THE ENEMY

During 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.The whole fiction very
poignantly deals with the doctor’s moral perplexity as regards making a choice
between saving the dying man as a doctor and handing him over to the Army as a
patriot. The story involves a doctor’s moral and ethical duties at professional level
and patriotic devotion at national level. Moreover he can’t forget his familial
duties as well. Dr. Sadao Hoki is not only a good surgeon but also an
accomplished scientist. He is perfecting a discovery that will render wounds
entirely clean. Sadao is kept in Japan instead of sending him abroad along with
the troops because the General might need an operation for a condition for which
he was being treated medically at the moment. Apart from enjoying the status of
being the best Japanese surgeon, Sadao is also an extraordinarily good
individual.His efforts to respond to the moral duties as a human being as well as
the ethical call of his profession give him nearly a godly stature. Sadao’s father
inculcated in him great values of patriotic devotion and national loyalty when the
latter was very young. Sadao has grown up with such great values that it is now
quite impossible for him not to respond to the call of his loyalty to the nation.
Sadao ,as a dutiful son waits for his father’s approval to marry Hana, whom he
met in America while pursuing his studies.Interestingly enough, Hana, Sadao’s
wife, supports Sadao through and through. She solemnly considers it her sacred
duty to help and support her beloved husband who has been going through an
inexplicable mental trauma.The servants resent their decision to help the
American soldier and abandon the house. On the other hand this is not unknown
to Sadao that his wife has been going through a lot of trouble for his sake. This
pains him so much that he decides to get rid of the white man as early as
possible.He reports the enemy soldier to the general who offers to send his
assassins to kill him. Even while saying so, the general has his own health on his
mind. He can not afford to lose the doctor if he is caught helping the enemy
soldier. Despite all moral dilemma, he listens to his heart every time and takes
the right decision and his wife Hana very gently follows him. At last the general
forgets to keep his promise, which gives Sadao an opportunity to reconsider his
decision. He gives the soldier a boat, food ,bottled water and quilts and asks him
to wait for a Korean fishing boat to escape.

Q. 1. Write a character-sketch of Dr. Sadao as depicted in your lesson, 'The Enemy'.

Ans. Dr Sadao Hoki was the only son of his father. He was highly influenced by
his father. His education was his father's only concern. For this reason he had been
sent to America at the age of twenty-two to study surgery and medicine. He married
Hana in America when he became sure she was Japanese. This shows Sadao's love
for Japan. Dr Sadao was first a doctor and then anything else. He and Hana found a
prisoner of war wounded and bleeding. He at once packed the wound with sea moss.
Sadao was in a dilemma. The wounded man was an American. Japan was at war with
America. If he sheltered a white man he could be arrested. If he handed him over the
police, he would certainly die. All Americans were their enemies. Still he brought the
man home, washed his wounds. He knew that the man would die if he was not
operated on.
Dr Sadao and his obedient wife faced the ire and displeasure of their servants. Yumi
didn't want to wash a white man. The old gardener thought that his master must let
the whiteman die. Dr Sadao ignored all these warnings. He heard the call of his
profession and operated on the prisoner of war.
Dr Sadao's heart overflowed with human kindness. Lest Tom be arrested, he made
elaborate arrangements for his escape. He put his boat on the shore with food and
extra clothing. He did all these sacrifices putting himself and his wife at maximum
risk. He could even lose his life for sheltering an enemy and arranging for his escape.
He rose to the occasion and did what only a devoted doctor could have done in the
circumstances.
Q. 2. How did Sadao and Hana see the man crawling on his hands and knees ? Why
did they bring him inside the house ? (Imp. )
Ans. Sadao and Hana were standing outside their house. Soon they saw something
black coming out of the mists. It was a man flung out of the ocean. The man was on
his knees crawling. Then he lay down there. They thought him to be a fisherman.
Perhaps he had been washed away from his boat. He was a white man. Upon his
young and tortured face was a rough yellow beard. The faint letters on his cap
revealed that he was a sailor of the "U.S. Navy". In short, he was a soldier of a hostile
nation. Japan was at war with America and so he was their enemy.
Dr Sadao and Hana were in a fix. If they sheltered a whiteman in their house, they
could be arrested. If they handed him over to the police, he would certainly die. "The
kindest thing would be to put him back into the sea". If the man were healthy, he
could hand him over to the police without any difficulty. But he was a doctor and he
was trained to save the life of even a dying enemy. So he decided to carry him into
the house and save him from dying.

Q. 3. What conflict did Dr Sadao and his wife Hana face before the doctor operated
on the wounded American soldier ? (Imp. )
Ans. Dr Sadao and his wife Hana remained in a state of conflict for quite a long time.
They couldn't throw a wounded man again into the sea. If they gave shelter to him in
their house, they could be arrested. Handing him over to the police, would have
meant throwing him into the jaws of death. They were in a state of intense conflict.
Ultimately, the duty of a doctor overpowered all other petty considerations. The
servants revolted at the idea of serving a white man. Hana herself washed the
wound. Dr Sadao had decided to operate on Tom.
Hana obeyed her husband without a word. Hana was to give the anaesthetic if the
patient needed it. The doctor made a clean and precise incision. The bullet was out.
At last, Dr Sadao declared : "This man will live in spite of all". So Dr Sadao saved a
dying man. Love for humanity and the ethics of a doctor won over petty racial
considerations.

Q. 4. Dr Sadao was compelled by his duty as a doctor to save a dying

enemy. What made Hana to sympathise with the American sailor in spite of open
defiance from the servants ? How do you justify the behaviour of the old General ?
Was it human consideration or lack of national loyalty or dereliction of duty ?
Ans. Dr Sadao and Hana both loved their country. They didn't have any liking for the
white people. He considered that Americans suffered from racial prejudice. Both of
them were happy that Japan was fighting against the white people. But Dr Sadao had
been trained as a doctor even to save a dying enemy. Handing him over to the police
would have meant throwing him into the jaws of death. Hence, he put aside all other
considerations and respected the ethics of his profession. Hana was a woman with a
tender heart. She couldn't bear the sight of a wounded and bleeding soldier. Hence,
she herself helped Sadao to carry the wounded man into the house. No doubt, the
behaviour of the old General defies logic. Certainly, he lacks national loyalty. He can
also be accused of dereliction of duty. Being a General, it was his duty to get the
prisoner of war arrested at once.

Q. 5. Why and how did Dr Sadao help the prisoner of war to escape ? Do you find him
guilty of harbouring an enemy ? (V. Imp.)
Ans. Dr Sadao had given a new lease of life to the American prisoner of war. He
didn't want to throw him into the jaws of death again. He asked the young soldier to
take his private boat at night. He should row in the cover of darkness to a little
deserted island nearby. The young American could live there until he saw a Korean
fishing boat pass by. Food, bottled water and two quilts were put inside the boat. If
the food ran out, he could signal two flashes.
He was not to signal in darkness because he could be seen. The young American
came down into the darkness of the garden and escaped. The prisoner had gone
quite safe.
No, Dr Sadao can't be found guilty of harbouring an enemy. No doubt, the nationals
of countries at war are considered as enemies. But we shouldn't forget that Sadao
was a doctor. And for a doctor saving a dying man is the foremost priority. It doesn't
matter if the dying man is an enemy.