CLASS XII ENGLISH CORE

THE ENEMY (VISTAS)

SHORT QUESTIONS
Q.1 What kind of a man was Sadao’s father?
 Never played, or joked
 Took pains for his upbringing
 Very ambitious- not only for his son, but also for his country
 Very traditional- room in Japanese style, accepted Hana only because she
was a Japanese
Q.2 Why was Sadao not sent with the troops?
 Conducting research to render the wounds clean
 The General might need an operation at any time
Q.3 What did Sadao and Hana see in the mist?
 First a black blot
 Then a man’s outlines
 Thought might be a fisherman
 Went closer
 Unconscious
 A white man
 American sailor
 Wounded, bleeding
Q.4 What did they first think was the best option to deal with the white man?
 Throw him back into the sea
 But neither Sadao nor Hana could bring herself to do it
Q.5 Why was dealing with the white man such a concern?
 Japan and America were at war
 If sheltered an enemy, might be arrested
 Would die if thrown back in the sea
 Would die if handed over to the army, or worse might be tortured
Q.6 In what physical state was the soldier?
 Very light
 Half starved
 Like a bird- only bones and feathers (had only skin and bones)
 Unconscious
 Much blood loss
 Fell on spiked rocks
 Old bullet wound had reopened, bullet was still there
Q.7 Who cleaned the soldier to prepare for the operation? Why??
  Hana prepared him
 Yumi refused to do so, bluntly
 Later Sadao cleaned his back
Q.8 How did the servants show their disapproval?
 The sea and the gun had tried to kill him, they would take revenge if he were
saved
 Yumi was stubborn and refused to help in anyway regarding the soldier,
would not even touch him
 There was a certain stiffness in their bow to their masters
 They made Hana hear that they were too long in America to consider him an
enemy
 Should think about the children if Sadao got arrested
 Later they left the job and went away
Q.9 How did Sadao and Hana save his life?
 Did not throw him back into the sea
 Filled the wound with moss to stop the bleeding
 Brought him inside
 Kept him in his father’s room
 Allowed the mats and a quilt to be spoilt
 Hana cleaned him herself since the servant would not
 Sadao conducted the operation with Hana’s help
 Hana had felt sick and was not trained, still did her best to assist her husband
Q.10 Sadao decided to hand him over. What did he do?
 Once the bullet was taken out, he was stable
 Started writing a letter/ report to the Chief of Police
 Wrote two lines, but then left
 Could not bring himself to report the case
Q.11 Why was the seventh day so important?
 All the servants packed their bags and left
 Hana paid the salary with dignity
 She did not let her worry get reflected
 An army personnel came to see Sadao
 Hana thought that the servants would have complained
 He had come to fetch Sadao as the General needed immediate medical
attention, being in a lot of pain
Q.12 What conversation took place at the General’s place?
 Once Sadao had attended him, he confessed about harbouring an American
soldier
 The General was unruffled and expressed that he understood the situation
 Decided to send his private assassins at night
  They were skilled, there would not be any mess, would take the body away
as well
Q.13 What decision did Sadao finally take regarding the safety of the American
soldier? Why?
 Decided to arrange for his escape
 Had spent three restless nights expecting the assassins to be sent by the
General
 Could not take the tension, pressure, suspense any more
Q.14 What all arrangements did he make for his escape?
 Stout boat
 Food
 Packaged water
 Quilts
 Flashlight
 Japanese clothes
 A black cloth to cover his blond head
 Checked his temperature, pulse, heart beat one more time
 Instructions- to catch fish and eat it raw, lest fire/smoke be
noticed
 To flash the torch once if he were still there but comfortable,
twice if he needed something, at sunset time to go unnoticed
 To wait only for a Korean boat to seek help

LONG QUESTIONS
Q.15 Why do you think did the General not send his assassins?
 Had himself studied at Princeton, been with Americans
 Could understand Sadao’s feelings
 Was in a bad physical state, not in a position to take care of his
responsibilities
 Found Sadao even more skillful as he could revive a dying enemy
 Was very intelligent and sensitive as he could make out that though Sadao
had given away the presence of the enemy, he did not actually want any
harm to come to him
 He knew that he and Sadao depended on each other
 They had got each other’s back- in case of an inquiry- the General would
save Sadao by saying that the latter had not hidden anything and Sadao
would protect the General by saying that his health had taken a toll on him,
he was not fit to act
  Despite his bravery, patriotism, even reputation of being cruel, he had
fragments of humanity which he showed for Sadao by not killing the one he
had saved
Q.16 In what way did Sadao try to prove his loyalty to the country? Why did he let
the enemy escape?
 He had received his training and degree in medicine in America
 Had lived there for eight years
 Had met his wife there
 When Japan and America were at war, he decided to convince himself that
he hated his Professor, his wife, his landlady and even the American
prisoner of war
 Whatever dislike and disapproval he expressed, was all verbal
 His actions spoke otherwise
 He saved the soldier at the cost of his reputation and life
 Could not wait for his death to come, so let him escape
 Humanity and devotion to his profession was above loyalty to
his country
 His bigger and stronger calling was saving lives- who so ever it
might be
 He could not get himself to let a person die when he was skilled
enough to save him

FILL IN THE BLANKS

a. ‘The Enemy’ is written by ________________ ______________ .
b. Sadao’s father considered the islands as the _________________ _______
to the future of Japan.
c. Sadao had waited to fall in love with Hana until he was sure that she was a
______________________.
d. The white man had a ____________ _________ on his back.
e. The white man’s condition was so critical that Sadao was worried that he
might die because of the ____________________ .
f. Hana helped in the operation by cleaning the white man and administering
the _________________________.
g. The cook thought that Sadao was so proud of his______________ to save
life that he would save any life.
h. Sadao wanted to keep himself detached, so he did not even want to know the
prisoner’s __________________.
i. The General would ensure that no harm would come to Sadao as he could
___________ only him with his life.
j. Sadao got his _________________ when there was no prick of a flashlight
at the sunset .

Jumbled answers-
1. bullet wound 2.anaesthesia 3. Pearl S. Buck 4.name 5.trust
6. Japanese 7. operation 8. reward 9. stepping stones 10. skill