Class 12 English Notes Chapter 4 (The Enemy) – Vistas Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 4, "The Enemy" from your Vistas book. This story by Pearl S. Buck is quite significant, not just for its narrative but for the complex human dilemmas it presents, making it important for your exam preparation. Pay close attention to the details.

Chapter 4: The Enemy – Detailed Notes

Author: Pearl S. Buck (An American writer and novelist. She won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938. Her experiences in China and Japan often influenced her work.)

Setting: A coastal town in Japan during World War II. The war between Japan and America is ongoing, creating a backdrop of intense nationalism and suspicion.

Characters:

1. Dr. Sadao Hoki: A highly skilled Japanese surgeon and scientist, educated in America. He is patriotic but also deeply committed to his medical ethics. He lives in a traditional Japanese house on the coast. His character embodies the central conflict of the story.
2. Hana: Dr. Sadao's wife. Also educated in America, where she met Sadao. She is dutiful, supportive, yet fearful of the consequences of harbouring an enemy soldier. Her compassion battles with her fear and societal pressure.
3. Tom: The American Prisoner of War (POW). A young, wounded sailor washed ashore. He represents the "enemy" but is portrayed simply as a suffering human being.
4. The Old General: An influential, aging, and ailing military leader in the Japanese army. He relies heavily on Dr. Sadao for his health and represents the state's authority and its inherent self-interest.
5. The Servants: (Yumi - the governess, the old gardener, the cook). They represent the traditional Japanese mindset, deeply patriotic, superstitious, and fearful of associating with the enemy. Their loyalty is primarily to Japan, leading them to oppose Sadao's actions.

Plot Summary:

1. Discovery: Dr. Sadao and Hana find a wounded, unconscious white man washed ashore near their isolated house during wartime. They identify him as an American POW, an "enemy."
2. The Dilemma: Their immediate instinct is to hand him over to the authorities or let him die. However, Sadao's training as a doctor compels him to see the man not as an enemy, but as a patient needing urgent care. Hana, though initially hesitant and frightened, supports her husband's decision.
3. The Operation: They carry the man into their house. Sadao performs a complex operation to remove a bullet lodged near the man's kidney, saving his life. Hana assists him, overcoming her revulsion and fear.
4. Conflict with Servants: The servants are terrified and disapproving. They believe harbouring the enemy is treasonous and will bring ruin upon the household. They refuse to help care for the American and eventually leave the house in protest.
5. Nursing the Enemy: Despite the servants' departure and the inherent danger, Sadao and Hana continue to care for the recovering soldier, Tom. They feed him and tend to his wounds. A degree of unspoken understanding develops between them and the prisoner.
6. Informing the General: Feeling the burden and danger, Sadao informs the Old General about the prisoner during a medical check-up. The General, concerned primarily about his own health and needing Sadao's skills, understands Sadao's dilemma. He promises to send private assassins to kill the American silently and dispose of the body, thus absolving Sadao.
7. The General's Inaction: Sadao waits anxiously for three nights, but the assassins never arrive. The General, preoccupied with his own suffering and perhaps forgetful or unwilling to take decisive action, fails to follow through.
8. Sadao's Solution: Realizing he cannot rely on the General and that the situation is untenable, Sadao takes matters into his own hands. He provides the American soldier (Tom) with a boat, food, water, extra clothing, and a flashlight, instructing him to row to a nearby uninhabited island and wait for a Korean fishing boat to rescue him. He tells Tom to signal with the flashlight if he runs out of supplies or needs help, and not to signal if he is safe and has found passage.
9. The Escape: The American successfully escapes. Sadao sees no signal from the island, confirming the escape.
10. Final Encounter with the General: When Sadao visits the General again, the General confesses he had forgotten about his promise regarding the assassins, blaming his own suffering. He ensures Sadao that the matter is closed and Sadao is safe.
11. Sadao's Reflection: The story ends with Sadao looking out at the sea, reflecting on his experiences in America and wondering why he couldn't kill the American prisoner when he had the chance. He reflects on the prejudice he faced but also the kindness he received, highlighting the complexity of human relationships beyond national identities.

Themes:

1. Humanity vs. Nationalism/Patriotism: The core theme. Dr. Sadao's medical ethics and inherent human compassion clash with his duty as a Japanese citizen during wartime. The story suggests that basic human values can transcend national boundaries and wartime hatred.
2. Duty and Ethics: Sadao grapples with conflicting duties – his duty as a doctor to save a life versus his duty as a citizen to his country.
3. Prejudice and Fear: The servants' reactions and Sadao's own internal struggle reveal the deep-seated prejudice and fear associated with the "enemy" during war. Sadao also recalls prejudice he faced in America.
4. Conflict (Internal and External): Sadao faces internal conflict (doctor vs. patriot) and external conflict (with servants, the state, the inherent danger).
5. Compassion and Kindness: Despite the circumstances, acts of compassion are shown by Sadao and Hana, suggesting the resilience of human kindness even in wartime.
6. Irony: The "enemy" is treated with utmost care by the Japanese doctor. The General, who represents state power, fails to act decisively. Sadao, bound by duty to his nation, ultimately helps the enemy escape.

Significance of the Title "The Enemy":

• Literally refers to the American POW, who belongs to the enemy nation.
• Symbolically questions who the real enemy is – is it the individual soldier, or the war itself, or prejudice, or the conflict between duty and humanity?
• Highlights the dehumanizing nature of war, where individuals are reduced to labels like "enemy."

Key Points for Exam Preparation:

• Understand Dr. Sadao's internal conflict – it's the driving force of the narrative.
• Note Hana's role – her support, fear, and eventual compassion.
• Analyze the servants' perspective as representative of common societal views during the war.
• Understand the General's character – self-absorbed, reliant on Sadao, representing state inefficiency/hypocrisy.
• Focus on the ethical dilemma and how Sadao resolves it.
• Remember the setting (WWII Japan) and its importance.
• Be prepared to discuss the major themes, especially Humanism vs. Nationalism.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. Where did Dr. Sadao first meet his wife, Hana?
   (a) In Japan, at his home
   (b) In America, at a professor's house
   (c) On the beach near his house
   (d) During the war, in a hospital

2. What was Dr. Sadao's primary reason for staying in Japan during the war, despite his skills being needed elsewhere?
   (a) He hated America and Americans.
   (b) His father was ill and needed care.
   (c) The Old General might need an operation anytime.
   (d) He was conducting secret scientific research for the army.

3. When Sadao and Hana first found the American soldier, their initial reaction was to:
   (a) Immediately operate on him.
   (b) Hide him from everyone.
   (c) Throw him back into the sea.
   (d) Report him to the police immediately.

4. Who washed the wounded American soldier before the operation?
   (a) Yumi, the governess
   (b) The old gardener
   (c) Hana herself
   (d) Dr. Sadao

5. The servants left Dr. Sadao's house primarily because:
   (a) They were not paid enough.
   (b) They feared being punished for harbouring an enemy.
   (c) They disliked Hana's attitude.
   (d) They found better jobs elsewhere.

6. What did the Old General promise Dr. Sadao he would do about the American prisoner?
   (a) Arrange for his official arrest.
   (b) Send him to a POW camp.
   (c) Send private assassins to kill him silently.
   (d) Help him escape to a neutral country.

7. Why did the General ultimately not act on his promise regarding the prisoner?
   (a) He disagreed with killing the prisoner.
   (b) He forgot about it due to his own suffering and self-absorption.
   (c) Dr. Sadao asked him not to.
   (d) The assassins refused the task.

8. How did Dr. Sadao finally help the American soldier escape?
   (a) He contacted the American embassy.
   (b) He arranged passage on a Japanese military ship.
   (c) He gave him a boat and supplies to reach a nearby island.
   (d) He personally escorted him to a neutral zone.

9. What signal was the American soldier supposed to give if he was safe and had found passage from the island?
   (a) One flash of the flashlight.
   (b) Two flashes of the flashlight.
   (c) No signal at all.
   (d) Light a fire on the island.

10. The central conflict explored in "The Enemy" revolves around:
    (a) Sadao's ambition vs. his family life
    (b) The clash between traditional Japanese values and Western education
    (c) The conflict between professional duty (humanity) and national duty (patriotism)
    (d) The struggle for survival against the forces of nature

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. (b)
2. (c)
3. (c)
4. (c)
5. (b)
6. (c)
7. (b)
8. (c)
9. (c)
10. (c)

Study these notes carefully. Understand the motivations of each character and the underlying themes. This chapter offers a profound look at human nature during conflict. Good luck with your preparation!