Summary of The Enemy
The Enemy summary will help you greatly in studying the chapter in
detail. It is about a Japanese surgeon whose name is Sadao. He
studies in America and marries a Japanese girl. World War II broke
during that time. All the doctors were under the obligation to go to
the Japanese army. However, Sadao stayed back with an old general.
As the old general was ailing, he was in need of Sadao. However, we
learn that how an America Navy man finds his way in Sadao’s life.
As the soldier was not well, Sadao offers him medical help. Sadao
was not willing to help the enemy but he does. He also knows the
danger he has got himself into by helping the enemy. Due to this,
Sadao conspires to kill the soldier in his sleep. However, Sadao
decides to save him because of humanity and brotherhood.
The Enemy Summary in English
The Enemy is a story written by Pearl Sydenstricker Buck. It is about
a Japanese surgeon, Sadao. He went to study in America and meets a
Japanese girl, Hana, there. He marries her and brings her back to
Japan to settle down. This was the time of World War II. Thus, all the
doctors were called upon to serve the Japanese army. However, they
allowed Sadao to stay back. It was because he was tending to the old
General who was on his death bed. However, one night, an incident
changes his life. He encounters an American Navy-man who is
injured by a gun-shot and dying.
Although Sadao was in no mind to help the enemy, he takes in the
young soldier and provides him with medical assistance. He keeps
him at his house to avert any danger coming his way. However, he
knew he has opened doors to danger by helping the enemy. His
servants decide to leave Sadao too. As the days kept passing, the
soldier was now beginning to gain his health back. Now that the
soldier was no longer Sadao’s patient, he decides to kill him off in his
sleep. He informs the General of the American and thus the General
reciprocates. They decide to send private assassins to kill the
American soldier.
While waiting for the assassins, Sadao starts noticing it was delaying.
However, during this course, humanity in Sadao arises. He realizes
that he is a human being at the end of the day. He now recognizes the
value of human life as well as universal brotherhood. Thus, this
opens his mind which was limited to race, boundaries, and wars.
Finally, he comes to the conclusion that the American soldier is not
his enemy just because he belongs to another country. Thus, he rises
above his prejudices and does the right thing by helping the
American soldier escape, thus saving his life.
Conclusion of The Enemy
To sum up, The Enemy summary, we learn how love and
compassion can make us better human beings as opposed to
prejudices and biases against other people with whom we do not
share anything but the bond of being humans