THE ENEMY

Short Answer Type Questions

Answer the following questions in about 25-30 words:

1. Why did the messenger come to Dr. Sadao? What did Hana think about it?

Ans. The messenger came to invite Dr. Sadao to the palace of the General, who was under his treatment
and was in great pain. Hana was scared on seeing the messenger in official uniform as she thought that
he had come to arrest Dr. Sadao. She thought that the servants might have disclosed the secret of the
injured white soldier.

2. How does the writer indicate that Dr. Sadao’s father was a very traditional and conventional
man?

Ans. His father was a very traditional and conventional person because he never joked or played with his
son Sadao. It was evident from the fact that he would never accept Hana as a daughter in-law in his
family if she was not pure in her race.

3. In what condition was the American sailor when Dr. Sadao found him?

Ans. The American sailor was in wet rags of garments. He was unconscious. He was badly injured. There
was a gun wound on the right side of his lower back. He was bleeding and was very weak due to
excessive bleeding.

4. Why did Dr. Sadao treat the American soldier even though it was an unpatriotic act on his
part? (2016-DoE; 2014-Delhi, Delhi Comptt., All India Comptt., Foreign Comptt., CBSE)

Ans. Dr. Sadao was a great patriot but a greater human being. He considered it his duty to treat a human
being even though he was an enemy. His duty as a doctor reminded him to be kind to an ailing person
before trying to know his nationality.

5. Why did the General not order immediate arrest of Dr. Sadao, who had sheltered a white
man?

Ans. The General suffered from an ailment which he needed an operation. The General knew that Dr.
Sadao was the best surgeon and he would need medical help any moment. He was a practical person
and he knew the importance of Dr. Sadao. He could not take the risk of sending him to the jail as it
would harm him more than Dr. Sadao.

6. What role did the American professor play in bringing Hana and Sadao together?

Ans. The professor and his wife were very kind people and were always ready to help the foreigners.
Sadao and Hana had to stay at his house as most of the Americans hated the Japanese. When Sadao met
Hana there, he fell in love with her. Gradually, when he came to know that she was a good traditional
Japanese girl, he decided to marry her.

7. How did the the General promise to help Dr. Sadao?

Ans. The General promised to help Dr. Sadao by making him get rid of the wounded American soldier.
He told him that he would send his assassins to kill the American soldier. He even promised to make it
look very natural so that Dr. Sadao is safe from any blame later on.

8. What dilemma did Dr. Sadao face?

Ans. When Dr. Sadao came to know that the wounded soldier was an American prisoner of war, he was
in dilemma whether to treat the injured soldier on humanitarian ground or to throw him back in the sea
as he was an enemy. He was not able to decide whether he should consider him a patient or an enemy.

Long Answer Type Questions

Answer the following questions in about 120-150 words:

1. What explains the attitude of the General in the matter of the enemy soldier? Was it human
consideration, lack of national loyalty, dereliction of duty or simply self-absorption?

Ans. In the matter of the enemy soldier, the General had been selfish to a certain extent; for, he knew
that he would be deprived of the best medical service in case he delved deep into the matter. There is
no question of human consideration because a General is supposed to kill and be killed for the sake of
the nation. Again, we find no instance in the story suggesting that he was a traitor and lacked national
loyalty. So far dereliction of duty is concerned; he is guilty of this crime but there is a positive motive
behind this; his beneficiary, Mr. Sadao was to be locked up. Again, whether he was absorbed in some
official or household matter of great importance or not is not clear from the story. Hence we can
substantially say that it was his compelling circumstances that led him to forgo the matter without
paying much heed to it.

2. Do you think the doctor’s final solution to the problem was the best possible one in the
circumstances?
Ans. Dr. Sadao was in a dilemma about saving or killing the enemy. As a professional surgeon, he
could not let a patient die unattended. As a good citizen, he could not save the life of an enemy.
Initially, he saved the patient by pulling out the bullet from his body and treating his other
injuries. When compelled by his servants, he decided to inform the General about the white
soldier. He promised to send his assassins to kill him. Dr. Sadao waited for the General to
assassinate the soldier but he could not tolerate the trouble of a murder in his own house.

Finally, he decided to send the wounded soldier to the sea and tried to save his life by giving him a boat,
food, water bottles and a flash light. His final decision was a judicious one as it would free him of the
burden of guilt as well as his house would not be affected by the acts of the killers which might frighten
Hana and his children. This saved him from a lot of tension.

3. Give the character sketch of Dr. Sadao, highlighting his qualities as a doctor. Or Good human
values are far above any other value system. How did Dr. Sadao succeed as a doctor as well as
a patriot?

Ans. A Doctor’s profession is a very sensitive and sophisticated profession. He has to be calm and patient
as he has to help people fight pain and gain relief. Dr. Sadao justifies his profession by being kind even to
an enemy. When Dr. Sadao saw the American soldier, he rushed to help him thinking that he was a
fisher man. When Dr. Sadao came near and saw a gun wound, he decided to take the patient his home
to treat him.

He knew his act of kindness will put him in danger of being arrested for harbouring an enemy, but he did
not bother about his social image. When he saw the soldier, he was so filled with kindness, that he
wanted to help him. He is a very dedicated and honest surgeon who is ready to go an extra mile to
perform his duty.

Dr. Sadao was a person of strong will power who did the surgery all alone. He was concerned about the
health and safety of the patient even if he was an enemy.