Question. On the seventh day after the American soldier was found by Dr. Sadao two things happened. Why did Hana feel scared of the second?
Answer : On the s seventh day after the American Soldier was found by Dr. Sadao, two things happened.
First, all the household servants quit their job and second, General’s messenger in official uniform came to meet Sadao.
Hana felt scared of the uniformed messenger because she thought he had come to arrest Dr. Sadao.
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. Why did Sadao help the American soldier to escape? How did he do it?
Answer : First, Dr. Sadao was tired of worrying about the General’s private assassins to murder the American. He had already spent three consecutive sleepless nights waiting for them to show up. It was becoming too much for him to bear. Secondly, perhaps Dr. Sadao was feeling sad and sorry for putting the same man’s life in jeopardy whom he had saved. Lastly, Dr. Sadao was a humanitarian by nature. Life was more important to him than war.
These are few of the possible reasons why Dr. Sadao decided to help the American soldier escape. To help the P.O.W. escape, Dr. Sadao loaded his boat with food and bottled water, clothing, food, quilts etc. and asked him to row the boat to the island not far from the coast. He also gave the American a flashlight to be used for signalling. Dr. Sadao told
him not to light fire and wait only for a Korean boat. Then, Dr. Sadao gave the American soldier Japanese clothes to wear and covered his blonde hair with a black cloth. At last, both men bid each other adieu.
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. 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. 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. What explains the attitude of the General in the matter of the enemy soldier? Was it human consideration, lack of national loyalty, dereliction of duty or simply selfabsorption?
Answer : The attitude of the General in the matter of the enemy soldier was strange and unusual. He always portrayed himself as the most patriotic and dutiful General there could ever be. However, when Dr. Sadao told him about treating the American soldier the General did not get Dr. Sadao arrested for treason. He needed the highly skilled surgeon for his own survival. This makes it evident that the General was a self absorbed man, who was concerned only about himself. The fact that he offered to get the American soldier killed by his private assassins, that too as secretly as possible, shows the inhuman side of the General. Dr. Sadao waited for three consecutive nights for the assassins to show up at his house and do their job, but they did not come. Later, the General admitted to have forgotten all about the enemy soldier and the assassins whom he was supposed to send to get rid of the American, because be was distressed by his own pain. Once again, it proves the self-absorbed nature of the General. It is also dereliction of duty to quite an extent on the General’s part because he put himself above his country’s safety.
Question. Why was not Dr Sadao sent along with the Japanese troops though he was such a good surgeon?
Answer :
- Sadao- very able doctor and famous scientist- should have ideally been sent with the troops- would have served the Japanese troops.
- Wasn’t sent because he was perfecting a discovery that was likely to render wounds clean
- Also because the General was ailing and might need him for his operation.
Question. Dr Sadao’s instinctive affinity transcends national and cultural prejudices and barriers. Discuss.
Answer :
- As a young boy he obeyed his father and honoured the fact that his education was his father’s chief concern.
- Sadao was skilful Japanese surgeon who lived in Japan during World War II.
- Together with his wife Hana, and the servants, Sadao had a comfortable life.
- Earlier, he had several years in the United states during medical school.
- While in the United States, Sadao experienced cultural prejudice and bias first hand. Even though he did have a positive experience including that of a teacher and landlady Americans did.
- Is a dutiful son, an excellent husbandand a thorough professional- believes that it is a “cardinal sin” on part of a surgeon not to know the human body completely
- Faces a dilemma whether to help the POW or to assert loyalty to the country and finally gives in to the call of humanity.
- His instinctive affinity transcends cultural and national prejudices and barriers.
1. What did Dr. Sadao’s father tell him showing the islands visible from seashore?
2. What was his father’s chief concern?
3. Why was Sadao not sent abroad with the troops?
4. Why didn’t Dr. Sadao show his interest in Hanna before knowing that she was a Japanese?
5. Why did Dr. Sadao hesitate to go to the American professor’s house?
6. Why did Dr. Sadao &his wife discover on the seashore.
7. Though, a doctor why did Dr. Sadao & his wife hesitate a moment to help the bleeding & seriously injured man?
8. What did they think would be the best & the kindest thing to do for the injured man?
9. What made the doctor concerned that he was an American soldier?
10. What was the final decision taken by the doctor?
11. Why did they think of handing over the man to the police?
12. . Why did Hanna hesitate to put the injured soldier on his deceased father in law’s bed?
13. What made Dr Sadao attend to the injured soldier
14. Why did Dr Sadao decide to operate on the prisoner of war?
15. “What was the reaction of the servants?Can it be justified?
16. What thoughts came to Hanna’s mind when she was washing the wounds of the soldier?
17. This man” he thought there is no reason under heaven why he should live.” What prompted Dr. Sadao to say this? What does he do after this?
18. What impression do you form of General Takima?
19. What happened on the seventh day, after the doctor and his wife saved the wounded man?
20. What did General Takima tell Dr. Sadao when he heard about the prisoner war?
21. Why did the general assure Dr. Sadao that he would not be arrested?
22. What did general decide to do with enemy?
23. Why do you think Sadao could not sleep properly after his meeting with the General?
24. Why did Sadao stop Hanna from going to the prisoner’s room?
25. How did Sadao help the prisoner to escape?
26. What did Sadao reply when the prisoner thanked him for saving his life?
27. Why do you think Dr. Sadao was unable to kill the American?
28. General Takima forgot what he had assured Dr. Sadao. What does it say about his character?
29. What impression do you form of the prisoner?
30. What are the twomoral implications on which the whole story is built upon ?
Long Questions
1. Dr. Sadao proves himself to be a good human being. He rises above the demarcation made by man. Elucidate
2. The enemy brings out that human qualities are more important in lives than our social obligations .It is in fact the victory of humanity in the moment of crisis. Discuss.
3. Dr Sadao was a true patriot –discuss.
4. Hanna proved to be a real support to Dr Sadao-explain
5. Justify the title The Enemy.