The Enemy

Pearl S Buck

Before you Read

1 It is the time of the World War. An American prisoner of war is washed

ashore in a dying state and is found at the doorstep of a Japanese doctor.
Should he save him as a doctor or hand him over to the Army as a patriot?

Ans As a doctor and as an individual, his first duty is to save the man by
giving him the necessary medical help, as it is his ethical responsibility,
whatever the risks. Later on, he should be patriotic and inform the Police or
the Army about the presence of the American prisoner of war at his house,
making it clear to them that the American is in a critical state.

EX.A.
1 There are moments in life when we have to make hard choices between
our roles as private individuals and as citizens with a sense of national
loyalty. Discuss with reference to the story you have just read.

Ans There are times when we are faced with difficult choices in life. An
individual is torn between his duty towards his motherland and the moral
and ethical responsibility of helping a needy person when you can do so.
This is the same dilemma that Sadao is confronted with.

Patriotic citizens of Japan were expected to hand over an American

prisoner of war at the time of the Second World War. But this is a
short-sighted view of the situation. If we bring in the humanistic angle to
this dismal reality, then it is a doctor's duty to save a human life. As a
doctor, one should not differentiate between an enemy and an ally. How
could Sadao leave Tom to bleed to death? Similarly, Hana is an epitome of
humanity and kindness, and cannot leave a wounded person to die. When
Yumi, the children's governess, decides not to wash the wounded
American, she says, "Is this anything but a man? And a wounded helpless
man!" Likewise, Sadao goes through a torturous mental conflict.

2 Dr. Sadao was compelled by his duty as a doctor to help the enemy
soldier. What made Hana, his wife, sympathetic to him in the face of open
defiance from the domestic staff?
Ans It was a humanitarian gesture by Hana when she helped Sadao in
caring for the American soldier. Hana's loving, considerate and sympathetic
nature came to the fore in the face of open defiance from the domestic
staff. She also respected her husband and followed his example by helping
the enemy soldier.

3. What explains the attitude of the General in the matter of the enemy
soldier? Was it human consideration, lack of national loyalty, dereliction of
duty or simply self-absorption?

Ans The General was totally self-absorbed in his own health problem and
he could not afford to lose Dr. Sadao if he had been arrested for helping an
enemy soldier. The General did not have any human considerations or lack
of national loyalty. He was not neglecting his duty because he informed Dr.
Sadao that he would send assassins to kill the American soldier, although
later on he forgot all about it.

4. While hatred against a member of the enemy race is justifiable,

especially during wartime, what makes a human being rise above narrow
prejudices?

Ans In many instances, human beings rise above narrow prejudices. In this
case, Dr. Sadao does not think twice before stopping the bleeding in the
American soldier. He packs the wound with moss available on the
seashore. It is his moral obligation to save a human being's life, although
that human being is his enemy. Although he admits, "All Americans are my
enemy", his sense of humanity and empathy does not allow him to
differentiate between man and man. He spends three sleepless nights
thinking that the life he has saved is in danger. Dr. Sadao takes care of the
wounded American in the same manner as he would have treated any
other wounded man. He thinks about the man being an American only
because he does not want his family to suffer. Thus, Sadao rises above
narrow prejudices to become a citizen of the world, someone who is
compassionate and benign towards all.

5. Does the story remind you of 'Birth' by AJ Cronin that you read in
Snapshots last year? What are the similarities?

Ans There is much similarity between both the stories. The two stories are
about doctors who use their skill to try and save human beings who are
almost dead. Both stories highlight the issues of a sense of duty,
selflessness, humanitarian feelings, love and affection.

6. Is there any film you have seen or novel you have read with a similar
theme?

Ans This story is based on a strong sense of duty, selflessness,

humanitarian gestures and love for a fellow human being. A movie with a
similar theme is, 'My Name is Khan', where the protagonist saves the lives
of his friends from floods, guided by a strong sense of humanity and moral
duty, without fearing for his own life.

EX. B.

1. In what condition did Dr. Sadao find the American soldier at the
seashore?

Ans When Sadao had first seen him from a distance, he thought that
the man was probably a fisherman washed ashore from his boat. But
on closer examination, he turned out to be a white man who was
critically injured, bleeding very badly from a bullet wound. If he was
not operated on, he would surely die.

2. Why did Dr. Sadao treat the American soldier even though it was an
unpatriotic act on his part?

Ans It was Dr. Sadao's moral and ethical duty as a doctor to treat the ill,
wounded or injured irrespective of the person's nationality. So, he treated
the wounded American soldier, even though it would seem an unpatriotic
act on his part.

3. Why did Dr. Sadao seek Hana's help to treat the US soldier?

Ans Dr. Sadao sought Hana's help to treat the US soldier because he could
not operate on the American alone and the servants in the home refused to
help an American life, as America was an enemy nation.

4. How did Dr. Sadao ensure that the American soldier left his house but
he himself remained safe and secure?
Ans Dr. Sadao first waited for the General's assassins to kill the American.
But they never arrived. Sadao then himself arranged for a boat and helped
Tom to escape. He later told the General that the prisoner had escaped.
Thus, Dr. Sadao ensured that the American left his house but he himself
remained safe and secure.

5. The author has used 'blood' as a symbol in the story. Comment on its
impact on the reader.

Ans Blood is a central symbol of the story, most obliquely encapsulated in

the narrator's assertion that "blood is the best of fertilizers" as the cook
allows the blood of a freshly killed bird to flow onto wisteria. The symbolism
of blood is expansive. Through the doctor's operating on both the American
and Japanese soldiers, blood is situated as the unifier of humanity as its
source cannot be determined on its own.

The quote above, however, also makes blood symbolically representative

of the poison of nationalistic pride that is passed along and "fertilizes"
things like racism and prejudice.

6. Why did Sadao help the American soldier to escape? How did he do
it?
Ans Because Dr. Sadao is a 'good' human being and a great surgeon
he could not let the man, whose life he had saved, die. On the
General's suggestion, he was ready to get the prisoner assassinated
and this made him quite restless for three nights. He waited for the
General's assassins to come, but when he found that the General did
not send his assassins, he decided to save the American's life. This
shows a positive and humanitarian part of his personality.

He arranged a boat for him so that he could first go to a nearby

island. He also provided him with food and clothes.
He further gave him the valuable information that he could escape
using Korean fishing boats. He provided him with a flashlight and
made him understand that if he ran out of food or anything he could
use the flashlight as he had instructed. Thus, Sadao helped the man
escape.
7 Dr. Sadao faced a dilemma. Should he use his surgical skills to
save the life of a wounded person or hand an escaped American
POW. over to the Japanese police? How did he resolve this clash of
values?

Or
To choose between professional loyalty and patriotism was a
dilemma for Dr. Sadao. How did he succeed in betraying neither?

Ans As a patriotic citizen of Japan, Dr. Sadao was duty bound to

hand over the American soldier to the Japanese police.

However, Dr. Sadao was a surgeon and his duty towards his
profession was to save a human life if he could do so. Dr. Sadao
resolved this clash of values in a creative manner. He treated the
American by operating on him to remove the bullet, thus fulfilling his
duty towards his profession. Simultaneously, he informed the General
about the presence of the American, thus fulfilling his patriotic duty
towards his country. In fact, he was reassured by the General that the
American would be 'taken care of' (i.e. assassinated) very soon.
However, when this assurance was not backed up by any action on
the General's part, the humanitarian aspect of the situation made Dr.
Sadao 'help' the American to escape from Dr. Sadao's home.

8 'The Enemy' portrays the victory of humanity in a moment of crisis.

Illustrate this fact through the actions taken by Dr. Sadao for the
enemy soldier.
Or
Dr. Sadao emerges as a saviour of humanity. Substantiate your
answer with evidence from the text.

Ans When Dr. Sadao came across the injured American soldier, the
first thing he did was to save his life. As a doctor, he fulfilled the moral
obligation of saving a human life; it was a victory of humanity. Next,
he proved himself loyal to his country by informing the General about
the enemy. When the General assured Dr Sadao of sending private
assassins to eliminate the American soldier, Dr. Sadao felt restless
and perhaps guilty of betraying the same person whose life he had
saved. Here again his humanity came to the fore. After spending
three sleepless nights, he finally deliberated on a flawless plan to let
Tom, the American soldier, escape. By letting him escape, Dr. Sadao
proves that even if two countries are at war, the religion of humanity
does not change. Its basic principle is saving a human life, which Dr.
Sadao does with proper planning. Through Dr. Sadao, the author
conveys the message of universal brotherhood, peace and amity. It is
the victory of humanity in a moment of crisis.