The Enemy - Pearl S. Buck

The Enemy –

Know Your Author

Birth

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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

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1932, won the Pulitzer Prize and the Howells Medal in 1935

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for The Good Earth which was adapted as a major MGM film in 1937. In 1938

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won the Nobel Prize in literature, the first American woman to do so.

By the time of her death in 1973

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Pearl published over seventy books : novels, collections of stories, biography and autobiography, poetry, drama, children's literature, and translations from the Chinese.

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The Enemy Dr. Sadao Hoki’s 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

Presently

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Army at war but Sadao not sent to war

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  General might need him Was perfecting a discovery that would render wounds entirely clean

Wife

 Pleasant, affectionate, caring, Sadao met Hana at Prof. Harley’s House in America  Married her in Japan (traditional way)

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The Challenge

Misty night, staggering body appeared, wounded, collapsed  A white man ( American ), an enemy  Sadao & Hana carried him to Sadao’s father’s 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

Sadao’s 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

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

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

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

Sadao Reflected

 Wondered as to why he had saved the American.

 Had hatred for Americans – their enemy – but humanity overpowered his feelings

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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.