a deal between the intelligence services. One by one, Smiley calls on his old contacts, braving considerable danger to penetrate to the core of Karla's spy network. A weary Smiley does so more out of loyalty to General Vladimir and others who have risked their lives for British intelligence than out of any zeal for Britain. Smiley realizes that his time is over, and he is left with considerable doubt about the value of his efforts. His personal code of integrity drives him toward a final showdown with Karla.
Peter Guillam, Smiley's right-hand man, who has to fight Smiley's rivals within the intelligence service to preserve his chief's plans. Smiley often keeps Guillam in the dark.
Connie Sachs, a dying alcoholic researcher for British intelligence. Retired and embittered, she nevertheless provides Smiley with crucial data that help him to unravel Karla's spy network.
Mostyn, a new British intelligence officer who first takes the call from General Vladimir asking for Smiley. Because Smiley has retired, Mostyn follows standard procedures, referring the case to his superior, who fails to follow up on it. As Mostyn relates the case background to Smiley, he is watched carefully by his superiors, who want Smiley to know only those details that are absolutely necessary to learn who murdered the general. Smiley, uncomfortable with Mostyn's hero worship of him, later learns that Mostyn has been sacked, his career sacrificed because he knew too much.
Oliver Lacon, a foreign service officer who makes sure that the actions of case men such as Smiley do not contradict British government policies. The British cabinet is attempting a rapprochement with the Soviet Union, and it does not wish to have any embarrassing disclosures of Soviet intelligence agents. Lacon asks Smiley to investigate the murder of General Vladimir, but Lacon's job includes ensuring that Smiley does not exceed the boundaries of his assignment.
Saul Enderby, head of the intelligence service. He respects Smiley's prowess but also wants to control his case man. He makes it clear that, if necessary, he will spy on Smiley. Enderby is most interested in protecting his power base, not in following every lead that the tenacious Smiley may turn up.
Sam Collins, Enderby's second in command, a “yes man” whom Smiley and Guillam despise and try to ignore. Collins often articulates policies that Enderby himself would not care to make explicit.
Maria Andreyevna Ostrakova, a Russian émigré living in Paris. When she is approached by a Soviet agent who demands that she become a spy, she writes to General Vladimir, setting in motion the chain of events that lead to the general's murder and Smiley's quest to find the murderers and to expose Karla.
Otto Leipzig, one of General Vladimir's agents. British intelligence distrusts him because much of the information he has passed on to the West has proved worthless. Smiley insists on searching for him because his data on Moscow Central (the headquarters of Karla's spy network) always has been reliable.
Herr Kretzschmar, Otto Leipzig's shady friend, whom Smiley convinces to help him. Through Kretzschmar, Smiley is able to piece together events that lead him to Karla.
Anton Grigoriev, a Soviet embassy official in Bern, Switzerland. He is the last link in the chain that takes Smiley to Karla. Smiley has an old intelligence hand, Toby Esterhase, kidnap Grigoriev and threaten him with exposure if he does not cooperate with the plan to smoke out Karla.
Toby Esterhase, a British intelligence agent near retirement. General Vladimir had gone to Esterhase claiming to have information that would finally destroy Karla. Esterhase distrusted this old émigré and concluded that the risk to himself and to British intelligence was too great to pursue the lead. Smiley works on Esterhase, promising him that there will be no retribution for his part in denying the general. Smiley gets Esterhase to reveal everything he knows about the general's last days. Esterhase, sensing a chance to redeem himself and to participate in the greatest intelligence coup of his time, that of capturing Karla, becomes Smiley's enthusiastic accomplice.