Udududud

1. The Enemy –
KV no2 Jaipur Cantt.
Chapter-The Enemy
By-Pearl S. Buck

2. Know Your Author
Pearl Sydenstricker Buck
(1892 – 1973) was an
American writer and novelist.
She had a Chinese name – Sai
Zhenzhu as she spent her
childhood in China, being the
daughter of missionaries.
She was awarded the Pulitzer
prize in 1932 and the Nobel
Prize in Literature in the year
1938.

3. The Enemy (KEY NOTES)
 Dr. Sadao Hoki’s Childhood
 Climbed pines, watched islands, played
along the coast
 Stone house located upon rocks, well
above the narrow beach
 Education
 At 22yrs. Went to America &
returned after 8yrs., became
a surgeon & scientist

4. Presently (DUTIES)
 Army at war but Sadao not
sent to war..
 General might need him
 Was perfecting a discovery that
would render wounds entirely clean

5. Wife (Characteristics)
 Pleasant, affectionate, caring, Sadao
met Hana at Prof. Harley’s House in
America
 Married her in Japan (traditional way)

6. The Challenges
 Misty night, staggering body appeared, wounded,
collapsed
 A white man ( American ), an enemy
 Sadao & Hana carried him to Sadao’s father’s bedroom
 Washed by Hana because Yumi refused
 Operated by Sadao & Hana held the anesthetic
 Bullet removed from near the kidney
 Life saved- prisoner- feeble & weak
 Prisoner fed & rested to recovery, but was anxious for
his future

7. Sadao’s Dilemma
 Servants threatened to leave in protest
 Conflict between duty as a doctor and
duty as a true patriot
 Afraid of being called a traitor
 Resolved to save the prisoner
 Hana & Sadao stood firm, did not relent-
treated the prisoner with respect

8. General Finally Informed
 The General offered to help and
send assassins
 Assassins would kill and remove the
prisoner quietly
 3 nights passed – no assassins
turned up

9. The Escape
 Sadao gave the prisoner a boat, extra food,
clothing, bottled water & a flashlight and covered
his hair with a black cloth
 Directed him to row to an uninhabited island
 Asked him to wait for a Korean fishing boat
 Told him to flash the torch twice if he ran out of
food and flash it once if he was alright
 The prisoner escaped

10. Admission by the General
 That he had failed in doing his duty
towards his country
 Justified his action - that it was due
to ill-health and not due to lack of
patriotism

11. Sadao Reflected
 Wondered as to why he had saved
the American.
 Had hatred for Americans – their
enemy – but humanity overpowered
his feelings

12. SUMMARY
 The Enemy is a story set in Japan during the second world war. In
this story, an injured American army man washes up on the beach
near the home of a Japanese surgeon, Dr. Sadao Hoki. Although he
has lived in America and follows a modern profession, Dr Sadao’s
family lives a traditional Japanese life.
Dr Sadao is in a dilemma to leave the American man to die, to throw
him back into the sea, to hand him over to the army or to save his
life. He reluctantly takes him home and decides to save his life. The
presence of an enemy disrupts his family life. His wife is against his
idea of operating upon and taking care of the soldier. The servants
of the house oppose the idea and leave their master. Yet, Dr Sadao
shelters him, operates upon him, and saves his life.
Out of the fear of being accused of sheltering an enemy, he narrates
the incident to a general in the Japanese military. The general helps
Dr Sadao and offers to get the man killed by hired killers. However,
the killing doesn't take place, and after waiting for three nights, Dr.
Sadao thinks of getting rid of the American himself. He arranges a
boat for the man to help him reach the nearby island. He provides
him necessities like food and clothing to survive till he finds a
Korean fishing boat which could rescue him. Dr. Sadao wonders that
why did he save the life of an enemy.

13. Worksheet
 Answer briefly.
1. Give two reasons why Sadao was not
sent abroad with the troops.
2. What did the servants think of Dr. Sadao
sheltering the enemy?
3. Hana plays an instrumental role in
saving the life of an injured prisoner.
Give an account of her role in light of the
above statement.
4. True humanity overpowers prejudices
and has no barriers. Elaborate.
THANKS –BY Setha Ram,PGT ENG