The Enemy

1
The Enemy

• The Enemy - Pearl S. Buck

2
Know Your Author
Birth - June 26, 1892, in Hillsboro, West
Virginia. Parents - Southern Presbyterian
missionaries, stationed in China, where Pearl S.
Buck spent most of her first forty years of her
life. Awards - 1932, won the Pulitzer Prize and
the Howells Medal in 1935, for The Good Earth
which was adapted as a major MGM film in 1937.
In 1938, won the Nobel Prize in literature, the
first American woman to do so. By the time of
her death in 1973, Pearl published over seventy
books novels, collections of stories, biography
and autobiography, poetry, drama, children's
literature, and translations from the Chinese.
3
The Enemy

• Dr. Sadao Hokis Childhood
• Climbed pines, watched islands, played along the
  coast
• Stone house located upon rocks, well above the
  narrow beach
• Education
• At 22yrs. Went to America returned after 8yrs.,
  became a surgeon scientist

4
Presently

• Army at war but Sadao not sent to war..
• General might need him
• Was perfecting a discovery that would render
  wounds entirely clean

5
Wife

• Pleasant, affectionate, caring, Sadao met Hana at
  Prof. Harleys House in America
• Married her in Japan (traditional way)

6
The Challenge

• Misty night, staggering body appeared, wounded,
  collapsed
• A white man ( American ), an enemy
• Sadao Hana carried him to Sadaos fathers
  bedroom
• Washed by Hana because Yumi refused
• Operated by Sadao Hana held the anesthetic
• Bullet removed from near the kidney
• Life saved- prisoner- feeble weak
• Prisoner fed rested to recovery, but was
  anxious for his future

7
Sadaos Dilemma

• Servants threatened to leave in protest
• Conflict between duty as a doctor and duty as a
  true patriot
• Afraid of being called a traitor
• Resolved to save the prisoner
• Hana Sadao stood firm, did not relent-treated
  the prisoner with respect

8
General Finally Informed

• The General offered to help and send assassins
• Assassins would kill and remove the prisoner
  quietly
• 3 nights passed no assassins turned up

9
The Escape

• Sadao gave the prisoner a boat, extra food,
  clothing, bottled water a flashlight and
  covered his hair with a black cloth
• Directed him to row to an uninhabited island
• Asked him to wait for a Korean fishing boat
• Told him to flash the torch twice if he ran out
  of food and flash it once if he was alright
• The prisoner escaped

10
Admission by the General

• That he had failed in doing his duty towards his
  country
• Justified his action - that it was due to
  ill-health and not due to lack of patriotism

11
Sadao Reflected

• Wondered as to why he had saved the American.
• Had hatred for Americans their enemy but
  humanity overpowered his feelings

12
Worksheet

• Answer briefly.
• Give two reasons why Sadao was not sent abroad
  with the troops.
• What did the servants think of Dr. Sadao
  sheltering the enemy?
• Hana plays an instrument role in saving the life
  of an injured prisoner. Give an account of her
  role in light of the above statement.
• True humanity overpowers prejudices and has no
  barriers. Elaborate.