Flowchart: The Enemy (Part 1 of 2)
Pearl S. Buck
1. Introduction to Dr. Sadao Hoki
- Renowned Japanese surgeon & scientist, educated in America.
- Lives with wife Hana & children by the Japanese coast.
- Exempted from army duty due to General Takima's illness,
requiring Sadao's unique surgical skills.
2. The Mysterious Arrival
- One foggy evening, Sadao and Hana find a wounded man
washed ashore near their house.
- He is identified as a white man, an American
prisoner of war (POW), an enemy.
3. The Moral and Patriotic Dilemma
- Sadao & Hana face a conflict: duty as a doctor to save him
vs. duty as citizens to hand him over.
- They consider returning him to the sea but are unable to.
- The man is too weak; Sadao's medical instinct takes over.
4. The Humanitarian Decision
- Sadao decides his primary duty as a doctor is to treat the man.
- Hana, though fearful and initially reluctant, agrees to assist.
- They carry the American into their home to operate.
5. Defiance from the Household
- Servants (Yumi, gardener, cook) are terrified and hostile.
- Yumi refuses to wash the American; they fear repercussions.
- Believing sheltering an enemy is wrong, all servants eventually
leave the household in protest.
6. The Life-Saving Operation
- Sadao skillfully operates, removing a bullet near Tom's kidney.
- Hana, overcoming her initial revulsion, assists by administering
anesthesia to the unconscious American.
- Sadao's professional dedication is paramount.
7. Recovery and Escalating Tension
- Tom (the American) slowly begins to recover under their care.
- Sadao remains conflicted, drafts a report to the police
but does not send it, hiding it instead.
- Hana's anxiety increases due to the risks and isolation.
Flowchart: The Enemy (Part 2 of 2)
Pearl S. Buck
8. The General's Selfish Solution
- Sadao informs General Takima about the sheltered prisoner.
- The General, concerned for his own health and needing Sadao,
decides Sadao must not be arrested.
- He offers to send his private assassins to kill Tom discreetly
and remove the body.
9. Anxious Nights Awaiting Assassins
- Sadao reluctantly agrees to the General's plan for assassination.
- For three successive nights, he leaves the American's outer door
unlocked, expecting the assassins to arrive.
- They never come, intensifying Sadao's stress and sleeplessness.
10. Sadao's Escape Plan for Tom
- Unable to endure the strain, Sadao devises a plan for Tom's escape.
- He provides Tom with his boat, food, water, clothing, and a flashlight.
- Instructs Tom to row to a nearby island, wait for a Korean fishing boat,
and signal if in need or when safe to leave.
11. The Departure and Subsequent Relief
- Tom expresses his gratitude and departs secretly at night.
- Sadao observes a single flashlight signal from the island as instructed,
then no more, indicating Tom's probable safe departure.
- Sadao feels a profound sense of relief and finally sleeps peacefully.
12. The General's "Forgetfulness" Revealed
- Days later, the General, recovering from his own operation,
casually mentions the prisoner to Sadao.
- He admits he "forgot" his promise to send assassins,
citing his own suffering and self-absorption.
- This oversight inadvertently ensures Sadao's safety.
13. Sadao's Final Contemplation
- Sadao reflects on the American, his experiences with other white people
(both prejudiced and kind) during his time in America.
- Gazing at the sea, he ponders deeply, wondering to himself,
"Strange... I wonder why I could not kill him?"
