The Enemy - By Pearl S. Buck Introduction This Story is woven around the life and dilemma of a japanese doctor who saves the life of an American prisoner of war and rises abovenarrow national prejudices, He risks his honour, family, career, position and lifej by sheltering a prisoner of war Of the enemy camp and saving his life. The author has very evocatively portrayed the conflict in the doctor's mind thätarisesbetween him being a humane and committed doctor on One side and a Japanese citizen With a deep sense of loyalty on the other. The story takes place on a coastal town ofJapan in the year 194i when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, At that time, the war going on between Amelica and Japan was at its peak. Obviously then, the Japanese ',vere very hostile towards all Americans and ready to kill any American found on their soil.Theme 'The Enemy gives the message that humanism transcends all man made prejudices and barriers. Dr. Sadao upholds the ethics of the medical profession and of humaneness wh il o treating an injured and defenseless enemy. The story is a perfect platform to highlight the fact that love, empathy, fellow and humanism, transcend all other emotions and priorities, including patriotism. Inherently, every human being is humane and compassionate and instinctively gives priority to this.
Hlahlights:
Dr Sadao Hoki was a Japanese doctor who was famous as he was not onlv a_sutgeombuta_.He had been sent by his father to when he was twenty-two years old and returned back to his Dr Sadao's father was a very traditional and conservative Ja anese, though he also ensured that his son got the best of education. So Dr Sa ao's personality and perspective was a umque The story begins with a description of where Dr Sadao lived, also highlighting the influence that his father's traditionalistic perspective had on his personality.Dr Sadao was not sent with the troops to fight the war as he was erfectin a discovery that would render wounds entirely clean Also the old General was not too we an rmg t nee qn operation. Thus, Dr Sadao was being kept in Japan.Dr a aomet Hana while he was in the ut he only allowed himself to fall in love with her after his father approved o e match.One day, Dr Sadao and his wife Hana, found a wounded Arnerican soldier on the beach near their house.He was unable to throw him back even though he realized that the man was an American, his enemy. This was because he was a doctor and his first duty was to save lives.Hana, his wife, was initially reluctant to help thßnjured because it would have dangerous for their entire family if they harboured an enemy in their house./ s h2L,be'u Scanned with CarnScanner 1 / 2
I-lowever, once Dr SadaO decided to treat the prisoner, Hana assisted Dr. Sadao in attending to the soldier, in Spite of her physical discomfort ahd_imrnense hesitation. Both were very clear though that they would hand over the prisoner to the aUthorities once they saved his life.• Both Dr Sadao and Hana were worried a to how their se n 8 would react, as th were all very tra itiona an conservative t elr outloo Dr Sadao then proceeded to perform the operation and save the life of the prisoner. It became clear that Dr Sadao was a doc}" and an However, while he was Operating, the author cle•o s th adao goes torn between his responsibilities as a doctor and his duties as a patriotic apanese.On the seventh day after the arrival of the prisoner, two things happened. Firstly, in the morning, the servants decided to leaveir ell' e-American-in-the-housg. Secondly, in the afternoon. a messenger came to the door in official uniform and both In ormee government about the American risoner. However, the had come to cal r a ao ast e General was o Dr Sadao then went to meet the General. Seeing the General in a Sadao told him all about the risoner who took this news in his stride_as at that moment he and was tota y depen ent on Sadao to éå+öhrs life.The General then assured Sadao that he would send his privete assassins to Dr Sadao's house to • the American instructing him to leave the outer partition A OfithGiGfiite man's room open to the gar en at mght.Thereafter, Dr Sadao waited every night with bated breath, the assassins to come and kill the American and tåk@his body away. However, three excruciating nights passed and fh@fdid not come.After the third night, Dr Sadao could not tolerate the tension anymore, as his humane nature part oopch inhumanity. So he made American escape safely from Japan.Soon after, the servants returned to the house and Dr Sadao had to erform an emergency A week after the operation, Dr Sadao informed the General that the prisoner had escaped from his house. The General then felt quite guilty that he had forgotten to send his assassins to kill the American. Dr Sadao used this to his advantage as he realized that the Genearl was in the palm ofhis hand and so he and his family were safe.Dr Sadao was also very satisfied when he realized that the American had been successful in escaping. The story concludes with Dr Sadao wondering and analyzing why he had been unable to kill the enemy and why he had helped save his life.Scanned With CacnScanner
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