CBSE Class 12 English Vistas The Enemy Pearl S Buck Assignment

CBSE Class 12 English Vistas The Enemy Pearl S Buck Assignment. Students are advised to refer to the attached assignments and practice them regularly. This will help them to identify their weak areas and will help them to score better in examination. Parents should download and give the assignments to their children for practice.

By - PEARL S. BUCK Gist of the Lesson:- 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, 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 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 - 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 to safety.

Question. There are moments in life when we have to make hard choices between our roles as private individuals and as citizens with a sense of national loyalty. Discuss with reference to the story you have read.
Answer: A conflict of interest arises in a situation when someone like a doctor has conflicting interests- Japanese doctor- dislikes Whites- as a Japanese patriot –his duty was to hand over the escaped prisoner to the police- Sadao risks his safety and saves an enemy- fears the consequences of harbouring an enemy- overcomes his hatred of the Americans- like a hero stands up for what he believes in and doesn’t calculate the repercussions-in spite of conflicts- is human and lives up to the oath of being a doctor.

Question. Dr. Sadao was compelled by his duty to help the enemy soldier. What made Hana, his wife, sympathetic to him in the face of open defiance from the domestic staff?
Answer: When Sadao and Hana saw the prisoner of war they were in a dilemma for a moment- but the doctor in him surfaced- even Hana knew that if he were left there he would die- in the bedroom- she covered him with a quilt- and also washed him when Yumi refused- she helped Sadao operate- was afraid lest the servants report about them hosting an enemy- when the soldier regained consciousness-served him and reassured him- perhaps both Hana and Sadao, because of their stay in America were not as parochial as the rest.

Question. How would you explain the reluctance of the soldier to leave the shelter of the doctor’s home even when he knew he couldn’t stay there without risk to the doctor and himself?
Answer: As the American recovered after the operation- he was weak and terrified- Hana reassured him- fed him and comforted him- Sadao tended to him as a doctor giving him the utmost care- soon the soldier began trusting them- he says, ‘If all the Japs were like you there wouldn’t have been a war’ – when the assassins were to be sent- Sadao spent sleepless nights- after telling the soldier of his plan of escape- reluctant to escape –Sadao also told him how to safeguard himself.

GIST OF THE LESSON:

• 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, 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 surgeon and the General needed him.
• Sadao tells him about the enemy soldier but he does not take any action as he is selfabsorbed 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 soldiers life.
After the soldier is out of danger Dr. Sadao helps him to escape from his house to safety.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS:

Question. Why did the General overlook the matter of the enemy soldier?
Answer: The General had an attack and according to Dr. Sadao he could not survive the second attack.
So if Dr. Sadao was arrested, no other doctor was capable of performing the operation. So for furthering his selfish needs he overlooked the matter and promises to send his assassins. But he was so self-absorbed, he forgot about it.

Question. Why was Dr. Sadao not sent with the troops?
Answer: The General thought that Dr. Sadao is indispensable to his life and can save anyone as he is very skilled. He also does not trust anyone except Dr. Sadao. So he was not sent with troops.

Question. How was the plan of the prisoner's escape executed in the story?
Answer: The prisoner was successful in his escape only because of the right guidance and help from Dr. Sadao. He provided him his boat, gave his food, made him wear Japanese cloths and also helped him in comfortable sail to a nearby island.

Question. Why did the servants leave Dr. Sadao's house?
Answer: They were not in favour of keeping the American prisoner hidden in the house. They also did not want Dr. Sadao to save his life as he was the enemy. Also, if the police come to know of it, all their lives would be in danger. So they left the house.

Question. Who was the white man whom Dr. Sadao and Hana found?
Answer: The white man was an American soldier as evident from his clothes. They guess that he was a prisoner of war from his cap that said 'Navy Seals'

Question. "But Sadao searching the spot of black in the twilight sea that night, had his reward". What was the reward?
Answer: The 'reward' was the escape of the enemy. Dr. Sadao searched the spot of black in the twilight sea that night to see if the man was still there but there was no light. Obviously the man had gone. The escape of the prisoner was his reward.

Question. What message does 'The Enemy' give?
Answer: This is a great lesson in humanism. Dr. Sadao by nursing his country's enemy proves true to his professional ethics.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

Question. How did Dr. Sadao rise above narrow prejudices of race & country to human being in need?
Answer: 
Dr. Sadao- a renowned Japanese surgeon- believed in professional loyalty & human kindnesssaw an American wounded soldier in a terrible condition on beach in front of his house-took him his house with the help of his wife Hana-successfully removed the bullet-nursed him back to his life-thus rose above racialism.
As a patriot, reported the prisoner's presence at his house to the Army General. The general decided to have him killed-he grew vestless to see him & finally decided to help him to escape form his house-gave him boats & instructed him how he could safely escape.

Question. Do you think the doctor's final solution to the problem was the best possible one in the circumstances?
Answer:
It is the best possible option-general had promised him that he would get the soldier quietly killed through his private assassins-but he forgot to get rid of- Dr. Sadao could do nothing-he wanted to get rid of the wounded soldier-as the servants had left the house-and news could be spread-so he devised his own plan to get the soldier off to the nearby island-managed his boat for the soldier and instructed him. The white soldier took leave of him and followed his instruction and managed to escape safely. Thus all this proves that that was the only way out for Dr. Sadao to the problem.

Question. There are moments in life when we have to make hard choice between our role as private individuals and as citizens with a sense of national loyalty. Discuss with reference to the Enemy.
Answer: 
Dr. Sadao encounters with the dilemma-to live as private individual whose and moral ethical responsibility is to save the soldier. So as a doctor and as an individual his first job is to save the man-takes ethical responsibility, he risks his life, fame and social status- takes him to his house and makes efforts to save him.
But his other side-sense of patriotism and nationalism also involves a report to police, takes the general in confidence, and plans to get the enemy soldier killed but later on helps the soldier in escaping. Thus Dr. Sadao's personality is displayed as patriotic citizen.

Important Questions NCERT Class 12 English Vistas "The Enemy"

Question. Did Hana think the Japanese tortured their prisoners of war? Why?
Answer: Yes, Hana thought the Japanese tortured their prisoners of war. She thought so because she had heard about stories of suffering of prisoners of war. When she saw the tortured body of the American soldier, it confirmed her fears. She remembered General Takima beat his wife cruelly at home and wondered, if he could be so cruel to his wife, he would surely be more cruel to an enemy soldier.

Question. Why did the messenger come to Dr. Sadao ? What did Hana think about it?
Answer: The messenger came to Dr. Sadao to inform him that the old General was in pain again and needed his care. Hana had thought that the servants had betrayed them and the messenger had come to arrest Dr. Sadao for sheltering the American, an enemy soldier.

Question. Why was Dr. Sadao not sent abroad along with the troops?
Answer: Dr. Sadao was an eminent surgeon and a scientist. He was perfecting a discovery, which would render wounds entirely clean. Moreover, the old General was being treated medically for a condition for which he might need an operation. This is why Dr. Sadao was not sent abroad with the troops.

Question. How did the servants react when they realised that Dr. Sadao was going to save the life of an enemy?
Answer: When the servants realised that Dr. Sadao was going to save the life of an enemy, the servants were not happy. In fact, they disapproved their master saving the wounded American soldier’s life. They refused to serve the patient and quit their job. They were worried for their lives and their master’s and mistress’ too.

Question. Who did Dr. Sadao think the survivor from the sea was when he first saw him?
Answer: When the survivor from the sea first came into Dr. Sadao’s view, the doctor thought that he was a fisherman from nearby village who had been badly wounded.

Question. What was the General’s plan to get rid of the American prisoner? Was it executed? What traits of the General’s character are highlighted in the lesson ‘The Enemy’?
Answer: The General planned to get rid of the American prisoner by sending his private assassins to kill him and then remove his body from Sadao’s house. The plan was not executed since the General forgot his promise to send the assassins because of his own pain.
The old General seemed to be a cold, calculated ruthless man. He had an unusual sense of humour and seemed to generate fear in others’ hearts quite effortlessly. In his interaction with Dr. Sadao, he comes across as a man who puts his self-interest above everything else. The only reason he did not get Dr. Sadao arrested for treason was because he feared that no other surgeon would be as good as Dr. Sadao if ever the General is fatally wounded again. To save Dr. Sadao from his unusual predicament, the General suggested getting the American soldier killed by his private assassins and getting rid of his body off at the same time. When he admitted to have forgotten to send the assassins, the General asked Sadao not to speak about this carelessness. Nevertheless, the General is not completely devoid of human considerations. He understood that from a surgeon’s point of view, Dr. Sadao did the right thing by saving the wounded soldier’s life, later he even promises reward to Dr. Sadao for proving his loyalty and patriotism.

Question. Dr. Sadao was a patriotic Japanese as well as a dedicated surgeon. How could he honour both the values?
Answer: Dr. Sadao Hoki was not only a trained surgeon but also a fervent patriot who dedicated himself to the cause of serving his country in the wartime through scientific research. However, the dilemma that Dr. Sadao faced on the arrival of the wounded American soldier at his doorstep was a clash between his duties as a doctor and that of a patriotic citizen. Since Dr. Sadao was under the Hippocratic oath to serve the mankind as a whole and put his professional duties first, he decided to save the enemy at any cost. For this he faced difficulties at his home from his wife and servants. He even endangered his own life and that of his family. However, he was able to show his patriotism by informing the General about the wounded American soldier and how he saved him. He requested the General to do whatever was necessary in the matter and even agreed to the arrangement of getting the enemy soldier killed by professional assassins sent by the General. The fact that he informed the General about the American’s escape, even though it was he who helped the soldier, is also a proof that Dr. Sadao was a dedicated surgeon as well as a patriotic Japanese.

Question. How did Dr. Sadao help the American POW to escape? What humanitarian values do you find in his act?
Answer: After waiting for several days for the General’s private assassins to come and kill the American P.O.W., Dr. Sadao decided to help the latter escape. Dr. Sadao arranged for a boat, provided fresh water, food, quilts, flashlight, etc. and instructed him to go to the nearest deserted island. Dr. Sadao asked the soldier to wait there for a Korean fishing boat. He also told him to flash the torch light twice as signal in case he ran out of food. Dr. Sadao also provided the American soldier with Japanese attire and covered his blond hair with a black cloth as a part of his disguise. The young soldier shook Dr. Sadao’s hand and left without a word.
One can find universal value of sympathy, humanitarian consideration, love for fellow human beings and compassion in Dr. Sadao’s actions.

Extract Based Questions:

1. It was at this moment that both of them saw something black come out of the mist . It was a man.

Question. The word 'both' refers to
(a) the fisherman and the pol
(b) Dr sadao and Hana
(c) The gardener and cook
(d) The enemy and General Takima

Answer: B

Question. From where did the man come out from the mist?
(a) from the black
(b) From the ocean
(c) From the house.
(d) from the tree

Answer: B

Question. Who was watching the mist?
(a) the fisherman
(b) Doctor Sadao and Hana
(c) Tom
(d) Hana

Answer: B

Question. Who came out of the mist?
(a) General Takima
(b) The fisherman
(c) Hana
(d) A man.

Answer: D

2. His father had taken him often to the islands of those seas, and never had failed to say to the little brave boy at his side, "Those islands yonder, they are the stepping stones to the future of Japan‖.

Question. Dr.Sadao was..........
(a) a psychiatrist
(b) an engineer
(c) a professor
(d) a surgeon.

Answer: D

Question. Who is the speaker?
(a) Dr. Sadao‘s father
(b) Dr. Sadao
(c) Hana
(d) The white man

Answer: A

Question. Who is referred to as "him" in the above extract?
(a) Dr. Sadao Hoki
(b) Hana
(c) the gardener
(d) Dr Sadao's father.

Answer: A

Question. Who is referred as "the little brave boy " in the above extract ?what is his full name.
(a) Dr Sadao Hoki
(b) Hana
(c) the General
(d) Tom

Answer: A

3."A White man!" Hana whispered. Yes, it was a white man. The wet cap fell away and there was his wet yellow hair, long, as though for many weeks it had not been cut and upon his young and tortured face was a rough yellow beard.

Question. How did the white man's face appear?
(a) Young
(b) Tortured
(c) Fresh
(d) Both a and b

Answer: D

Question. Why didn't the white man know the presence of Dr. Sadao and Hana ?
(a) As he was sleeping
(b) As he was pretending to be unconscious
(c) As he was unconscious
(d) None of these.

Answer: C

Question. What did Dr Sadao and Hana mean by ' white man '?
(a) the man whose face appeared white due to sand
(b) an American prisoner of war
(c) a man wearing white shirt
(d) none of these

Answer: B

Question. Hana's remark " A white man!" on seeing the white man indicated what she was feeling. Pick the option that correctly States the feelings.
1. Horror
2. Shocked
3. Unfamiliar
4. Annoyed
(a) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 4
(b) 2 and 3
(d)1 and 4.

Answer: A

4. "Don't faint", he said sharply .He did not put down his exploring instrument ."If I stop now, the man will surely die." she clapped her hands to her mouth and leaped up and ran out of the room. Outside in the garden he heard her retching but he went on with his work.

Question. Why did Dr. Sadao feel impatient and irritable with the prisoner?
(a) It was getting late at night
(b) He was tired and sleepy
(c) He would not get paid
(d) He could not tend to his wife

Answer: D

Question. Where was the white man ?
(a) in the garden
(b) on the beach
(c) in the room of Sadao‘s father
(d)with the general.

Answer: C

Question. "Don't faint",he said. Who said these words and to whom?
(a) Dr Sadao to Hana
(b) The cook to the Gardener
(c) Dr. Sadao to the patient
(d) The patient to Dr. Sadao

Answer: A

Question. Who would die? Who was retching?
1. Dr. Sadao's wife 2.The General 3 .The enemy Soldier 4.The old Gardener
(a) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 1
(b) 3 and 1
(d) 3 and 4

Answer: B

5."My old master's son knows very well what he ought to do," he now said, pinching a bud from a bush as he spoke." When the man was so near death why did he not let him bleed?"

Question. How had the man come to be bleeding?
(a) He was scratched by the brambles
(b) He had tripped and fallen head first
(c) His body was torn by the rocks flanking the beach
(d) He had been shot.

Answer: C

Question. Dr .Sadao's helping the white soldier displays which qualities of his?
1. He was above the narrow prejudices .
2. He was a bit selfish when it came to his country's matter.
3. He considered his duty above all the other things.
4. He was cunning and egoist person.
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 and 4.

Answer: C

Question. "When the man was so near-death why did he not let him bleed ?" Who said these words?
(a) The cook
(b) Yumi
(c) The gardener
(d) The General.

Answer: C

Question. What is the feeling of the speaker?
(a) Sarcasm
(b) Sadness
(c) Indignation
(d) Appreciative.

Answer: C

6. Now Sadao remembered the wound and with his expert finger he began to search for it. Blood flowed freshly at his touch.

Question. What kind of wound the man had?
(a) it was a knife stab
(b) it was an injury
(c) it was a gun shot
(d)The rock had struck the wound

Answer: C

Question. What was the dilemma that Dr. Sadao faced?
(a) Whether he should marry Hana or not
(b) Whether he should leave Japan and settle in another country .
(c) Whether he should study further or start practice
(d) Whether he should save the life of the white soldier or let him die.

Answer: D

Question. Who was wounded?
(a) Sadao
(b) Hana
(c) The White Soldier
(d) Yumi

Answer: C

Question. Which word best suits 'trained' in the extract?
(a) touch
(b) tended
(c) expat
(d) expert

Answer: D

7. We must simply tell them that we intend to give him to the police- as indeed we must, Sadao

Question. Which word in the extract means ‗certainly‘?
(a) Simply
(b) Intend
(c) Indeed
(d) Give

Answer: C

Question. How many of them were employed at the house by the speaker of the extract.
(a) Three
(b) Four
(c) Six
(d) Two

Answer: A

Question. Who is the speaker of the above extract?
(a) Hana
(b) Dr. Sadao
(c) Yumi
(d) The General

Answer: A

Question. Who is referred as them in the above extract?
(a) The Police
(b) The Fishermen
(c) The Servants
(d) The Officials.

Answer: C

8. He stood gazing down on the motionless man. This man must have extraordinary vitality or he would have been dead by now. But then he was very young- perhaps not yet twenty five.

Question. In whose bedroom the man was lying?
(a) In the children‘s bedroom
(b) In the master bedroom
(c) The bedroom of the old man
(d) The bedroom of the General.

Answer: C

Question. Which word in the extract is the synonym of ―strength‖.
(a) Vitality
(b) Extraordinary
(c) Motionless
(d) Gazing

Answer: A 

Question. Who is referred as ‗he‘ in ‗he stood gazing‘?
(a) The police
(b) The gardener
(c) Dr. Sadao
(d) the General

Answer: C

Question. What was the age of the man?
(a) Twenty five
(b) thirty five
(c) forty five
(d) fifty five

Answer: A

9. When she saw him her thick lips folded themselves into stubbornness. ― I have never washed a white man,‖ she said, ―and I will not wash so dirty a one now‖.

Question. Was ―the White man‖ conscious when the above lines is spoken?
(a) Yes, he was conscious
(b) No, he was unconscious
(c) He was sleeping
(d) He was pretending sleeping

Answer: B

Question. Which phrase is the antonym of ―always‖.
(a) Thick
(b) Never
(c) Will
(d) Now

Answer: B

Question. Who is referred as ―she‖ in the above extract?
(a) Hana
(b) The Cook
(c) Yumi
(d) The Girl

Answer: C

Question. Who is the listener of the above extract?
(a) The Cook
(b) Hana
(c) The Girl
(d) Yumi

Answer: B

10. ―Well, well‖ the old man said in a tone of amazement, ―so I did! But you see, I suffered a good deal. The truth is, I thought of nothing but myself. In short, I forgot my promise to you.‖

Question. Who suffered a good deal in the above extract?
(a) The General
(b) Doctor Sadao
(c) The Assassins
(d) The Gardener

Answer: A

Question. Who failed to keep the promise?
(a) The Gardener
(b) Doctor Sadao
(c) The General
(d) The Assassins

Answer: C

Question. Who is referred to as ―you‖ in the above extract?
(a) The General
(b) Doctor Sadao
(c) The Assassins
(d) The Gardener

Answer: B

Question. Who is referred to ―The old man‖ in the above extract?
(a) The Gardener
(b) Doctor Sadao
(c) The General
(d) The Assassins

Answer: C

11. ―It is very unfortunate that this man should have washed up on your door step‖. He said irritably.

Question. Who is referred to as ―the man‖?
(a) The General
(b) Doctor Sadao
(c) The white American soldier
(d) The Gardener

Answer: C

Question. Which word in the extract is the synonym of ―Unlucky‖?
(a) Irritably
(b) Washed
(c) Unfortunate
(d) The man

Answer: C

Question. Who is the speaker of the above lines?
(a) The Gardener
(b) Doctor Sadao
(c) The General
(d) The Assassins

Answer: C

Question. Who is the listener of the above lines?
(a) The General
(b) Doctor Sadao
(c) The Assassins
(d) The Gardener

Answer: B