THE ENEMY By Pearl S Buck

SUMMARY

The story revolves around a Japanese surgeon, Dr. Sadao who studied medicine and surgery in America
as per wish of his father. There, he met his future wife, Hana at a professor’s house and fell in love.

However, he did not marry her at that time because he wanted to confirm that Hana was of pure
Japanese race otherwise his father would not permit to marry her. Therefore, he waited till they returned
to Japan and her true identity was confirmed.

Dr. Sadao not only became a successful surgeon but also became popular for perfecting a discovery that
would render wounds entirely clean This made him stay at home to look after General Takima, who
needed constant care and may need a surgery anytime. Otherwise, Dr. Sadao would have been sent to
war like other Japanese doctors.

One evening, while he was with his wife, they saw a wounded man coming out of the sea. On close
observation, they found out that he was an injured American soldier who had probably escaped the
Japanese soldiers. At first, Sadao hesitated to treat the soldier being an enemy as they were at war with
America. However, sentimentalism and professional ethics took the better of him and decided to save
the soldier’s life despite threats on his life for helping an enemy.

Once inside his house, he decided to operate on the wounded enemy soldier despite protests and non-co-
operation from his servants. During this time, his wife Hana came forward and served faithfully to her
husband. Being refused by the servant Yumi, Hana had to clean the wounded soldier as she could not
watch her husband do it. Then she assisted him during the operation which made her sick at the sight of
blood. Still, she endured till the operation was completed.

Once the operation was successful, Dr. Sadao’s patriotic feelings were aroused and he told everything to
the general. By this time, all the servants had left the household in protest. The general also wanted to
keep it as a secret as he was afraid that Sadao may be arrested and punished as a traitor. Without Sadao’s
medical attention, his life would be in danger. Therefore, he suggested that the enemy soldier would be
assassinated by sending his own assassins. And they would not even find a single trace of the enemy.
This would be done to avoid scaring Hana. Dr. Sadao waited for several days for the arrival of the
assassins but they never came. General Takima had forgotten to send his assassins as he himself was
suffering for severe illness.

Finally Sado decided to help the prisoner escape. He arranged for clothes, food and a boat. Then he
asked the prisoner to go to a nearby uninhabited island at sunset and wait there till he found a Korean
fishing boat. He also asked the prisoner to signal whether he was still there or not by using specific
signs. Ultimately, he confirmed that the prisoner had left the island. Then only Sadao could heave a sigh
of relief. He also informed the general that the prisoner had escaped. Thus, he came out of the dilemma
of choosing between patriotism and humanity.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. Why had Sadao been sent to America?

A) To meet the soldiers
B) To meet his friends
C) To travel
D) To study surgery and medicine which was his father's wish

Ans: D

2. Why did Dr Sadao treat the soldier when he was from the enemy's nationality?
A) He was a doctor
B) It was against his professional ethics
C) as a doctor he could not let anyone die
D) All

Ans: D

3. Why was Dr. Sadao not sent to the battlefield?

A) Because he had no interest
B) He didn't love his country
C) He was supposed to offer his services to the General who was in pain
D) All these

Ans: C

4. Why did Hana wash the wounded man herself?

A) Because of her servants
B) Because her servants ran away
C) Because her servants refused to help an American enemy soldier
D) None

Ans: C

5. Why did the servants refuse to help in treating the wounded man?
A) Out of fears
B) Because of superstitions
C) Because he was an American Soldier
D) All these

Ans: C

6. Why did Sadao marry a pure Japanese girl only?

A) Because he liked Japanese
B) He didn't like any other nationality
C) Because of his father's fear
D) Because he didn't want to upset his father

Ans: D
7. What kind of person was Sadao's father?
A) A serious person.
B) A jolly good man.
C) Very strict.
D) A true patriot and traditional person.

Ans: D

8. Why did the servants leave Dr. Sadao's House on the seventh day?
A) Because he was wounded in the war.
B) Because he was arrested for treason.
C) Because he was treating an American Soldier and they didn't like that.
D) All
Ans: C

9. Why did the messenger come to the doctor?

A) To meet him casually.
B) For personal checkup.
C) To inform about the General's pain.
D) All these

Ans: C

10. On seeing the messenger, what was Hana's reaction?

A) She got frightened
B) She thought he has come to arrest her husband
C) She ran to inform her husband.
D) All these

Ans: D

11. What kind of person was the General?

A) A kind hearted man.
B) A wise man.
C) A selfish man.
D) None

Ans: C

12. Why did the General not pass orders to arrest Dr. Sadao for giving space to a white man?
A) Because he trusted him.
B) Because he needed him for his country.
C) General was not in good health and needed his services.
D) None

Ans: C
13. Why did the General spare the White American soldier?
A) To spare his own life.
B) He himself was in pain.
C) Needed Dr Sadao's help.
D) All these

Ans: D

14. What was the General's plan for the American soldier?
A) He wanted the soldier to reach his country safely.
B) He will inform his country.
C) He will get him assassinated by some private assassins.
D) None

Ans: C

15. Why did Dr. Sadao help an enemy soldier?

A) Because he was an ethical and sincere doctor.

B) Because he was his friend.
C) Because he knew him.
D) None.

Ans: A

16. What conflicting ideas disturb Dr. Sadao's mind after he brought the American soldier?
A) Duty of a doctor and loyalty towards nation
B) His wife's health and general's health
C) Patient's health and servants
D) Servants' behavior

Ans: A

17. How did Dr. Sadao emerge successfully out of all the conflicts?
A) By throwing the patients out of his house.
B) By sending his servants out of the house.
C) By succumbing before the general.
D) By saving soldier's life as a sincere doctor and helping him to escape.

Ans: D

18. What were the dominant traits of Dr. Sadao's personality?

A) Expertise in his profession and compassion as a human
B) Obstinate and unchanging.
C) Doesn't like to obey anyone even if the one is an official.
D) Rude towards everybody.

Ans: A
19. How did Dr. Sadao ensure that the American Soldier had left safely?
A) By escorting him.
B) By seeing no signal of flashlight.
C) By giving him a call.
D) None

Ans: B

20. What does Dr. Sadao remember towards the end of the story?
A) The professor at whose house he had met Hana.
B) His old teacher of anatomy, who had been so insistent on mercy with the knife.
C) His first landlady, who was full of prejudice, yet saved his life when he was suffering from
influenza.
D) All these
Ans: D

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS

A. He stood for a moment on the veranda, gazing out to the sea from whence the young man had
come that other night. And into his mind, although without reason, there
came other white faces he had known — the professor at whose house he had met Hana, a dull
man, and his wife had been a silly talkative woman, in spite of her wish to be kind. He remembered
his old teacher of anatomy, who had been so insistent on mercy with the knife, and then he
remembered the face of his fat and slatternly landlady. He had had great difficulty in finding a
place to live in America because he was a Japanese. The Americans were full of prejudice and it
had been bitter to live in it, knowing himself their superior. How he had despised the ignorant and
dirty old woman who had at last consented to house him in her miserable home! He had once tried
to be grateful to her because she had in his last year nursed him through influenza, but it was
difficult, for she was no less repulsive to him in her kindness. Now he remembered the youthful,
haggard face of his prisoner — white and repulsive.

“Strange,” he thought. “I wonder why I could not kill him?”

1. How could Dr. Sadao succeed in his profession despite all the adversities he faced in America?
2. Which word best describes Dr. Sadao’s experience with the American people?
a. Disgust
b. Hatred
c. Indifferent
d. Fondness
3. The author describes a diverse attitude of the Americans towards the Japanese. The same is
reciprocated by Dr. Sadao. However, the good gets the better of the evil at the end. The author’s
purpose is to bring out the spirit of among human beings.
4. Why is the prisoner’s face described as ‘repulsive’?
Ans: 1. His sheer determination and commitment.

2. d. Fondness

3. oneness / goodwill

4. It was the face of an enemy.

B. ‘‘What shall we do with this man?’’ Sadao muttered. But his trained hands seemed of their own
will to be doing what they could to stanch the fearful bleeding. He packed the wound with the
sea moss that strewed the beach. The man moaned with pain in his stupor but he did not awaken.
‘‘The best thing that we could do would be to put him back in the sea,’’ Sadao said, answering
himself.

Now that the bleeding was stopped for the moment he stood up and dusted the sand from his
hands.

‘‘Yes, undoubtedly that would be best,’’ Hana said steadily. But she continued to stare down at
the motionless man.

‘‘If we sheltered a white man in our house we should be arrested and if we turned him over as a
prisoner, he would certainly die,’’ Sadao said.

‘‘The kindest thing would be to put him back into the sea,’’ Hana said. But neither of them
moved. They were staring with a curious repulsion upon the inert figure.

1. As Sadao talked with his wife about what to do with the wounded man, his hands started
working involuntarily. Which character trait of Sadao is evident?
i. Love of humanity.
ii. Love for Americans.
iii.Professionalism.
iv. Curiosity.

2. Why would it be the best thing to “put him back in the sea”?
3. Despite agreeing by both Sadao and his wife to put the white man in the sea, they keep
hesitating. What stops them from doing so?
4. In which of the following options can the underlined words NOT be replaced with ‘stupor’?

a) She hung up the phone feeling as though she had woken up from a slumber.
b) The manager complained about the employee’s sluggishness.
c) He seemed to be in a trance when the doctor called upon him last week.
d) Seeing him in a daze, the lawyer decided not to place him in the witness box.
Ans: 1. iii. Professionalism

2. Because death was certain for the white man due to his injury. Besides, he was their enemy.

3. Their conscience obliged them to save the wounded man.

4. b) The manager complained about the employee’s sluggishness.

C. “There are other surgeons, Excellency,” Sadao suggested.

“None I trust,” the General replied. “The best ones have been trained by Germans and would
consider the operation successful even if I died. I do not care for their point of

view.” He sighed. “It seems a pity that we cannot better combine the German ruthlessness with
the American sentimentality. Then you could turn your prisoner over to

execution and yet I could be sure you would not murder me while I was unconscious.” The
General laughed. He had an unusual sense of humour. “As a Japanese, could you not combine
these two foreign elements?” he asked.

Sadao smiled. “I am not quite sure,” he said, “but for your sake I would be willing to try,
Excellency.”

1. Which figure of speech is used in the statement, “…would consider the operation successful
even if I died.”?
i. Antithesis
ii. Pun
iii. Circumlocution
iv. Metonymy

2. What does the General mean when he speaks of American sentimentality?

3. Why does the General want Sadao to combine the German ruthlessness with the American
sentimentality?
4. The passage describes the General’s longing despite repeated threats to his
life.

Ans: 1. i. Antithesis

2. He means that Sadao’s sentimentality is keeping him merciful to the prisoner and did not kill
him.

3. He wants Sadao to be ruthless to the prisoner but be merciful while treating him.

4. to live.
 SHORT ANSWER TYPE QESTIONS

1. How did Dr. Sadao’s father bring him up?

Sadao’s father never played with him but spent infinite pains upon him. Sadao’s education was his
chief concern. He sent his son to America at twenty-two. He taught him to believe that a lot was in
store for him in future and it depended on what they make out of the future.

2. Describe the traditional Japanese way of living as we see in “The Enemy”.

Dr. Sadao sees Hana in America but waited to fall in love with her until he is sure she is Japanese.
His father would never have received her unless she is pure in her race. Only after his father sees her
the marriage was arranged in the old Japanese way. Everything about Sadao’s house had been
Japanese to please his father. The floor was deeply matted because Sadao’s father would never in his
own home sit on a chair or sleep in a foreign bed. Western education does not make Hana dine with
her husband. She still wears Kimono. She shows herself as an obedient wife. In spite of retching and
ignorance of anesthetics she helps Sadao and cleans the wound of her husband’s patient.

3. Where did Sadao meet Hana? Why didn’t he marry her immediately?
Sadao met Hana in America, by chance at an American professor’s house. They did not get married
in America heedlessly. They were Japanese in mind and spirit. They wanted to get the consent of
Sadao’s father and get married in the traditional Japanese way. So, they didn’t get married in
America.

4. Who was the white man? How did he come to the shore?

The white man was an American Soldier probably a Prisoner of War. On the right side of his lower
back a gun wound had been reopened. The flesh was black with gun power. The man might have
tried to escape and had been shot. To make things worse a rock had struck the wound.

5. What did Dr.Sadao wanted to do initially? Why didn’t they do what they wanted? Give
reasons for both.
Dr. Sadao initially thought the best thing that they could do was to put him back in the sea. Sadao
and his wife knew that even if he saved him, as patriotic Japanese they have to hand him over to the
officials who would kill him anyway. Then they decided they would save him, probably because he
remembered that he had been trained not to let a man die if he could help it.

6. How does the old gardener reflect a common Japanese belief and sentiments?
The gardener believes that his master should not heal the wound of the white man. He wanted the
white man to die. The white man was first shot and then the sea caught him and wounded him with
her rocks. He believed that if his master saved him against their wish, they will take revenge on
them.
7. How did Yumi react when asked to clean the wounds of the white man? What was Hana’s
response?
Yumi was stubborn. She said that she had never washed a white man and that she would not wash
one then. There was a fierce resistance on her face. Hana gently asked her to return to her work and
washed the white man all by herself despite the fact that she was afraid of being alone with that
white man.

8. How did Hana help Sadao in the operation?

Even before Sadao could get his kit, Hana had washed the white man. Then she got him towels. She
choked when he was working through the wound. She was about to faint but ran away from the
room and retched. Yet, she came back to resume her duty to help her husband. She asked for the
anesthetic, administered the anesthetic to the patient.

9. Why does the general speak of German ruthlessness and American Sentimentality?
The General says that the German doctors are ruthless and wouldn’t mind even the death of the
General, if the operation is a success. So he wouldn’t let a doctor of that kind perform an operation
on him. He also knows that Sadao’s American sentimentality is keeping him merciful to the white
man. If only Sadao had the German ruthlessness he wouldn’t mind the death of the white man.

In short, the General wants Sadao to possess the American sentimentality while treating him and the
German ruthlessness while dealing with the American.

10. Why was Dr. Sadao not sent abroad along with the troops in the story “The Enemy”? Give
reasons for your answer.

Dr. Sadao was not sent abroad with the troops because the ailing General trusted no other surgeon
but Dr Sadao. He knew he could need Sadao's medical assistance anytime. Dr. Sadao had proven
himself to be a genius by his skills in surgery and by perfecting a discovery that would render
wounds entirely clean.

11. Why did the servants of Dr Sadao refuse to stay in the house?

The servants refused to stay in the house because they were unhappy of Sadao helping an enemy.

Their sense of patriotism resented helping an enemy as it was against their country. Besides these,
they were also afraid that they may be arrested and punished for betraying their country.

12. What are the two things that happened on the seventh day?(The enemy)

On the seventh day of the arrival of the American soldier, the servants left the house in the morning
to protest against their master’s act of helping the enemy.
Later in the afternoon, a messenger in official uniform came to the house. Hana got frightened at
first thinking that they were about to be arrested. Later it was revealed that he came to inform Sadao
that the General needed him.
13. How does Dr. Sadao’s father prove his loyalty to Japan and its culture?

Sadao’s father was loyal to Japan and its culture in many ways. He had marriage of his son in
traditional way and wouldn’t allow Sadao marry a girl outside Japanese race. He didn’t allow
furniture other than Japanese inside his room. Decoration and settings were done as per Japanese
custom.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

3. “Dr. Sadao is a thorough professional” – Substantiate

Dr.Sadao is an outright professional surgeon. He is familiar with every atom of human body. He had
been told that “ignorance of the human body is the surgeon’s cardinal sin” and that it is a murder.

It is this professionalism that makes the general retain him for his own surgery. The general’s trust
is understandable as we witness Dr. Sadao curing the young American in no time. He does not even
care for his wife’s inadequate knowledge of anesthetics. He doesn’t care when she goes outside
retching. He tells her not to faint and gets involved in his work

Professionalism does not mean knowledge alone. When his mind continues to wonder what he should
be doing with the American, his hands mechanically go about doing the business. He tells the General
that he has been trained not to let a man die if he could help it.

A true professional never lets go a chance that comes before him. Despite all questions that linger in
his mind, he never lets his profession down and takes care of the man’s life. Though put bitterly, the
gardener is right when he says his master is proud of his skill to save life that he saves any life.

He forgets all about the need for political assassinations, when he sees his patient out of his bed. He
chides the American for getting out of the bed without his permission and examines the stiff muscles.

4. Good human values are far above any other value system. How did Dr. Sadao succeed as a
doctor as well as a patriot?

Dr. Sadao Hoki was not only a trained surgeon but also a fervent patriot who dedicated himself to
the cause of serving his country in the wartime through scientific research. However, the dilemma
that Dr. Sadao faced on the arrival of the wounded American soldier at his doorstep was a clash
between his duties as a doctor and that of a patriotic citizen. Since Dr. Sadao was under the
Hippocratic oath to serve the mankind as a whole and put his professional duties first, he decided to
save the enemy at any cost. For this he faced difficulties at his home from his wife and servants. He
even endangered his own life and that of his family. However, he was able to show his patriotism by
informing the General about the wounded American soldier and how he saved him. He requested the
General to do whatever was necessary in the matter and even agreed to the arrangement of getting
the enemy soldier killed by professional assassins sent by the General. The fact that he informed the
General about the American’s escape, even though it was he who helped the soldier, is also a proof
that Dr. Sadao was a dedicated surgeon as well as a patriotic Japanese.