Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carre - Literature review Example

Since being gay is prescribed, he is attentive to who happens to pass by the flat so that he can avoid being embarrassment among his friends. Guillam closes the curtains before joining Richard on the table to read a paper. This interest in maintaining a different image from what he really is portrays him as a weak emotionally, and he is engaged in an affair that he considers uncomfortable. In the end, he loses both lovers and he is left lovelorn.Guillam thinks from a spy’s point of view with an aim of gaining access to sensitive information and as such, he curtails his creativity.

‘…But as soon as Strickland is gone, Guillam looks left and right, picks up his bag, then gets to his feet’(Le Carre, 2011, p. 170). It is the professional regulation for all the Circus’ archives users to surrender their bags to the security guard and sign in before they proceed to the reading room so as to ensure that the archived materials are free from theft. ‘You’ll need to leave your bag with me, Sir. And sign in.’ (Le Carre, 2011, p.172). As such, Guillam had to think luminously to grip the intended file by carrying a dummy file in his bag and scheduling a call from Mendel at 10.15am. ‘…while giving the number, Guillam turns his back, and out of sight of the GUARD..he switches the ‘Testify’ file, putting it into the bag and pulling out a dummy file from inside.

’(Le Carre, 2011, p.188). The fake phone conversation between Mendel and Guillam served to distract the guard in the Circus’ archives to acquire the ‘Testify file’, which was urgently needed by Smiley. The guard was indeed convinced that Guillam was surely reading the number of car dealers to Mendel and hence did not pay much attention. As a spy, Guillam has to devise various tricks for him to succeed in his endeavors. He even goes on to deny the rumors that he has been keeping in touch with Ricky Tarr.