..................................

1. 1
1
THE ENEMY
BY- PEARL S. BUCK
© Tattvam Advisors, All rights reserved

2. Pearl S. Buck ( 1892-1973)
2
She was born in June 26, 1892, Hillsboro, West Virginia.
When she was three months old, her parents shifted to
China, where she spent almost 40 years of her life.
Achievements - In 1932 she won the Pulitizer prize and
the Howells Medal in 1935, for The Good Earth which
was adapted as a major MGM film in 1937.
In 1938, won the Nobel Prize in literature
By the time of her death in 1973, Pearl published over
seventy books, on a variety of topics.
Tattvam Advisors Copyright
About
the
AUTHOR

3. 3
© Tattvam Advisors, All rights reserved
INTRODUCTION
The story highlights how a Japanese doctor saves
the life of an American prisoner of war and rises
above narrow national prejudices. He risks his honor,
career, position and life by sheltering a war prisoner
of the enemy camp and saving his life. The author
has beautifully portrayed the conflict in the doctor’s
mind as a private individual and as a citizen with a
sense of national loyalty.

4. 4
© Tattvam Advisors, All rights reserved
THEME
‘The Enemy’ gives the message that humanism
transcends all man made prejudices and barriers.
Dr. Sadao upholds the ethics of medical profession
in treating an enemy. The story is a great lesson of
peace, love, sympathy, fellow feeling and
humanism.

5. CHARACTERS
Tom: An American prisoner of war, a soldier of U.S.
Navy.
Sadao’s father
concerned about his son’s education
Hana
Wife of Dr. Sadao
The old General: a sick Japanese army General 1.Yimi: Hana’s maid servant
2.The cook
3.Gardner
Dr. Sadao Hoki
A Japanese doctor trained by Americans.

6. POINTS TO REMEMBER
What is more important - loyalty to your country or saving a
person's life no matter to which country they belong to?
- Story is set during World War II
- Japan is fighting America
- It is a story of conflict between fellow-feeling and loyalty
- Shown through the situation between Tom, the American
prisoner and the Japanese couple,
Dr. Sadao and Hana

7. THE STORY BEGINS…
Dr. Sadao, a Japanese surgeon finds a wounded American
soldier on the beach near his house. He is unable to throw
him back though he was his enemy as he was a doctor and
his first duty was to save a life. Hana, his wife, though
initially reluctant because it was dangerous for all including
the children to keep the enemy in the house, joins her
husband in operating and nursing the enemy soldier back to
health. Hana assists Dr. Sadao in operating the soldier in
spite of her physical discomfort and hesitation.

8. How did Sadao and Hana helped the soldier.
-Sadao packed the wound with sea moss to stop bleeding
- Together both lifted the prisoner and laid him on a deeply matted floor of their
father's bedroom
- Hana washed his wounds with steaming hot water
- Sadao operated on his body, pulled the bullet out
- Hana helped Sadao with anesthesia
- Both took care of his weak body
- Hana fed him with her own hands
- Later towards the end of the story help the prisoner to escape

9. REACTION OF THE SERVANTS
- The servants did not like the idea of helping an enemy.
- Yumi refused to wash a white man.
- The gardener felt that Sadao should have allowed the soldier to die.
- He said the sea and the gun would take revenge if Sadao saved the
soldier.
- The cook said that Sadao was proud of his skill and used it
irresponsibly.
- They left the house when the American prisoner was treated and
nursed by Sadao and Hana.

10. The Obstructions
-Servants threatened to leave in protest
-Conflict between duty as a doctor and duty as a true
patriot
-Afraid of being called a traitor
-Afraid of being held up by military of his own country,
-Afraid of loosing all his fame in one swing.

11. SADAO TELLS THE GENERAL.
Though it was war time and all hands were needed at the front, the
General did not send Sadao with the troops as he is an expert surgeon
and the General needed him. Sadao tells him about the enemy soldier
but he does not take any action as he is self-absorbed and forgets his
promise that he would send his private assassins to kill the enemy and
remove his body. And after he waited for few days and the assassins
didn’t come then taking advantage of the general’s self-absorption
Sadao decides to save the soldiers life. After the soldier is out of danger
Dr. Sadao helps him to escape from his house safely.

12. HOW DID DR. SADAO HELPED TOM TO ESCAPE
- Sadao put his boat with food and extra clothing
- Asked the soldier to row to an uninhabited island nearby
- Asked him to wait for a Korean fishing boat on the island
- Told him that he could catch fish but eat it raw
- Gave him his flashlight.
- Asked the soldier to signal him two flashes if his food ran out and one
flash if he was alright
- Sadao gave him Japanese clothes and covered his hair with a black
cloth

13. Characteristics

14. 14
© Tattvam Advisors, All rights reserved
1
He loved his profession more than anything else. He is a
perfect role model for all the doctors of the world who
really upholds the values of his profession.
Not only is he a good human being, he is a perfect and
skilled doctor also that is why General Takima had a great
faith in him.
The best traits of his personality come to light when
risking his own life and the entire family he dares to save
an enemy.
2
3
DR. SADAO

15. 15
 1) Hana is an epitome of a loving, dedicated and caring wife.
 2) She is also a good-hearted woman as she also wished Tom to be
saved.
 3) However, she is not as courageous as Sadao.
 4) She is quite hardworking. When Yumi, the nurse refuses to wash
Tom, she does it herself. When the servants leave Sadao’s home in
protest, she does all the chores herself
HANA- DR. SADAO’S WIFE

16. 16
© Tattvam Advisors, All rights reserved
THE AMERICAN SOLDIER- TOM
- Flung out of the ocean
- A prisoner of war.
- Escaped but was shot at the back
- Suffered torture and hunger
- Wounded, bleeding, was in great pain, lay unconscious
- Needed medical aid
- Had strong will power
- At first he is afraid - later feels secure in the house of Japanese couple
- Full of gratitude towards Dr. Sadao