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Sadao was a Japanese surgeon who found an injured American soldier on the beach near his home. Though the soldier was his enemy, as a doctor Sadao's duty was to save lives, so he provided medical aid. Once healed, Sadao helped the soldier escape to safety, rising above national divisions to act with humanity.

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104 views3 pages

Explanation Content

Sadao was a Japanese surgeon who found an injured American soldier on the beach near his home. Though the soldier was his enemy, as a doctor Sadao's duty was to save lives, so he provided medical aid. Once healed, Sadao helped the soldier escape to safety, rising above national divisions to act with humanity.

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THE ENEMY

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
honour, 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.

Setting
The story takes place on a coastal town of Japan in the year 1941 when Japan
attacked Pearl Harbour. A war was going on between America and Japan.
Japanese were hostile to the Americans and ready to kill any American found in
the their soil.

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.

Characters
1. Dr.Sadao Hoki: A Japanese doctor trained by Americans.

2. Sadao’s father: much concerened his son’s education, a true patriot.

3. Hana:Wife of Dr.Sadao, met in America, became friends and got married in


Japan.

4. Tom: An American Prisoner of war, a soldier of U.S.Navy.

5. The Old General: A sick Japanese army General, needed an operation, trusted
only Dr.Sadao.

6. An Officer:A messenger of the General.

7. Gardener: An old gardener in th house of Dr.Sadao.


8. Yimi: Hana’s maid servant

9. The cook: An old cook in the house of Dr.Sadao.

Place
House of Dr.Sadao: a house built on a narrow beach near the sea.

Summary
Sadao was a Japanese surgeon. He studied in America and returned with Hana,
a Japanese girl whom he met there, and married her in Japan and settled down
comfortably. While most of the doctors were sent to serve the Japanese army in
the World War II, Sadao was allowed to stay home because he was wanted by
the old General who was Dying. But one night into his uneventful life came an
American Navy-man shot, wounded and dying. Though unwilling to help his
enemy, Sadao took the young soldier into his house and provided him with
medical aid. He was in danger from that moment. Soon his servants left him.
Dr.Sadao saw that the soldier was getting well and absolutely alright.

Once his patient was no more in need of him, the doctor turned out to be his
assassin, conspiring to kill him in his sleep. He informed the General of the
American and the general promised, he would send his private men to kill the
American. Sadao awaited the American’s death every morning but to his gloom
the man was still alive, healthier and posing danger to him. At this point Sadao
becomes the real man in him, a true human being who realizes the essential
worth of human life and universal brotherhood. He thinks beyond coutries and
continents and races and wars. He finds no reason to believe that he American
in his enemy. Sadao rises above the narrow prejudices and acts in a truly
humanitarian way.

Gist of the lesson


*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 incuding the children to keep the enemy in the house,
joins her husband in operating and nursing the enemy soldier
back to health, even though the servants desert the house.

*Hana assists Dr. Sadao in operating the soldier in spite of her


physical discomfort and hesitation.

*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 surgon 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.

*Taking advantage of the General’s self-absorption Sadao decides


to save the soldier’s life. After the soldier is out of danger, Dr.Sadao
helps him to escape from his house to safety.

Message
‘The Enemy’ gives the message that humanism transcends all made made
prejudices and barriers. Here, 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.

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