XII (SUPP. READER) - 4. The Enemy

SUPPLEMENTARY READER

4. The Enemy

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QESTIONS

1.      How did Dr.Sudao’s father bring him up ?

Sudao’s father never played with him but spent infinite pains upon him. Sudao’s education was his chief concern. He sent his son to America at twenty-two. He taught him to believe that a lot was in store for him in future and it depended on what we make out of the future.

2.      Describe the traditional Japanese way of living as we see in “The Enemy”.

Dr. Sudao sees Hana in America but waited to fall in love with her until he is sure she is Japanese. His father would never have received her unless she is pure in her race. Only after his father sees her the marriage was arranged in the old Japanese way. Everything about Sudao’s  house had been Japanese to please his father. The floor was deeply matted because Sudao’s father would never in his own home sit on a chair or sleep in a foreign bed. Western education does not make her dine with her husband. She still wears Kimono. She shows herself an obedient wife when in spite of retching and ignorance of anesthetics she helps Sudao and cleans the wound of her husband’s patient.

3.      Where did Sudao meet Hana? Why didn’t he marry her immediately?

Sadao met her in America, by chance at an American professor’s house. They did not get married in America heedlessly. They were Japanese in mind and spirit. They wanted to get the consent of Sudao’s father and get married in the traditional Japanese way.So, they didn’t get married in America.

4.      Who was the white man? How did he come to the shore ?

The white man was an American Soldier probably a Prisoner of War. On the right side of his lower back a gun wound had been reopened. The flesh was black with gun power. The man might have tried to escape and had been shot. To make things worse a rock had struck the wound.

5.      What did Dr.Sadao wanted to do initially? Why didn’t they do what they wanted? Give reasons for both.

Dr. Sadao initially thought the best thing that they could do was to put him back in the sea. Sadao and his wife knew that even if he saves him, as patriotic Japanese they have to hand him over to the officials who would kill him anyway. Then they decided they would save him, probably because he remembered that he had been trained not to let a man die if he could help it.

6.      How does the old gardener reflect a common Japanese belief and sentiments?

The gardener believes that his master should not heal the wound of the white man. He wanted the white man to die. The white man was first shot and then the sea caught him and wounded him with her rocks. He believed that if his master saved him against their wish, they will take revenge on them. 

7.      How did Yumi react when asked to clean the wounds of the white man? What was Hana’s response?

Yumi was stubborn. She said that she had never washed a white man and that she would not was one now. There was a fierce resistance on her face. Hana gently asked her to return to her work and washed the white man all by herself despite the fact that she was afraid of being alone with that white man.

8.      How did Hana help Sadao in the operation ?

Even before Sadao could get his kit, Hana had washed the white man. Then she got him towels. She choked when he was working through the wound. She was about to faint but ran away from the room and retched. Yet, she came back to resume her duty to help her husband. She asked for the anesthetic, administered the anesthetic to the patient.

9.      Why does the general speak of German ruthlessness and American Sentimentality?

The General says that the German doctors are ruthless and wouldn’t mind even the death of the General, if the operation is a success. So he wouldn’t let a doctor of that kind perform an operation on him. He also knows that Sadao’s American sentimentality is keeping him merciful to the white man. If only Sadao had the German ruthlessness he wouldn’t mind the death of the white man.

In short, the General wants Sadao to possess the American sentimentality while treating him and the German ruthlessness while dealing with the American.

10.  Who saved the American soldier how did he save the American soldier?

Dr. Sadao Hoky and his wife Hana saved the American wounded soldier. By sheltering him in his home…by treating him with his surgical expertise…by saving from the clutches of a certain death….by protecting from the General and his assassins. By providing him enough time to recuperate …lastly by arranging his safe escape through the boat loaded with food and goods.

11.  What did the Doctor learn form his father about the island?

That the islands were the stepping stones to the future of Japan and they can conquer the entire horizon with those islands.

12.  What are the similarities between Sadao and Hana?

·         The doctor as a true professional

·         kind hearted

·         skilled at innovative therapy

·         Hana as loving and loyal wife

·         Patriot  - had kind feelings but thought that duty to nation comes first

·         Her wife accepted the duty of saving a needy soul with husband.

13.  Describe the various ways in which the servants reacted to the ‘White man’ being kept in the home.

They showed their disagreement by refusing to serve ‘that patient’ ….Yumi and all others politely but effectively expressed their non-cooperation……expressed their concerns for thr security and the reputation of the family…..still remained loyal to the master…..never disclosed the secret news to anybody….. on the seventh day decided to quit the job as a gesture to protest…..returned promptly when the patient was gone.

14.  How did the general react to the news of the American soldier?

Initial reaction of getting him for killing --- his helplessness in opposing the doctor---- the doctor’s condition --    general found the middle way.

       

15.  Why was the soldier reluctant to leave the doctor’s home?

Due to the fear of death…..fear of being caught by the Japanese…being tortured…..needed the treatment of an expert surgeon……was not sure of reaching to the safety…..had no plan…had not enough information…had no other option but to hang

16.  How did the doctor ensure that the American sailor left his house but yet safe and secure?

Dr. Sadao helped him by giving him a boat, rations, Japanese cloths and even a torch light with which he could indicate in case his supplies ran out or if he did not fid a Korean fishing boat to rescue him from the Island where he was to seek refuge. Sadao had made sure that he was strong enough to take this chance and save his life.

17.  Why did the general consider Sadao critical n maintaining his own health?

The doctor reported what he had done to save the man, at the same time letting the General feel that he had ability to save live with greatest skill and thus increasing the General’s dependence on him at  time he was physically weak and in need of Sadao’s expert nurturing. The General promised to arrange for the enemy to be killed.

18.  What was the first reaction of the Saadao, the doctor, when he saw the wounded man?

The first reaction of Sadao, the doctor, on seeing the wounded man was to notice that he was wondered, and he began to search for it with his expert fingers. He assessed the damaged cause by the gun shot, and tried to staunch the bleeding, releasing once that the man required urgent medical attention

19.  In what way did Hana support her husband’s efforts to save the American’s life?

When the baby’s maid refused to clean up the white man, Hana had no choice but to do so herself. Eventhoughshe no experience she assisted her husband with administrating the anesthesia to the American and helped him during the operation. She nursed him back to health.

LONG TYPE ANSWER

1. “Dr. Sudao is a thorough professional” – Substantiate.

Dr.Sudao is an outright professional surgeon. He is familiar with every atom of human body. He had been told that “ignorance of the human body is the surgeon’s cardinal sin” and that it is a murder.

It is this professionalism that makes the general retain him for his own surgery. The general’s trust is understandable as we witness Dr.Sudao curing the young American in no time. He does not even care for his wife’s inadequate knowledge of anesthetics. He doesn’t care when she goes outside retching. He tells her not to faint and gets involved in his work

Professionalism does not mean knowledge alone. When his mind continues to wonder what he should be doing with the American, his hands mechanically go about doing the business. He tells the General that he has been trained not to let a man die if he could help it.

A true professional never lets go a chance that comes before him. Despite all questions that linger in his mind, he never lets his profession down and takes care of the man’s life. Though put bitterly, the gardener is right when he says his master is proud of his skill to save life that he saves any life.

He forgets all about the need for political assassinations, when he sees his patient out of his bed. He chides the American for getting out of the bed without his permission and examines the stiff muscles.      (183 words)

2. The chapter ‘The Enemy’ deals with the theme of choice between Patriotism and Humanity.  Explain it with the activities  of Dr. Sadao.

Yes, the statement is true and apt. In this lesson Dr. Sadao faces a problem between object verses subject. He encountered a situation   of to give justice to his profession or man who dose not want to become a traitor. He and his wife rendered a noble service by rescuing and pouring a new life for the soldier.

soldier …question of duty to nation against duty to humanity….compelling for him to try and save an ailing soul being a doctor…Patriotism….hatred for the Americans for their snobbish attitude towards Japanese… helping a dying person irrespective of his nationality….danger of being called a traitor…..danger of being killed for treason…bold and honest enough to confess the truth to the General….Doctor’s judicious and humanitarian attitude……Hana’s understanding and support…..General’s ailment….his protection and promise to the doctor.

3. Hana, Sadao’s wife comes across as a woman with quiet strength and soft heart. Elucidate with reference to the lesson, “Enemy”

Yes, no doubt Hana is a representative of woman has enormous heart and kind towards man kind. She proves that Sympathy transandences all the barriers of country man and colour. She did a noble job by tending the wounded soldier who is in need of urgent treatment and even they are ready to face the risk by sheltering the enemy. She come forward to stand with her husband in this marvelous deed.

Hana helped her husband to bring the man in to the house but also to disclose the fact to the servants. The baby’s maid. Yumi refused to clean up a white man and Hana had no choice but to do so herself. Though Hana had never seen an operation and had never before administered anesthesia, she was able to assists her husband in the operation. Sadao’s wife hana loved her husband dearly was sensitive o the situation before them and was a human first and a Japanese woman later. Conventionally by nature she was also committed to support her husband in all his endeavors. She displayed remarkable strength of character standing by her husband in his efforts to save the American and nurturing him back to home. One also gets an insight into the sensitive, soft and caring side of her nature.

A few more questions for practice:

1.   Why did the servants leave the household of Dr.Sadao?

2.   How did Hana take to the leaving of the household workers?

3.   Why didn’t the General want Sadao to be punished? 

4.   How did the General promise to help Sadao?

5.   Why did Sadao decide to help the American Prisoner of War?(hint: not worth the strain, the suffering of his wife)

6.   What arrangement and advice did Sadao have for the Whiteman’s escape?

7.   Why did the General say that it was not “lack of patriotism or dereliction of duty?