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The Enemy
Dr. Sadao informed the General about the American prisoner and told him that he had operated him successfully. He made it obvious to him that he cared nothing for the man and he is enemy to him. The general promised his help and said that he would not be arrested. The General suggested that he would send his personal assassins to kill the prisoner and then remove his body from Sadao's house, to get rid of the American prisoner. The plan was not executed because the General forgot his promise to send the assassins. The old General had a long expressionless face, which seemed to reflect the cold and calculated ruthlessness of the man as a general. He had an unusual sense of humour and seemed to generate fear in others' hearts quite effortlessly. The General is self-centered and he thinks of his own interest.He does not take any action against Dr Sadao for sheltering the enemy. He is suffering from serious ailments and he always needs his services. He does not get him arrested because he knows that in that case he would not be able to get his services.
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There are moments in life when we have to make hard choice between our souls as private individuals and as citizens with a sense of national loyalties. Discuss with reference to the story you have just read.
Dr. Sadao was compelled by his duty as a doctor to help the enemy soldier. What made Hana, his wife, sympathetic to him in the face of open defiance from the domestic staff?
How would you explain the reluctance of the soldier to leave the doctor’s house even when he knew as he could not stay there without risk to the doctor and himself?
What explains the attitude of the General in the matter of the enemy soldiers? Was it human consideration, lack of national loyalty, dediction of duty or simply-self-absorption?
While hatred against a member of the enemy race is justifiable specially during war time, what makes a human being rise above narrow prejudices?
Do you think the doctor’s final solution to the problem was the best possible one in the circumstances?
Does the story remind you of ‘Birth’ by A.J.Cronin that you have read in Snapshots last year. What are the similarities?
How were Sadao and Hana married?
What was the chief concern of Sadao’s father? How did Sadao come upto his expectation?
What did Sadao’s father expect from him?
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