Class 12 English - WEST-BENGAL
Supplementary: The Enemy
The Enemy by Pearl S. Buck is a poignant short story set during World War II, focusing on Dr. Sadao Hoki, a Japanese surgeon who discovers an injured American prisoner of war washed ashore near his home. The chapter explores the complex moral dilemma between patriotic duty and professional ethics, as Sadao and his wife Hana choose to save the enemy's life despite great personal risk. It holds high significance for West Bengal (WBBSE) Class 12 board exams, frequently featuring in long-answer questions that test students' understanding of empathy, humanity, prejudice, and the conflict between nations and humanism.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Ethical vs. National Duty
The core conflict Dr. Sadao faces between his patriotic duty as a Japanese citizen to report an enemy and his Hippocratic oath as a doctor to save any human life.
Racial Prejudice
The pervasive xenophobia and hostility during wartime, reflected through the servants (Yumi and Radhika) who refuse to serve or touch the white American soldier.
General Takada's Pragmatism
The General represents self-absorbed authority, delaying Sadao's arrest not out of compassion, but because he needs Sadao's surgical skills for his own ailments.
Hana's Loyalty and Compassion
Dr. Sadao's wife Hana stands by him through the ordeal, nursing the injured soldier herself when the servants abandon the household.
Universal Humanism
The story's ultimate message that true humanity transcends borders, race, and wartime propaganda.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the West Bengal (WBBSE) Class 12 English board exams, 'The Enemy' regularly appears under the Supplementary Reader / Vistas section. It typically carries high-weightage long descriptive questions (5 to 6 marks) focusing on character sketches (Dr. Sadao, Hana, or the General), thematic analysis, and critical appreciation, alongside multiple-choice or short-answer questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dr. Sadao saved him primarily because of his professional training and the Hippocratic oath he took as a doctor, which obligates him to save any dying person regardless of their nationality.
Dr. Sadao saved him primarily because of his professional training and the Hippocratic oath, which obligates a doctor to save any dying person regardless of nationality.
Why didn't General Takada have Dr. Sadao arrested for harboring an enemy?
The General was selfish and relied entirely on Dr. Sadao for his own medical surgeries. Fearing for his own life, he kept Sadao's secret and forgot to send the assassins he had promised.
What is the significance of the title 'The Enemy'?
The title is ironic; while the American is technically an 'enemy' of Japan during wartime, the true enemies in the story turn out to be narrow-minded patriotism, prejudice, and war itself.
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