the enemy

THE ENEMY

Dr Sadao Hoki’s Childhood

His house

1.       On Japanese coast

2.       Stone house

3.       Located upon rocks

4.       In the narrow beach

Ø  Childhood’s nostalgic memory

1.       Played along the coast

2.       Climbed the pines

3.       Watched islands

Ø  Father

1.       Taken him to the islands

2.       Never forgets to say, “those islands at distance are the stepping stones to the future of Japan”

3.       Curious Sadao wanted to know where they will step after that

4.       His chief concern was the education of Sadao

5.       Never joked or played with him

6.       Although he is a pure Japanese he sends Sadao to America for medical study

7.       Before his death Sadao becomes a popular scientist and surgeon

8.       Sadao although a popular surgeon was kept in Japan because the old general was suffering from some ailment and he may need to be operated

Ø  Present of Sadao

1.       Sadao returns as a famous and well known surgeon and scientist

2.       He was working on some medicine which will keep wounds entirely clean

3.       He was in Japan although all other doctors were sent abroad along the troops

4.       He was kept in Japan because the old general may need to be operated

5.       He was married and have two children

Ø  Weather

1.       Cloudy, misty and foggy

Ø  Wife and Family of Sadao

1.       He is married to Hana , and had two children

2.       Hana is a caring affectionate and pleasant wife

3.       They met in America in Professor Harley’s house

4.       Married in Japan in old Japanese way with his father’s consent

Ø  Professor Harley and his wife

1.       They were kind people

2.       Anxious to do something for their few foreign students

3.       But students didn’t like to go to their home because rooms were too small, food was so bad and professor’s wife was too talkative

Ø  Mystery Man

1.       Night was misty, foggy and cloudy

2.       They saw a staggering body

3.       It was a man, wounded, collapsed

4.       He was crawling and fall on his face

5.       First they thought him as fisherman washed of his boat

6.       They went near him found the man bleeding and sand was soaked with his blood

7.       He was torn with rocks, wet and dirty

8.       When they turned him they identified him as white man. As he had long uncut yellow hair and rough yellow beard, a tortured face

9.       He was shot on the right back

10.   Sadao could see his blackened flesh

11.   They were confused. They didn’t know what to do with that white man. Still Sadao tried to stop the bleeding. He tied the wound with some sea moss.

12.   Then they decided to throw him back to the sea. But they couldn’t. Maybe humanity overpowered their fear.

13.   From his tattered cape they come to know him as American Sailor, serving US navy, an enemy.

14.   An inner conflict goes on in their mind. They think of throwing him back to see but resolve taking him to their home.

15.   Sadao tries to justify his action saying all Americans are his enemy if they’re not wounded.

16.   They lift his light, weak and starved body to their home and keeps in Sadao’s father’s bed. The man who did not used a foreign bed or chair in his lifetime, a Whiteman was kept in his bed when he was not there.

17.   Even Hana hesitated to give her quilt. As the man was dirty.

18.   She didn’t even want her husband to wash the man.

19.   She asked Yumi to wash him. Although she rejects.

20.   After preparing bed for her baby along Yumi she moves to kitchen where she meets two servants.

21.   One of them was the old gardener who was a superstitious man. He said the man ought to die. Master should not try to save him. Because ones he was shot dead and then caught by sea. If he tries to save the man they will avenge.

22.   Hana agrees to inform it to Sadao.

23.   Then she goes to the Whiteman.

24.   Yumi refused to wash the white man. Hana was scared to see fierce look and resistance of Yumi. 

25.   She cleans him herself. Although she was scared to stay alone with that Whiteman.

26.   Sadao comes and he prepares to operate the man.

27.   Hana helps him with the anaesthetics.

28.   He removes the bullet near his kidney.

Ø  The man starts recovering

1.       Hana unwillingly goes to him and tries to comfort.

2.       On third day of operation Sadao examines the boy.

3.       The boy tries to know what the doctor wants to do with him

Ø  Sadao’s dilemma

1.       Servants threatened to leave if they continue to hide the Whiteman.

2.       Servants think Sadao and Hana are educated in America so they’re in fond of Americans.

3.       Sadao was confused between his duty as a doctor and as a true patriot.

4.       They were afraid of being called as traitor.

Ø  Servants ‘and others’ response

1.       The old gardener said master knows very well what to do with the man.

2.       The cook said the young master is proud of his skills.

3.       Yumi was worried of the children what they will do if their parents will be condemned for being traitor.

4.       Hana didn’t like the man. She has started thinking him as prisoner. The prisoner himself impulsively tells his name as Tom. She showed less attention to him. Although she couldn’t stop caring. She knows he is a great threat to her family. 

5.       Sadao keeps on examining the man’s wounds.

6.       When last stitch of the man was pulled out he decides to report whole matter to the superintendent of police.

7.        He typed a letter to the superintendent and kept it in the drawer unfinished.

8.       On seventh day of operation servants left along their belongings.

9.       While leaving they were crying but Hana did not cry. She herself tried to do all household works.

10.   Sadao was helping the man to stand on his strength.

Ø  The Messenger

1.       A man in official uniform came to their house.

2.       By seeing him Hana thought servants might have informed police about the Whiteman so they came to arrest Sadao. She ran to Sadao hastily but couldn’t speak even a single word. As he was following her so she just pointed to him.

3.       Actually he was sent by the general. He is in pain.so he needs the doctor.

Ø  Sadao informed the old general

1.       Sadao finally informed the old general.

2.       The general promised to help him. He said he’ll send some assassins.

3.       He assured Sadao that he won’t let anything to happen to Sadao.

4.       He said assassins would kill the man and remove him quietly. He just asked the doctor to keep the doors open.

Ø  Sadao’s waiting

1.       Sadao waited three nights.

2.       He kept the partition open.

3.       But he didn’t inform Hana. He thought Hana will be more worried to know.

4.       He had bad sleep on first night. Time to time he woke thinking he heard someone’s foot step. But on the following morning he saw him alive.

5.       On the second night too he kept on waiting. But no one turned up.

6.       On third night he thought it must be the night. Sadao slept little better on that night. But he woke at the sound of a crash. Both of them were scared. Yet on the following day when he opened the door of the guest room the young man was there.

The Escape

Ø  By seeing Hana worried and scared decides to get rid of the man.

Ø  He gave the boy a boat, some extra food, bottled water (that he got from a pawned shop), two quilts and a flashlight.

Ø  Directed him to raw to and uninhabited island and asked him to wait for a Korean fishing boat that passed by the island

Ø  Told him to flash the light twice if he ran out of food and flash it ones if he is alright during daylight

Ø  Then the prisoner escaped

Admission by the general

Ø  Sadao said to the old general that the prisoner escaped

Ø  The general admits that he failed to keep his promise and serve his duty towards nation

Ø  He justified his action saying he failed to keep his promise because of his ill health but not due to lack of patriotism

As for Sadao he wonders why he saved the life of the American. He thought he had hatred for the Americans. But his humanity overpowered hatred.

Themes

1.       The theme of racism is reflected in the story in several ways. When Sadao recalls how he met Hana, he remembers that he didn't become serious with her until he was sure that she "had been pure in her race" because otherwise his father wouldn't have approved. Yumi refused to touch the American, let alone wash him before the operation, and when he left she "cleaned the guest room thoroughly…to get the white man's smell out of it." Sadao has strong feelings about white people. He thinks to himself that they are "repulsive" and that "it was a relief to be openly at war with them at last." He also believed that "Americans were full of prejudice, and it had been bitter to live in it, knowing himself their superior."

2.       The story reveals the conflict between East and West. When we are told about Sadao's father we see that Sadao's father's room has no western furniture, there are mats on the floor and wall cupboards with bedding. This description reinforces the importance to Sadao's father of Japanese culture and tradition. It suggests a complete rejection of western culture, reinforcing the idea of cultural conflict between East and West.

Hana and Sadao are different from other Japanese because they have been exposed to western culture and so are more open-minded and tolerant. They live a good life which combines both traditional values and modern ideas. Because they are well educated and aware, they believe they also have a duty to humanity in addition to their duty to Japan.

Sadao and Hana are both well-educated and acquired some of that education in the USA. Therefore, they possess a great deal of knowledge of the world beyond Japan and, particularly, about Americans and their culture. Furthermore, Sadao is a surgeon and took an oath to save lives, which he takes very seriously. As a result, his loyalty to his country isn't the only driving force in his life. The General is also an educated man who studied at Princeton University in the USA, and this is perhaps why he can understand Sadao's big dilemma. As a general, his loyalty to his country is unquestionable.

The servants are simple, uneducated people.    As servants, they aren't trained to think for themselves but to obey orders. However, we see that their loyalty to their country surpasses their loyalty to their masters. Their knowledge of the world is limited, so they can't begin to understand the dilemma that Sadao and Hana are facing.

3.       The other theme of the story is war and its impact. The story takes place during world war two. From the story, we can understand that Japan was a totalitarian (dictatorial) state in which rulers dealt harshly with those who opposed them. People could be informed on, arrested and condemned to death. An atmosphere of fear and mistrust prevailed. Hana and Sadao mistrust the servants. Sadao and the general mistrust each other.

From what Tom says to Sadao, we can infer that Tom thinks most Japanese are cruel and inhumane, unlike Sadao,"If I hadn't met a Jap like you – well, I wouldn't be alive today. I know that”. The Japanese are aggressive and militaristic as he says "I suggest if all the Japs were like you there wouldn't have been a war."

4.       Universal human values take precedence over narrow dogmatic considerations like racism, nationalism, chauvinism. The bond uniting all human beings transcends the difference between us.

Questions for practice

1.       How would you explain the reluctance of the soldier to leave the shelter of the doctor’s home even when he knew he couldn’t stay there without risk to the doctor and himself?

2.       “Prejudices are obstacles in smooth interaction among human beings” In the light of the lesson elaborate the statement.

3.        Describe how Pearl S. Buck’s story, The Enemy shows that basic human goodness overpowers all other factors. (2009)

4.       Why did Dr. Sadao let the wounded American soldier escape? Explain highlighting the character of Dr. Sadao? (2008)

5.       Dr Sadao’s instinctive affinity transcends national and cultural prejudices and barriers. Discuss.

6.       Sadao and Hana were true patriots and human beings. Justify with reference to the story.