THE ENEMY

BY: Pearl Sydenstricker Buck

CHARACTERS AND PLACES

Dr. Sadao Hoki : A Japanese doctor trained by AmericAns.
Sadao’s father : Much concerned about his son’s education, a true patriot.
Hana : Wife of Dr. Sadao, met in America, became friends and got married
in Japan.
Tom : An American prisoner of war, a soldier of U.S. Navy.
The old General : A sick Japanese army General, needed an operation, trusted only
Dr. Sadao.
An officer : A messenger of the General.
Gardener : An old gardener in the house of Dr. Sadao.
Yumi : Hana’s maid servant.
The cook : An old cook in the house of Dr. Sadao.
House of Dr. Sadao : A house built on a narrow beach near the sea.
TITLE OF THE LESSON
“The Enemy” is an apt title for the story that has Second World War as the background
that eventually culminates in dropping of atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by
America. Under these circumstances an American P.O.W. sailor, by no chance, could be
treated as a friend by the Japanese. The servants in Dr. Sadao’s house vehemently
protest against his presence and treat him as their sworn enemy; so much so that they
severe their long standing relationship with the Sadao over to the police. For the masses
that constitute majority of the population all the world over, all individuals belonging to
the country, their nation is at war with, are their enemies. The Sadao couple too
considers Tom to be their enemy; but being educated, they have a broader and more
generous view of life, and in spite of reservations, mental conflicts and various other
odds they are confronted with, they take a humanistic view. The doctor’s professional
ethics also urge him to treat the American sailor as a patient. Neither Dr. Sadao, nor
Hana, at any stage consider him to be their friend in spite of the fact that they have spent
a number of years in the States. Hence “The Enemy” is a befitting title for the story.
INTRODUCTION
The Enemy is a story written by Pearl Sydenstricker Buck. It is about a Japanese
surgeon, Sadao. He went to study in America and meets a Japanese girl, Hana, there. He
marries her and brings her back to Japan to settle down.
THEME OF THE LESSON
The story revolves around the ethics of war. Does one's obligation to one's country super
cede one's obligation to family and to humanity? Sadoa was faced with the conflict to
choose between professionlism and patriotism. The end actually gives us the correct
answer as to what motive should rule our decision to choose between country, family
and humanity.
BACKGROUND & SETTING OF THE LESSON
In “The Enemy,” a story set in Japan during World War-II, an American-trained Japanese
surgeon pulls a wounded American sailor, presumably an escaped POW, from the surf
behind his home. It is wartime and a doctor needs to make a life or death decision.
MESSAGE OF THE LESSON
The Enemy' gives the message that humanism transcends all manmade prejudices and
barriers. Dr. Sadao upholds the ethics of medical profession in treating an enemy. The
story is a great lesson of peace, love, sympathy, fellow feeling and humanism.
GIST OF THE LESSON:
 Dr. Sadao, a Japanese surgeon finds a wounded American soldier on the beach near his
house.
 He is unable to throw him back though he was his enemy as he was a doctor and his
first duty was to save a life.
 Hana, his wife, though initially reluctant because it was dangerous for all including the
children to keep the enemy in the house, joins her husband in operating and nursing the
enemy soldier back to health, even though the servants desert the house.
 Hana assists Dr. Sadao in operating the soldier in spite of her physical discomfort and
hesitation.
 Though it was war time and all hands were needed at the front, the General did not
send Sadao with the troops as he is an expert surgeon and the General needed him.
 Sadao tells him about the enemy soldier but he does not take any action as he is self-
absorbed and forgets his promise that he would send his private assassins to kill the
enemy and remove his body.
 Taking advantage of the general’s self-absorption Sadao decides to save the soldiers
life. After the soldier is out of danger Dr. Sadao helps him to escape from his house to
safety.
Answer the following questions in 30 - 40 words.
1. Who was Dr. Sadao? Where was his house?
Ans. Dr. Sadao was a Japanese surgeon who had mastered the art of surgery in America.
He was also a scientist who was trying to find a way that would render wounds
completely clean. He lived in a ' square store house' located on a rock above a narrow
beach that was outlined with bent pines.
2. Will Hana help the wounded man and wash him herself?
Ans. Yes Hana will help the wounded man because her husband wishes so. Although
Hana did not want to help him as he was a war prisoner. His husband also did not want
to help him. Yet as the ethics of the doctor he decided to help him. When the maid-
servant refused to wash the wound she was forced by the situation to help her husband
and washed the wound of the enemy soldier, Tom, to save his life.
3. What will Dr. Sadao and his wife do with the man?
Ans. Dr. Sadao and his wife took the man inside the house. He operated the man and
saved his life. He examined him carefully and served him well. Hana helped her husband
to operate the wounded man. She nursed the man kindly and sympathetically as none of
the servants entered the room.
4. Will Dr. Sadao be arrested on the charge of harbouring an enemy?
Ans. Dr. Sadao could be arrested on the charge of harbouring an enemy. Japan was at
war with America. Giving shelter to a sailor the U.S. Navy was anti- national work. But he
was a true patriot. He told everything to the old General that he had just performed the
duty of a doctor to save the life of patient visited his house. He was a famous and
respectable citizen of his country. Therefore, the possibility of his arrest was very
remote.
5. Why did Dr. Sadao decide to stop the bleeding of the wounded American
soldier?
Ans. Dr. Sadao was a committed doctor. His medical ethics made him attend to the
soldier. He considered him only as a wounded individual who needed immediate
medical care. He packed the wound with the help of wild sea moss to stop the bleeding
immediately.
6. Why did Dr. Sadao not want to throw the wounded soldier back into the sea?
Ans. When Dr. Sadao and his wife saw the wounded soldier, their first reaction was to
throw him back into the sea. Dr. Sadao hated AmericAns. For him all Americans were his
enemy. But since the soldier was wounded, the doctor inside Sadao prompted him not to
take that step.
7. Why did Dr. Sadao not accompany the Japanese troops?
Ans. Dr. Sadao did not accompany the Japanese troops because the General was ailing
and he might require a surgery any time. For this he trusted none other than Dr. Sadao.
Also Dr. Sadao was working on a discovery to make wounds entirely clean. So he was
required in Japan.
8. Sadao realized that the General would never be able to give him away and that
he was secure. What was it that made him feel this way?
Ans. The General had undergone another surgery and Dr. Sadao was the only person
whom he trusted. The doctor was indispensable as far as the General was concerned.
The doctor realized that even if he is arrested for sheltering an enemy sailor, the General
would save him. 9. What secret plan did the General have about the American sailor
staying under the care of Dr. Sadao?

Ans. Dr. Sadao was burdened with the sense of guilt at shielding and harbouring an
enemy sailor. So he told the General everything about the American prisoner. The
General offered to send his own private assassins to Sadao's house at night to help him
get rid of the American. He planned that his assassins without much aid and noise
would kill the man by causing internal bleeding and would also dispose of the body.
10. Hana told Yumi to wash the soldier. How did Yumi react?
Ans. Yumi was the governess of their children. When Hana requested her to wash the
wounded man, she answered bluntly and refused to touch the soldier. She said that she
had nothing to do with a white man and especially a dirty one. She threatened that if she
was forced, she would leave the job and finally she left the job.
Answer the following questions in 100 words.
1. Write the character sketch of Dr. Sadao Hoki.
Ans. Dr. Sadao was an expert surgeon in the art of healing wounds. He was a scientist
too. At the age of 22, his father sent him to America to study surgery and medicine.
There he fell in love with Hana but married after returning from Japan when his father
was convinced that the girl was pure Japanese. He was very generous and loyal to his
country. His wife Hana was also sympathetic, kind, obedient and faithful wife.
Dr. Sadao was good at heart. He was an obedient son of a patriot father. He fulfilled the
dream of his father. He was also a loving husband. He cared for his wife's sentiments. He
even regards the views of his wife. On finding the war prisoner on the shore, he seeks
complete approval of his wife before bringing the wounded man in.
He had great feelings for his patients. He did not care for anything while treating the
patient. He even informed his servants about the wounded soldier of America. He saved
his life. He also told the whole event to the General. He helped the prisoner of war, in
making good escape. Thus we can say Dr. Sadao was an obedient son, loving and caring
husband, dutiful and expert professional, a great patriot and above all complete human
being. General Takima trusted him the most.
2. Write the character sketch of Hana.
Ans. Hana is a perfect model of women. She is a good wife, a perfect companion, wise
homemaker and an excellent human being. When her servants decided to leave the
house, she takes care of all the jobs with ease. Her qualities of head and heart make her
take a balanced and human view about the wounded American prisoner of war; an enemy of
Japan. In her zest for patriotism, she does not lose sight of the fact that the wounded American
in a human being first and an enemy afterwards. Her active participation in all vital decisions
that the couple takes, speaks volumes for her presence of mind, confidence and determination.
Whether to handover the prisoner of war to the police or allow him to escape is the question
that puzzles her badly. She co-operates her husband to perform the operation successfully. In
spite of all her tension, worry and fear, she carries herself with dignity and confidence while
dealing with her revolting servants. She handles the situation coolly.

In brief, she is an ideal model of women. She is a perfect wife, a capable and devoted
mother and a skilled home maker.
3. Why did Dr. Sadao let the wounded American soldier escape? Explain
highlighting his character.
Ans. The job of a doctor is to save the life and not to take it. When Dr. Sadao treats the
wounded American soldier, he turns a blind eye and a deaf ear to everything else except
his patient. With great precaution he takes out the bullet from near the young wounded
man's disposal, Dr. Sadao starts feeling guilty and restless. He remains restless for three
nights and days. Then he manages to escape the American soldier. After all America and
Japan are at war and not Tom and Dr. Sadao. So his decision to save the American
soldier's life is the best possible solution to the problem. Finally, his helping the prisoner
of war, in making good his escape, asserts that the doctor has a heart of gold. He is a
good, dutiful, loving and professionally sound man. He is also a patriot who never thinks
the soldier his own countrymen. Being a doctor he saves the life of that soldier
considering him a human being. On the whole all this shows that the doctor was
basically good at heart.
4. Sadao claims to hate all Americans who he regards as his enemies and yet he
revives a dying Americans and leaves no stone unturned to nurse him back to
health. What does this contradiction tell you about him?
Ans. It is true that Sadao hates Americans but he is aware of the fact that he is first a
doctor then a Japanese. The soldier is first an injured, helpless individual who needs
treatment and then an American or Japanese.
Dr. Sadao did not show his dislike towards the wounded American soldier. His duty
bound him as a doctor. As a doctor he was expected to save a dying person, to give him
treatment and nurse him back to health. This is exactly what he did. This shows that
Sadao was duty conscious and had the maturity to segregate emotion from duty. In this
process all his servants left him but he stuck to his stand. He gives a lease of life to the
American and once he is fit, he helps him escape as well.
At least Sadao was kind, affectionate doctor who believed in taking care of his patients.
He sees any sick, injured person as someone who needs immediate attention.
5. Justify the title 'The Enemy.'
Ans. 'The Enemy' is an apt title for the story. It is written in the background of the
Second World War when America dropped atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Under these circumstances an American prisoner of war, by no way could be tr4eated as
a friend by Japanese. The servants in Dr. Sadao's house vehemently protested against his
presence and treat him as their sworn enemy; so much so that they severe their long
standing relationship with the Sadao over this issue. They want the enemy to be
immediately handed over to the police. For the masses that constitute majority of
population all the world over, all individuals belonging to the country, their nation is at
war with, are their enemies. The Sadao couple too consider Tom to be their enemy; but
being educated, they have a broader and more generous view of life, and in spite of
reservations, mental conflicts and various other odds they are confronted with, they
take a humanistic view. The doctor's professional ethics also urges him to treat the
American soldier as a patient. Neither Dr. Sadao nor Hana, at any stage consider him to
be their friend in spite of the fact that6 they have spent a number of years in America.
Hence
'The Enemy' is a befitting title for the story.