TheEnemy

Questions for 2 marks

1. Who was Hana? What did she notice coming out of the mist?

Hana was Sadao’s wife. She was a gentle and caring woman, helping her husband in his
medical practice and also managing their household. One day, she noticed a man coming
out of the mist near the shore. He was injured and appeared to be in need of help.

2. Why did the messenger come to Sadao?

The messenger came to Sadao to inform him that the General was in pain again and needed
urgent medical attention. The messenger asked Sadao to come to the palace to help the
General.

3. Why did the servants leave Sadao's house?

The servants left Sadao's house because they found out that a wounded American soldier
was being secretly treated there. This was against the patriotic sentiment of the time, and
they feared getting into trouble for helping an enemy soldier.

4. Who was Sadao? Where was his house?

Sadao was a skilled Japanese surgeon and a man of high social standing. His house was in
Japan, by the sea, where he lived with his wife, Hana, and their children. Questions for 7
marks

1. Write a character sketch of Sadao.

Sadao is a highly skilled and dedicated surgeon. He is intelligent, compassionate, and

strong-willed. Despite his loyalty to Japan, he also has a deep sense of humanity. This is
evident when he saves the life of a wounded American soldier, even though it goes against
the wartime sentiments of his country. Sadao is calm and rational, but also compassionate
and morally conflicted when faced with difficult decisions. He tries to balance his duty to his
country with his duty as a doctor and a person of conscience.
2. Write a character sketch of Hana.

Hana is a loving, caring, and supportive wife. She is dedicated to her husband, Sadao, and
is often seen helping him in his medical duties. Despite being a modern woman, Hana
struggles with the fear and anxiety that comes with the war, especially when Sadao treats
the American soldier. She is compassionate, but her fears often show in moments of stress.
Hana is not only devoted to her husband but also to maintaining the harmony of their family,
showing deep concern for the well-being of their children.

3. There are moments in life when we have to make hard choices between our roles as
private individuals and citizens with a sense of national loyalty. Discuss with reference to this
story.

In the story, Sadao faces a difficult decision when he discovers the injured American soldier.
As a private individual, he is a compassionate doctor who has sworn to save lives,
regardless of nationality. However, as a citizen of Japan during a time of war, he feels a
strong sense of national duty to support his country’s efforts. Despite the pressure from
society and the threat of punishment, Sadao chooses to save the soldier's life,
demonstrating that his personal moral values outweigh his sense of loyalty to his country’s
wartime agenda. This choice highlights the inner conflict between personal conscience and
national loyalty, which many individuals face in moments of moral dilemmas. The story
suggests that true humanity transcends national boundaries and calls for ethical decisions
that may not always align with societal expectations.
________

1. Write a character sketch of Sadao.

Sadao is a complex and well-rounded character, portrayed as a highly skilled surgeon in the
story. He is a man of intellect and precision, having trained in America, and is dedicated to
his profession. He is depicted as calm, composed, and rational, especially in difficult
situations. His medical skills are of the highest order, and he is trusted by the General to
perform delicate surgeries. Sadao is also a man of principle and integrity, as seen when he
decides to treat the injured American soldier despite the risk of getting into trouble with the
authorities.

Although Sadao’s personal beliefs align with the ideals of patriotism and loyalty to his
country, his moral conscience as a doctor makes him act against the prevailing social norms.
When the wounded soldier washes up on his shore, Sadao faces a moral dilemma. His role
as a doctor compels him to save the soldier's life, while his role as a Japanese citizen at war
forces him to consider the consequences of aiding the enemy. Despite the dangers involved,
Sadao chooses to prioritize his medical duty, which speaks to his deep compassion and
sense of humanity.
Sadao is also an empathetic individual, as he shows concern for the soldier’s well-being,
even going so far as to help him escape when the time comes. Despite the war and its harsh
realities, Sadao’s choices reflect his deep-rooted belief in the sanctity of human life.
However, his actions also demonstrate the internal conflict that arises when private
conscience conflicts with public duty. Sadao’s ability to maintain his loyalty to his medical
profession while still being aware of the consequences of his actions speaks to his moral
courage and inner strength.

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2. Write a character sketch of Hana.

Hana is a central figure in the story, depicted as a loving and devoted wife who stands by her
husband, Sadao, in the midst of difficult circumstances. While she is shown to be a modern
woman, embracing the ideas of progress and change, she is also deeply rooted in traditional
values, especially when it comes to family and duty. Her love and support for Sadao are
unwavering, even when faced with the moral conflict of harboring an enemy soldier during a
time of war.

Hana's character is defined by empathy and selflessness. She works tirelessly to care for
Sadao and their children, and when the American soldier is brought into their home, she puts
her personal fears aside and helps nurse him back to health. However, her character is also
marked by fear and anxiety, especially when the threat of exposure arises. She is worried
about the consequences of keeping the soldier hidden, and her constant concern about what
might happen to her family if their actions are discovered reveals her vulnerability. Hana’s
emotional reactions to the situation reflect the inner turmoil many people feel during times of
war when the safety of their loved ones is at stake.

Hana is also portrayed as a pragmatic woman, who tries to balance the emotional strain of
the situation with the practicality of day-to-day life. While she initially reacts with horror at the
idea of keeping the soldier in their home, she eventually accepts the situation, demonstrating
her ability to adapt to challenging circumstances. At the same time, her moral conflict is clear
when she questions whether they should have helped the soldier at all, revealing her internal
struggle between loyalty to her country and compassion for a human being in need.

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3. There are moments in life when we have to make hard choices between our roles as
private individuals and citizens with a sense of national loyalty. Discuss with reference to this
story.

In this story, the protagonist, Sadao, faces a deep moral conflict between his roles as a
private individual with a sense of compassion and his responsibilities as a loyal Japanese
citizen during wartime. Sadao’s personal sense of morality compels him to save the life of
the injured American soldier who has washed up on his shore. As a doctor, he has taken an
oath to save lives, regardless of nationality or background. However, his national loyalty as a
Japanese citizen during a time of war makes it difficult for him to reconcile his actions with
the prevailing sentiment of the time. Helping the enemy is considered an act of treason, and
it could bring severe consequences for him and his family.

Sadao’s struggle highlights the tension that often arises when individuals are forced to
choose between their personal values and national loyalty. On one hand, his duty as a
doctor and his humanitarian instincts drive him to save the soldier, showing that private
conscience can sometimes supersede national loyalty. On the other hand, Sadao’s sense of
duty to his country—which demands loyalty and a sense of duty toward the national
cause—clashes with his compassion and his personal ethical standards.

The general’s offer to have the soldier killed underscores the difficult choices that people
must make in times of war. The General suggests a solution that would maintain national
honor and security, yet it goes against Sadao’s personal principles. This moment reflects the
common tension individuals face when they are forced to make a choice between their
loyalty to their country and their individual morality. While the General remains focused on
duty and national interest, Sadao cannot simply ignore the soldier's humanity.

Ultimately, Sadao’s decision to let the soldier escape, despite the risks, reveals the
complexity of loyalty. It suggests that sometimes national loyalty must be questioned when it
leads to injustice or when it conflicts with one’s moral compass. The story raises important
questions about the balance between duty to one’s nation and the call to act according to
personal values, urging readers to reflect on the consequences of decisions made in
moments of crisis. Sadao’s choice to help the soldier ultimately illustrates that personal
morality can be a stronger guiding force than national duty, especially when it involves the
life of another human being.