THE ENEMY

1. Mention instances which show that Sadao’s father had strong feelings for his motherland?
Ans. a).His father would never accept a daughter –in law unless she had been pure in her race.
b) Everything in his room had been Japanese to please the old man, who would never in his own
home sit on a chair or sleep in a foreign bed

2. How did Sadao and Hana establish the identity of the man washed ashore?
Ans. A)Through his face they came to know he was a white man.
b) They examined his battered cap closely and realised that he was a sailor from an American
warship. The words ‘U.S Navy’ were written on the cap in almost faint lettering. They realised that
he was an escaped prisoner of war.

3. Why didn’t Dr Sadao put the wounded man back in the sea even though he was his enemy?[imp]
Ans: Dr Sadao could not put the wounded man back in the sea even though he was an enemy. Being a
doctor, his foremost duty is to save his life. He knew the man would die if not tended medically. This
would be against medical ethics. So, he rescued him to give medical treatment.

4. Why did Hanna hesitate to put the injured soldier on his deceased father in law’s bed?
Ans. A) Tom is extremely dirty. b) He is their enemy. Moreover father-in-law was a true patriot.

5. Why did Sadao decide to treat the injured man?vimp]

a) According to Sadao if the man was healthy, he could turn him over to the police without
difficulty as he was his enemy. But since he was wounded, his professional ethics could not allow
him to let the man die.
b) They were not able to bring themselves to drop him back into the sea because of their
compassionate and humane nature

6. “What was the reaction of the servants? Mention reactions of gardener, Yumi and cook. OR What was
the reaction of the two servants and Yumi when they were told about the wounded American ? (Imp.)
Ans. The two servants were frightened at what their master had told them .They thought that their
master should not heal the wound of that white man. The white man must die. If their master
healed what the gun and the sea did, they would take revenge on them. Yumi refused to wash a
white man.

7. This man” he thought there is no reason under heaven why he should live.” What prompted
Dr. Sadao to say this? What does he do after this?
Ans. i) a) The enemy was a source of worry and vexation for doctor and so harbouring him could
lead him to arrest. So his treatment was an ultimate test of his patience. So he was going through
mental conflict.
b) Wife nauseates during operation and he is unable to attend her. So, he became impatient and
said the statement in question.
ii)Unconsciously this thought made him ruthless and he proceeded swiftly. In his dream the man
moaned but Sadao paid no heed except to mutter at him.
8. What impression do you form of General Takima?
Ans. As a general. he is brave and courageous. He fought victorious battle in Manchuria. But if
we peep into his personal life, he is ruthless, inhuman, and cruel and at home. He beats his wife.

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 9. What happened on the seventh day, after the doctor and his wife saved the wounded man?
Ans. . The cook, the gardener and Yumi had packed up their belongings and left together. Though the
servants cried, Hana put up a brave front. The second thing that happened was the arrival of a
messenger to tell Sadao that he had been called to the palace as the general was in pain again.

10. Why did servants leave Mr. Sadao’s house? (2008)

Ans. They did not want to help Dr Sadao to save the enemy. And so to show their disapproval of his
action, they left his house.

11. Hana’s fears on the messenger’s arrival proved false. How?

Ans. Hana thought servants had informed police authorities about their harbouring the enemy and
messenger had come to arrest them. But messenger came to inform Sadao that General was in pain
again and needed his care.

12. What did General tell Dr. Sadao when he heard about the prisoner war?
Ans. The general when heard of the prisoner promised Dr Sadao to send some assassins and kill
the Whiteman. He also assured Dr. Sadao that he would not be arrested.

13. Why did the general assure Dr. Sadao that he would not be arrested?
Sadao’s skill at operating on the prisoner with success, made the general believe more firmly that
he was indispensable to him. He did not want to have him arrested because Sadao was the only
person who he believed could save him if he had another of his attacks and required an operation.

14. Why do you think Sadao could not sleep properly after his meeting with the General?
a) Though he got agreed with General’s plan, his conscience pricked him and heart reproached
him for betraying his guest whom he had treated.
b) So he remained perturbed and sleepless on account of fear of assassins killing
enemy. Subconsciously he wishes that the man should survive.

15. Why couldn’t the General’s plan of eliminating the prisoner succeed?
a) He was careless General did not send assassins to kill the prisoner. So Sadao helped the
American to escape. He told him to go to an island nearby and wait for a Korean fishing boat to
pass by. He even gave him a boat, some food and bottled water. He kept two quilts for him and gave
him clear instructions so that this plan would not fail.

16. How did Sadao help the prisoner to escape?(2008)

Sadao decided to help the American soldier to escape to safety. He told him to go to an island
nearby and wait for a Korean fishing boat to pass by. He even gave him a boat, some food and
bottled water. He kept two quilts for him and gave him clear instructions so that this plan would
not fail.

17. Why did Sadao feel that the General was in the palm of his hand?
Sadao fulfilled his duty as a patriot by informing general about the enemy and acceding to his
plan. But General did not keep his promise of sending assassins. So because of
General carelessness the enemy escaped.

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18. What impression do you form of the prisoner?
a) Extraordinary vitality as he gets saved repeatedly from bullet, rocks and waves.
b) Even in his unconscious state, has indomitable will
c) Thankfully acknowledge the effort made by Sadaos in saving him

19. ‘‘But Sadao searching the spot of black in the twilight sea that night, had his reward’’.
What was the reward?
The “reward” was the escape of the enemy-Dr. Sadao searched the spot of black in the twilight sea
that night- see if the man was still there-but there was no light. Obviously the man had gone- The
escape of the prisoner was his reward.

20. What message does “The Enemy” give? OR What are the two moral implications on
which the whole story is built upon? [vvimp]
The message is clear-great lesson of humanism. ‘The Enemy’ gives the message that humanism
transcends all manmade prejudices and barriers. Here Dr Sadao upholds the ethics of medical
profession in treating an enemy. Dr. Sadao by nursing his country’s enemy proves true to his
professional ethics. So a doctor must treat patient without considering his identity. The story is a
great lesson of peace, love, sympathy, fellow feeling and humanism.

21.How did Dr. Sadao rise above narrow prejudices of race & country to human being in
need? [vvimp]
Dr. Sadao- a renowned Japanese surgeon- believed in professional loyalty and human kindness. He
saw an American wounded soldier in a terrible condition on beach in front of his house. He took
him to his house with the help of his wife Hana and successfully removed the bullet. He nursed him
back to his life and thus rose above racialism.
As a patriot, he reported the prisoner’s presence at his house to the Army General. The general
decided to have him killed. But he grew restless to see him. And finally he decided to help him to
escape from his house giving him boat , some food and bottled water. He kept two quilts for him
and gave him clear instructions so that this plan would not fail.

Q22.Do you think the doctor’s final solution to the problem was the best possible one in the
circumstances?
It is the best possible option. The general had promised him that he would get the soldier quietly
killed through his private assassins but he forgot to get rid of-. Dr. Sadao could do nothing. He
wanted to get rid of the wounded soldier fearing that news could be spread as the servants had left
the house. So he devised his own plan to get the soldier off to the nearby island. He managed his
boat for the soldier and instructed him. The white soldier took leave of him and followed his
instruction and managed to escape safely. Thus all proves that that was the only way out for Dr.
Sadao to the problem.

Q23. Dr Sadao was compelled by 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. May be Hana’s loyalty towards her husband and her pride in being his wife made her help the
Whiteman. Her humanity, ability to recognize what is right and what is wrong, rising above
prejudices and superstitions let her help the man and her husband when he needed her.

24. Who was Dr. Sadao Hoki and where did he live? (Imp.)

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 Ans. Dr. Sadao was a famous Japanese surgeon. He went to America to study surgery and
medicine. By the time his father died, he had established himself as a surgeon and scientist. Dr.
Sadao Hoki's house was built on the Japanese coast. It was a low, square stone house above a
narrow beach.

25. What was the chief concern of Sadao's father ? (Imp.)

Ans. The influence of his father was quite dominating on Sadao. His father never joked or played with
him. Sadao's education was his father's chief concern. For this reason he at 22 was sent to America to
study surgery and medicine. By the time his father died Sadao had established himself as a famous
surgeon and scientist.

26. Why was Dr. Sadao kept in Japan and not sent abroad with the troops ?
Ans. Dr. Sadao was a famous surgeon and a scientist. He was perfecting a major discovery. It
would render wounds entirely clean. There was another reason of keeping Sadao in Japan. The old
general might need an operation. Dr. Sadao's services were needed at any time. Hence, he was not
sent abroad with troops.

27. Who was Hana and where did Sadao meet her ? How were they married ?
Ans. Hana was a beautiful Japanese. She met Dr. Sadao in America at a professor's house. But he
had waited to fall in love with her until he was sure she was Japanese. She was pure in her race.
Otherwise, his father would not have accepted her in the family.

28. What did Hana and Sadao see coming out of the mist ?
Ans. Hana and Sadao were standing outside their house. Both of them saw something black come
out of the mist. It was a man. He seemed to be flung up out of the ocean. He staggered a few
steps. He was crawling. Then he fell on his face and lay there. Sadao thought him some fisherman
having been washed from his boat.

29. What was the initial reaction of Dr Sadao and Hana on seeing the wounded man ? (Imp.)
Ans. Sadao saw a gun wound reopened on the right side of his back. "Oh, how he is bleeding !"
cried Hana. Then they thought what they should do with that white man. Had he not been
wounded, they could have put him back in the sea. But now there was only one thing to be done.
They must carry him into the house.

30. "The kindest thing would be to put him back into the sea".Who says it and why ?
Ans. Dr. Sadao and his wife were in a fix. Dr. Sadao couldn't handover even a dying enemy to the
police. Giving him shelter could lead to their arrest. Hana thought that the kindest thing would be
throwing the man back into the sea. It was the easiest solution. However, they couldn't do even
that.

31. How did the gardener react when Dr. Sadao told him about the wounded American soldier
? (CBSE 2008)
Ans. All the servants, including the gardener didn't like Sadao's efforts to save an American.
America was in war with Japan. Tom was their enemy.

32. Hana told Yumi to wash the soldier. How did Yumi react ? (CBSE 2008)
Ans. Hana realised that at first the soldier must be washed. She told Yumi to fetch hot water for
washing. When she saw the white man she shook with anger. She told Hana that she had never
washed a white man. She would not wash such a dirty man. Hana cried and commanded her to
do as asked. Yumi had a fierce look of resistance and left the room

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 33. How did Hana help Sadao in operating on the wounded prisoner of war ?
Ans. Hana dipped a small clean towel into the steaming hot water. She washed his face carefully.
Sadao came there with his surgeon's emergency bag. She was asked to give the anaesthetic if needed.
The bullet was still there. Sadao proceeded swiftly. The doctor made a clean and precise incision. The
bullet was out.

34. Why did the servants leave Dr. Sadao's house ? (CBSE 2008)
Ans. Japan was at war with America. Dr Sadao was nursing a wounded American a prisoner of war.
The servants didn't like Dr Sadao's generosity. He was trying to save a white American. He was giving
a new lease of life. They considered Dr Sadao's work an act of treachery. Hence, their patriotic
feelings made them leave Dr Sadao's house.

35. Why did Hana say: "Why are we different from other Japanese" ? Were they really
different ?
Ans. Hana thought that they were different from other Japanese. They were confused. Even their
servants saw more clearly than what they did. No doubt both of them considered Americans as their
enemies. But they were trained in a different way. Being a doctor, Sadao couldn't desert even a dying
enemy.

36. How did the General react when Sadao informed him about the prisoner of war? (Imp.)
Ans. The behaviour of the General was quite surprising. He didn't order the immediate arrest of the
enemy. Nor did he take any action against Dr Sadao who had given shelter to an American soldier. He
only offered to send two private assassins to get him killed secretly. But he never sent those men.

37. Did the old General lack national loyalty ? Was it a case of dereliction of duty? (Imp.)
Ans. The old General didn't take the issue of the prisoner of war very seriously. Being an experienced
general, he should have acted promptly in this matter. The American soldier should have been
arrested at once. America was at war with Japan. Certainly it was also a case of dereliction of duty on
the General's part.

38. How did Hana behave on seeing the messenger in official uniform ? Why did he come for ?
Ans. In the afternoon Hana saw a messenger come to the door in official uniform. Her hands went
weak and she could not draw her breath. She ran to Sadao gasping unable to utter a word. She
thought that the man had come to arrest them. She was relieved to know that he was sent by the
General. He was in pain and had sent for Sadao.

39. "If all the Japs were like you there wouldn't have been a war" said Tom. Justify his
statement. (Imp)
Ans. The wounded American soldier was an enemy. In spite of all this Dr Sadao gave him shelter in
his house. He didn't hand him over to the police. He operated on him. Dr Sadao risked his own life
but saved an enemy from dying. Tom was right. If all the Japanese were like him, there would not
have been a war between America and Japan.

40. Why did Dr Sadao help in the escape of the American soldier? Was it an act of treachery ?
Can you justify his action ? (Imp.)
Ans. Dr Sadao didn't like white people. But still he gave shelter to a wounded enemy. He arranged
for his escape. Had the young American been healthy, Sadao would have handed him over to the
police. But here was a bleeding and dying man. He was a doctor and was trained to save even a dying
enemy. Therefore, he helped him in his escape. Human considerations outweighed all other petty
things.

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 41. What made Dr Sadao sure that the wounded American soldier had escaped safely in
darkness ?
Ans. Dr Sadao had made elaborate arrangements for the safe escape of Tom. He was made to row to
a nearby island. All necessary things were provided to him. He was to signal two flashes if he ran
short of food. When no signal came, Dr Sadao was convinced that Tom had escaped safely.

42. Justify the title of the story 'The Enemy’.[vvimp]

Ans. Pearl S. Buck has given a suitable title to the story. The title is quite appropriate and logical.
The wounded American prisoner of war is a natural enemy of Dr Sadao and his wife Hana. They
should have handed him over to the police. But human consideration outweighed all other
considerations. His duty as a doctor made Dr Sadao to save the life of even a dying enemy.

43. What was the initial reaction of Dr Sadao and Hana on seeing the wounded man ? (Imp.)
Ans. Sadao saw a gun wound reopened on the right side of his back. "Oh, how he is bleeding !" cried
Hana. Then they thought what they should do with that white man. Had he not been wounded, they
could have put him back in the sea. But now there was only one thing to be done. They must carry
him into the house.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Describe how Pearl S. Buck’s story, The Enemy shows that basic human goodness overpowers all other
factors.(2009)
The borders that we see around us are all man -made. These borders turn some countries into enemies
against one another. However, humanity knows no bounds of any such divisions. Dr. Sadao Hoki was in no
sense less patriotic that any other Japanese. He loved his country and hated his enemies as much as other
citizens of Japan but his sensitivity towards other human beings led him to operate upon the American
prisoner of war. Being a skilled doctor by profession, he just could not manage to see a patient die in front of
him. The sense of humanity overpowered him and made him to save the life of his 'enemy'. The story,
therefore, exemplifies that human goodness surpasses all other factors.

2. Dr Sadao’s instinctive affinity transcends national and cultural prejudices and barriers. Discuss.
As a young boy he obeyed his father and honoured the fact that his education was his father’s chief concern.
Sadao was a skilful Japanese surgeon who lived in Japan during World War II. Together with his wife Hana,
and the servants, Sadao had a comfortable life. Earlier, he had several years in the United states during medical
school. While in the United States, Sadao experienced cultural prejudice and bias first hand. Even though he did
have a positive experience including that of a teacher and landlady Americans did. He is a dutiful son, an
excellent husband a thorough professional- believes that it is a “cardinal sin” on part of a surgeon not to know
the human body completely. He faces a dilemma whether to help the POW or to assert loyalty to the country
and finally gives in to the call of humanity. His instinctive affinity transcends cultural and national prejudices
and barriers.

3. There are moments in life when we have to make hard choice between our role as private individuals & as
citizens with a sense of national loyalty. Discuss with reference to the story.
Sadao encounters with the dilemma-to live as private individual whose moral and ethical responsibility is
to save the soldier and second is a Japanese to make the soldier arrest. So as a doctor and as an
individual his first job is to save man-takes ethical responsibility, he risks his life, fame and social status-
takes him to his house and makes efforts to save him. But his other side-sense of patriotism &
nationalism also involves a report to police, takes the general in confidence, and plans to make him killed
but later on again helps the soldier in escaping off. Thus Dr. Sadao personality is displayed .

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 3.Sadao and Hana were true patriots and human beings. Justify with reference to the story. OR
Dr. Sadao and Hana rise above man -made divisions to serve the nobler cause of humanity.
Discuss with reference to the story
Both have full of patriotism, proud of Japan and its culture. They hated Americans, found them repulsive as
they had full of prejudices against Japanese. Both Sadao and Hana considered humanity above patriotism. As a
doctor, he could not leave his patient in distress, could not stop himself from saving the life of the wounded
American soldier. Both risked their lives and reputation by helping and sheltering the soldier. Hana was
equally compassionate-. She washed the soldier’s wounds herself even when Yumi refused. They considered
every soldier as a human being in distress. He did not hand him over to police initially as the soldier was weak
and could die. Finally he did not want to keep the American soldier when he fully recovered.
Sadao told the General about the soldier. He had no objection if the soldier was killed by the assassins but was
ill-at ease and worried that harm may come to him-. This shows that he is essentially kind. He helped the
soldier to escape, gave him food, clothes and water on his boat. Sadao found relief when the soldier did not
give any signal through his flash light as he was safe & had most probably escaped finding a Korean fishing
boat. He saved the soldier as true human beings.
They wanted to get rid of him as true patriots.

4. Write a character-sketch of Dr. Sadao as depicted in your lesson, 'The Enemy'.(A.I. CBSE 2008)
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.

5. 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 white man 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.

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 6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Do you think the doctor’s final solution to the problem was the best possible one in the circumstances?
Ans. Yes,It is the best possible option-general had promised him that he would get the soldier quietly killed
through his private assassins-but he forgot to get rid of- Dr. Sadao could do nothing-he wanted to get rid of
the wounded soldier-as the servants had left the house-& news could be spread-so he devised his own plan
to get the soldier off to the nearby island-managed his boat for the soldier & instructed him. The white
soldier took leave of him & followed his instruction & managed to escape safely. Thus all proves that
that was the only way out for Dr. Sadao to the problem.

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10. Discuss the General’s role in the story.

Sadao was kept back in Japan because the General would be needing a surgery. General
Takima beat his wife but no one spoke about it after he fought a victorious battle in
Manchuria. Hana thought that he would be cruel to his enemy. When Sadao told him about
the American soldier, he felt assured of Sadao’ s skills as a surgeon. To save the doctor he
offered to send his private assassins.to get rid of the American. In his pain, he forgot all
about his promise. Infact his self obsessed behaviour is in sharp contrast to Sadao’s selfless
service to the soldier at the risk of his own life. His knowledge of the wounded soldier makes
him a party to the same guilt as Sadao. The General’s suggestion makes Sadao realize his
own feelings and helps him plan the soldier’s escape

11. How did Dr. Sadao rise above narrow prejudices of race and country to help a
human being in need?
A.1.Dr. Sadao had grown up believing that the Japanese were a superior race. He also
disliked Americans because of his unpleasant experiences in America where he faced racial
bias. Despite this he could not let the young soldier bleed to death. His ethical duties of
doctor won over narrow prejudices.

how did the general plan to get rid of the American POW
he would send two of his private assassins to his house to kill the American quietly and remove the body.