abut ncert chapter enemy

1. The Enemy
By : Pearl S. Buck

2. Identify the idiom from the picture

3. AT CROSSROADS

4. Pearl S. Buck
• Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (1892-1973) was an American
writer and novelist, best known for her works depicting
Chinese society and culture.
• Nobel Prize Winner: Buck was the first American woman to
receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, awarded to her in 1938
for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in
China.
• Advocate for Social Justice: Throughout her writings, Buck
advocated for social justice, particularly addressing issues
such as gender inequality, racial discrimination, and the
struggles of marginalized communities.
About the author

5. SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER
The story revolves around a man named Sadao Hoki who
was a doctor by profession. His house was built around
the Japanese coast near the ocean. The story is based on
the backdrop of Japan and the US war way back. One day
Sadao discovers a seriously injured man, lying around the
coast. The man happens to be ‘The Enemy’ because he
was an American soldier who had reached there through
water. The incident puts Dr Sadao in a serious dilemma of
choosing loyalty towards his nation over his moral duty as
a doctor.

6. Significance of the title
The Enemy is an apt title for the story as the
political situation at that time had made
America and Japan sworn enemies. Thus the
head and the heart of the protagonist are at
war. Finally, the heart overcomes all the
considerations, transcends patriotism, rises
above the narrow prejudices and saves the
life of the Prisoner of war.

7. THEME OF THE CHAPTER
•The story deals with a man’s conflict
between his duty towards the state and
his conscience.
•The story condemns racial discrimination
and hails humanity above all else.

8. • Dr. Sadao Hoki, a Japanese surgeon, faces a moral dilemma when
he finds an injured American prisoner of war near his home during
World War II.
• Despite the risks, Dr. Sadao chooses compassion and secretly treats
the enemy soldier, defying societal expectations and nationalistic
sentiments.
• His wife, Hana, challenges the concept of the enemy and advocates
for empathy and understanding.
• Dr. Sadao and his wife help the soldier escape, driven by their belief
in humanity and rejection of blind nationalism.
• "The Enemy" explores the complexities of war, the power of
compassion, and the potential for empathy to transcend
boundaries.
The Enemy : Gist

9. VALUE POINTS
• Dr Sadao’s house was located near the Japanese Coast and he had
spent his entire lifetime playing along the shore, with his father.
• At 22, he was sent to America to learn the art of surgery and
medicine. He returned when he was 30. After his success as a
surgeon and scientist, his father passed away peacefully.
• He was being kept in Japan because he was discovering a medicine
wholly rendering clean wounds. The old general from the Japanese
army was also old and he might require immediate assistance at
any point in time.
• Then the story introduces his wife, Hana whom he had met in
America and had fallen in love with after discovering that she was
Japanese.

10. VALUE POINTS
• As they were spending some time together in their house, near
the seashore, while recalling the olden days, they saw a man
emerge out of the fog. They quickly went outside the house to
see the fallen man on the ground.
• Sadao with his magical fingers and brain figured out that the
man had been wounded by a bullet.
• They saw his face and came to know that he was a white man.
• Sadao took moss and stuffed it across the wound to stop the
bleeding.
• They figured out that the man was from the US Navy, grabbed
by the Japanese men, but he had managed to run away. The
wounds on his body showed signs of torture.

11. VALUE POINTS
• After discussion and considering all aspects of the situation, it
was concluded that carrying him to the house would be the
safest option.
• The man was lifted and carried to an empty bedroom.
• Sadao asks Hana to fetch him some hot water so that he can be
cleaned. Hana replies that she would ask the servants to get him
cleaned.
• They decided that he had to be operated on otherwise he would
die.
• The servants were upset with this act. Yumi, the caretaker of the
kids did not even agree to wash the man.

12. VALUE POINTS
• Hana cleaned and Sadao with his emergency bag operated
the man. The operation was successful and the man was
saved.
• The servants left the house in anger.
• As the man gains his health back, Sadao decides to inform
the general about the man. They concluded that the
general would send some hired men to kill the enemy.

13. VALUE POINTS
• By the time the man would arrive, Sadao’s conscience told
him to set the man free as he had been good to them,
throughout. Additionally, he did not feel right to get him
killed since he was treated by him.
• Thus, Sadao arranges a boat with survival essentials and
helps him sail off silently during the night hours. The man
reaches a boat of a Korean company through which he is
set free for the rest of his life.

14. • Highly skilled and respected Japanese surgeon.
• Dutiful son: became a doctor /surgeon to fulfil his
wishes.
• Loving husband and protective father.
• Dedicated to his profession and committed to
saving lives. Fulfilled his duty as a doctor and as a
patriot.
• Torn between his loyalty to his country and his
sense of humanity.
About the Characters:
Dr Sadao Hoki

15. • Wife of Dr. Sadao Hoki.
• A patriotic lady, an ideal wife, and adheres strictly to
Japanese culture.
• Intelligent and compassionate, with a deep sense of
justice.
• Supports her husband in his decisions.
• Dignified woman: did not lose her control when
servants defy her.
About the Characters: Hana

16. • A high-ranking military official in Japan.
• Known for his authoritarian leadership
style and strict adherence to rules.
• Sadao’s patient: old and ailing.
• Selfish, self-absorbed and forgetful
About the Characters:
The General

17. MIND MAP

18. ASSESSMENT
1.Where was Sadao Hoki's house located?
a) On a South Seas island b) On the Japanese coast
c) In a remote village in America d) On a little island near the shore
2.Why did Sadao Hoki go to America?
a) To learn surgery and medicine b) To visit his relatives
c)To escape the war d) To study architecture
3.What was Sadao Hoki's father's attitude towards the future of Japan?
a) Pessimistic b) Cautiously optimistic
c) Indifferent d) Fearful
4.How did Sadao Hoki meet his wife Hana?
a) At a Japanese cultural event in America b) Through a mutual friend in Japan
c) By chance at an American professor's house d) During their studies in medical school
5.What do Sadao and Hana witness coming out of the mist?
a) A boat b) A fisherman
c) A sea creature d) A black object

19. ANSWERS
1. (D) On a little island near the shore.
2. (A) To learn surgery and medicine.
3. (B) Cautiously optimistic.
4. (C) By chance at an American professor's house.
5. (D) A black object

20. Thank You