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The Enemy | Pearl Sydenstricker Buck | Summary and Questions and Answers | Flamingo Class 12 | Neb English Support
The Enemy
FULL PLOT SUMMARY
The Enemy | Pearl Sydenstricker Buck
In the story, Dr. Sadao Hoki is portrayed as a very good doctor who followed the strict rules of traditional Japanese society. His father wanted him to get a great education, so he moved to America to study surgery and medicine when he was at the age of 22. There, he met a girl named Hana at a professor's house, and even though he liked her, he waited to make sure she was truly Japanese before falling in love. He introduced Hana to his father in Japan, and they got married following traditional Japanese way.
Because Sadao was a very skilled and talented in his profession, he didn't have to go to fight in the war. Additionally, the general, who needed cure for a specific condition, thought Sadao's expertise as a surgeon would be valuable for his medical care.
One evening, while Sadao and his wife Hana were on their house's porch, looking at the ocean, they noticed a tired man washing up on the shore. Curious, they went to inspect on him and found out he was injured. Surprisingly, the man on the shore was a white U.S. soldier who seemed like he had escaped after being tortured. Even though he was their enemy, they knew it was against the law in their country to assist or hide a white man from America due to the political situation.
They thought about it a lot, considering what might happen if they helped the injured man. They knew they could get in trouble for saving an enemy, but they couldn't just leave him hurt. They were also concerned about how their servants might feel about it. Eventually, they decided to bring the man to their house and told the servants that they would give him to the police once he was better.
Dr. Sadao and his wife placed the young American prisoner in Dr. Sadao's father's room, which hadn't been used since he passed away. They felt it was urgent to operate on the white man to save his life. The couple told their servants about the situation, and the servants seemed shocked and didn't want to believe it. When Hana asked Yumi to wash the prisoner, Yumi refused, saying she had never washed a white man and didn't want to start. Hana got upset at first but then acted calmly and maturely, deciding to clean the prisoner herself.
Dr. Sadao began the operation and was completely focused on his work. He asked Hana for assistance, but she was upset seeing the man's severe wounds, as she had never witnessed surgery before. Sadao got frustrated that he couldn't comfort his wife and became more determined about his task. After the surgery, when the prisoner woke up, Hana personally took care of him.
The prisoner, who seemed to be in his early twenties before the surgery, now looked around seventeen. When he asked Dr. Sadao about his plans, the doctor said he hadn't decided yet and told him to avoid casual talks. As the guy recovered, it was tough for Sadao and Hana to handle the servants who didn't want to be part of this act against their country. After removing the last stitches, Dr. Sadao figured the guy needed about two weeks to fully recover. He wrote a letter to report the incident to the Chief of Police but didn't send it.
On the seventh day after what happened, the servants decided to leave. Dr. Sadao continued treating the enemy like before, and Hana handled the servants leaving without causing any trouble. In the afternoon, Dr. Sadao went to the palace to treat the general, who was in a lot of pain. The general highly valued Dr. Sadao. When Sadao mentioned the wounded prisoner, the general offered to help by having the prisoner killed by his trusted assassins. He told Sadao to leave the prisoner's door slightly open at night and assured him that the task would be done quickly.
For three nights in a row, Sadao couldn't sleep well, worrying about the prisoner being assassinated. But each morning, he found the prisoner safe and getting better. On the third day, Sadao told the prisoner he was strong enough to escape on a boat to an island with the help of Korean fishermen. It was no longer a secret that the prisoner was at Sadao's house. The young man understood and agreed to the plan. Sadao explained how the prisoner could survive and escape without getting caught, instructing him to use a flashlight to signal if he needed help or was okay. The prisoner thanked Sadao and left on the boat at night.
Dr. Sadao performed surgery on the general, and a week later, when the general seemed recovered enough, Sadao told him that the prisoner had managed to escape. The general apologised for not keeping his promise, explaining that he had been focused on his own condition and forgot about the plan. Sadao realised he didn't need to be concerned about the general and assured him of his loyalty in case there was an official investigation into the matter.
That night, when Sadao checked the sea, he didn't see any signals. He thought the prisoner had left safely. While standing there, he recalled the white faces he knew in America, some kind and some not, like his harsh landlady. He wondered why he couldn't bring himself to harm the white prisoner.
Conclusion of the Enemy
The summary of "The Enemy" in Class 12 shows Dr. Sadao torn between duty and compassion. Despite the risks treating an enemy poses for him and his family, he feels compelled by his conscience to save the prisoner's life. Reporting the arrival of an American prisoner is his duty, but the desire to help a fellow human is stronger than his patriotic feelings. This conflict intensifies at the end of the chapter when he assists the prisoner in escaping.
SHORT SUMMARY
The Enemy by Pearl Sydenstricker Buck
"The Enemy" is a story by Pearl Sydenstricker Buck. It's about a Japanese surgeon named Sadao who studied in America, met a Japanese girl named Hana there, married her, and returned to Japan. The story takes place during World War II, and although all doctors were called to serve the Japanese army, Sadao is allowed to stay back because he is taking care of an old general. One night, his life takes a turn when he comes across an injured and dying American Navy man.
Even though Sadao didn't want to help the enemy, he still took in the young soldier and gave him medical care. He keeps the soldier at his house to keep him safe, but he knows this could bring danger. His servants decided to leave because of this. As the days go by, the soldier gets healthier. Now that the soldier isn't Sadao's patient anymore, Sadao thinks about killing him in his sleep. He tells the general about the Americans, and they plan to send private assassins to kill the soldier.
While waiting for the assassins, Sadao notices that it's taking a long time. During this time, a sense of humanity awakens in Sadao. He realises that, ultimately, he is a human being. He starts to see the value of human life and the idea of universal brotherhood, expanding his thinking beyond race, borders, and wars. Eventually, he concludes that the American soldier is not his enemy just because he's from a different country. Overcoming his prejudices, he does the right thing by helping the American soldier escape and saving his life.
Conclusion of the Enemy
In conclusion, The Enemy teaches us that love and compassion can make us better people, unlike having prejudices and biases against others just because we don't have much in common except being human.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
The Enemy by Pearl Sydenstricker Buck
1. What is the main theme of the story ‘The Enemy’?
Answer:
"The Enemy" focuses on a tough choice between serving one's country and saving a person's life. While we recognise the importance of patriotism in defending our country, we should never overlook the value of someone's life, especially when they're in critical condition and we have the ability to save them. This dilemma taps into a fundamental human instinct and the inherent goodness found in conscientious individuals.
2. Why do you think Dr. Sadao helped the American soldier?
Answer:
Dr. Sadao disliked the prisoner because he recognised him as an enemy, a white American soldier. However, his natural instinct as a doctor compelled him to save people from dying. Yet, it wasn't just about being a doctor for Dr. Sadao. He couldn't bring himself to willingly harm another human, especially when he understood that the prisoner posed no threat and was just another injured person.
3. What is the moral of the story ‘The Enemy’?
Answer:
"The Enemy" underscores the importance of humanity within us. As a community, we can only thrive and prosper when we don't ignore the pain and struggles of others.
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