The Enemy
-Pearl S. Buck
About the Author
Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (1892 - 1973), also known
by her Chinese name Sai Zhenzhu, was an American
writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries,
Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in Zhenjiang,
China. She wrote about Chinese people, their
attitude and customs.
Her novel 'The Good Earth' won a Nobel Prize in
literature for her. Buck had a humanistic attitude
to the problems of life.
She felt that while nations were at war,
were humans and they could feel for others.
returning to the United States in 1935, she continued
writing prolifically and became a prominent advocate
of the rights of women and minority groups.
Theme
The Enemy deals with the conflict between
humane feelings and the prejudices created
nations at war. It deals with the universal human
values which must take precedence over narrow
considerations like nationalism. The bond uniting
all human beings must transcend the difference
between nations.
Justification of the Title
The Enemy' is an apt title with the Second World
War as the background. Dr. Sadao, being a
surgeon saved the life of an escaped American
prisoner of war, his enemy, who was
seriously and had been washed ashore. Torn between
his duty and his integrity as a doctor, he chooses to
save the enemy's life first and then hand him over to
the police. His inner conflict and professional ethics
makes him choose the first option. His servants too,
desert him for fear of getting into trouble. He is fully
aware of the fact that harbouring a prisoner of war
would endanger his own life as well.
The door's professional ethics urge him to treat the
'enemy'as a patient. Neither Dr. Sadao nor Hana, at
any stage consider him their friend. Yet they
him as a fellow human being should betreated. The
title is therefore appropriate.
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Message
The author advocates universal brotherhood
highlights that service to the wounded is the
service to humanity. The story underlines
message that doctors have no nationality. They
must
rise above all petty issues like Sadao did and make all
possible efforts to save human life. It highlights the
dilemma faced by the doctor between his professional
duty and his loyality to his
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
her until he was sure that she "had been pure in her
race" because otherwise his father wouldn't
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
feelings about white people. He thinks 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 there, knowing himself their
With the backdrop of Second World War, the author
highlights the horrors of war by portraying
helpless American sailor, who was tortured.
Summary
The Enemy' tells the story of a Japanese doctor
who hates Americans as a patriotic Japanese
as America and Japan were at war. One day an
American prisoner of war is washed ashore in
of a Japanese doctor's house. The soldier is wounded
and has evidently escaped from prison.
Dr. Sadao's house was a solitary house on the sea-
shore. Dr. Sadao and Hana ran to help. The American
sailor was bleeding. They thought of throwing
back into the sea. But they could not do so. Dr. Sadao
carried him home. Hana washes the soldier as Yumi,
the servant, refused to do so.
Sadao operates on the American. He returned with
his surgeons's emergency bag. He turned over the
wounded soldier who lay unconscious. He
his back and asked Hana to help him. He wanted
Hana to give the patient the anesthetic. Hana had
seen an operation and she felt like vomiting.
never the bullet in the wound. Hana observed
Sadao saw
that there were red scars on the soldier's neck and
realised that he had been tortured. Sadao
the bullet from the wound and declared that the
removed
American would survive.
Sadao and Hana look after the American. But the
servants were becoming restless. The gardener felt
the prisoner should have been allowed to bleed to
death
On the seventh day the servants leave Sadao's house.
They did not work that morning.Hana paid them
their
They cried as they left. Hana held back her tears.
The gardener was there since he was a boy.
vas attached to the children. Hana had to do all the
household work on her own. Hana wanted Sadao to
get rid of the American quickly. Sadao promised to
do something about it. In the evening a messenger
in uniform arrived. Hana was paralysed with fright.
She felt the servants must have complained and the
messenger had come to arrest Sadao. The fears were
unfounded as the old general had been suffering
an ailment. Sadao had been treating him and the
general was in pain and had sent for him.
The general trusted Sadao. He knew he might need
to be operated upon. That is why Sadao was not sent
away with the troops. Sadao told the general about
the American. The general replied that Sadao was
indispensable and could not be arrested.
Then the General suggested a way out. He
send two of his private assassins to his house to kill
the American quietly and remove the body.
agreed to the
Sadao waited for three nights. No assassins arrived.
The American was getting better. He thanked Sadao.
Sadao found it difficult to keep the American in his
house any longer.
He was tired of waiting for the assassins to do away
with the American prisoner.Dr Sadao decided to
help him to escape. Sadao provided him with his
boat. He put food water, and a quiltinhis boat. He
also gave the American his flashlight. There was an
uninhabited island very close to the shore.
He told the American to sail to the island. He could
live there till he found a a Korean fishing boat pass by
the
Then he could seek help and escape to freedom. He
warned the American not to make any fire. He could
catch fish and eat it raw.
It was a moonless night when the American sailed
away to the island. Sadao was again called by the
general. He operated on the general. Sadao told
general that the prisonerthe
had escaped. The general
recalled that he had failed to send the assassins as
he had forgotten to keep his promise.
He added that it was not because of lack of patriotism
nor dereliction of duty. He was simply absorbed in
his own affairs.
Sadao realized that he was safe. But he assured
the remain loyal to him.
general that he would ever
As the American had left, all the servants returned.
Things came back to normal. Sadao remembered
the
American and hated him. But did not know why he
had saved the prisoner's
CHAPTER IN A NUTSHELL
Dream of Sadao's Father
Took him to the islands and said they were 'stepping
stones' to the future of Japan. Sadao realized education
is important. At 22 went to America to study
and medicine. Returned at 30, as a famous surgeon
and
Trusted by general-so not sent with troops.
Meeting between Hana and Sadao
By chance. At professor Harley's house in America.
Professor and wife kind, helped foreign students. Sadao
met Hana there. Married after completion of studies.
Marriage finalised in the traditional way, after his
father had seen her. Happy together.
Appearance of American Soldier
Hana and Sadao leaning on railing, one foggy evening,
saw man crawling on hands and knees. Fell on face.
Rushed thinking -fisherman. Saw
a white man
reopened gun shot wound, badly hurt. US Navy insignia
on tattered uniform- realised he was a prisoner of war.
Dilemma of Sadao
As a doctor he should attend to a dying man and
the bleeding.
As a patriotic person he should put him back in the sea
or hand him over to the
Decided not to be callous and took him in.
Risks
Would be arrested for sheltering an enemy- a white
man, would endanger the lives of their children.
Reaction of
Frightened. Felt they should not heal him - gardener
felt he should die or he'd take revenge. Cook felt
in his skill made him save the American soldier. Felt
their years in America had made forget to think of
country first. Left on the seventh
Hana's
Washed him. Helped Sadao operate. Gave
Felt nauseated but
THE ENEMY 379