The Enemy

“The Enemy” by Pearl S. Buck

Setting and Background

The story is set in Japan during World War II, when Japan and America were at war. The author, Pearl S. Buck, portrays how humanity can exist even amidst hatred and war. The main character, Dr. Sadao Hoki, is a brilliant Japanese surgeon who was trained in America. He lives with his wife, Hana, in a house built on rocks above a narrow beach. The sea outside their house is calm, but symbolically it represents the turbulence of war and human emotions.

Sadao and Hana’s Life

Dr. Sadao’s house is near the Japanese coast, close enough to the sea for them to watch ships sail by. He lives there with his wife, Hana, and their two children. Hana was also educated in America, where Sadao had studied medicine and surgery. However, Sadao had not married her there because he wanted his parents’ approval, as they were traditional. Later, his parents arranged their marriage. Sadao is deeply patriotic but also humane and honest in his profession as a doctor.

Finding the Wounded Man

One evening, while standing on the veranda and gazing at the sea, Sadao and Hana notice something black moving near the water. At first, they think it might be a piece of driftwood or a rock, but as they move closer, they realize it is a man, badly wounded and half-dead. When they turn him over, they find he is a white man — an American soldier, probably escaped or washed ashore after a naval battle nearby.

They see he has a gunshot wound in his back, and the bullet has nearly killed him. His clothes are wet and torn, and his face shows signs of great suffering. The sight of blood makes Hana feel sick, but Sadao bends down and examines him like a doctor. They realize he will die if not treated immediately.

Conflict Between Duty and Patriotism

Now comes the story’s central moral conflict. As a Japanese citizen, Sadao knows that the man is an enemy soldier. Harboring or helping him is a crime that could lead to arrest or even execution. Yet as a doctor, Sadao’s professional and moral duty is to save a dying man, no matter who he is. Hana also struggles emotionally — she feels pity for the man but fears the consequences.

Sadao and Hana consider throwing him back into the sea, but they cannot bring themselves to do it. Finally, Sadao decides to carry him home and treat him. He tells Hana that if the man recovers, he can hand him over to the authorities later. But first, he must not let him die in front of their house.

Bringing Him Home

The servants are shocked to see the white man. They whisper among themselves and express fear and anger, calling him “the enemy.” Yumi, the nursemaid of Sadao’s children, refuses to wash the foreigner, saying it would defile her. Despite her protests, Hana herself washes and cleans the American’s body while Sadao prepares for surgery. This shows Hana’s courage and compassion, though she is trembling inside.

The Surgery

Sadao performs a long and difficult operation to remove the bullet from the man’s back. Hana assists him silently. Throughout the operation, Sadao acts as a professional — he forgets that the man lying before him is an enemy and focuses only on saving his life. The operation succeeds, and Sadao bandages the wound carefully. He tells Hana that the soldier may live if no infection sets in.

Tom, the soldier, remains unconscious for many days. When he finally wakes up, he is frightened, weak, and confused, but grateful. Hana feeds him broth and takes care of him daily. Despite her fear, she never lets him feel unwanted.

The Reaction of the Servants

The Japanese servants are extremely upset. They feel their master is betraying his country by harboring an American. They gossip and grumble about it constantly. Finally, they decide to leave the house in protest. Hana and Sadao are left alone to care for their children and the wounded sailor. Their isolation deepens the tension — they are now completely alone, sheltering a foreign enemy while Japan is at war.

Fear of Being Caught

Every knock at the door frightens Hana. She thinks the police have come to arrest them. However, days pass and nothing happens. The man grows stronger, and the wound heals. He even begins to walk again, though still weak. Sadao realizes that he must now make a decision: either hand him over to the police or find another way to get him to safety.

The General’s Illness

One day, Sadao is called to attend to an old General, who is very ill and trusts only Sadao with his health. While treating him, Sadao confides in the General and tells him about the American soldier he has saved. The General listens calmly and says that Sadao was right to help him as a doctor. However, he promises to send assassins to kill the man secretly, so Sadao will not get into trouble. The General tells him not to worry, saying that the assassins will dispose of the body quietly.

Waiting for the Assassins

For several nights, Sadao waits anxiously, expecting the assassins to come. But no one comes. Each night passes in fear and guilt. Eventually, Sadao realizes that the General, being old and ill, has forgotten his promise.

Sadao Helps the Soldier Escape

Now Sadao must act on his own. He knows that keeping the man any longer is dangerous, but he cannot hand him over to die either. So he decides to help him escape. He gives the American some food, fresh water, Japanese clothes, and a small boat. He tells him to row at night to a nearby uninhabited island visible from Sadao’s house. From there, he can wait for a friendly ship to pass and rescue him. Sadao also gives him a flashlight to signal if he runs out of food.

The soldier thanks him with deep emotion. Before leaving, he tells Sadao that he will never forget his kindness.

After the Escape

After many days, Sadao tells General Takima that the man has escaped. The General repents his error of having forgotten to send the assassins. When Sadao agrees to never reveal this for the sake of General's reputation, he is promised a reward.

That night Sadao checks for any flash of light on the island, and finds that there was no one there. He is certain that the man must have left the island on a Korean fishing boat safely. This was Sadao's real reward.

Sadao’s Realization

Sadao feels relieved but thoughtful. He reflects on how hard it was to make the right choice — to save a life when everything around him said he should hate and kill. He realizes that human compassion is stronger than war, and that being a good human being is more important than blind loyalty.

Themes and Messages

Conflict between Patriotism and Humanity – Sadao is torn between loyalty to Japan and his moral duty as a doctor.

War and its Cruelty – War forces people to see others as enemies instead of fellow humans.

Courage and Compassion – Sadao and Hana show real courage in helping someone even when their own lives are at risk.

Moral Dilemma – The story beautifully shows the pain of choosing between what is right and what is expected.

Universal Humanity – True humanity has no nationality. Compassion unites people across borders.

Moral of the Story

The story teaches that humanity rises above hatred, war, and nationality. One should always listen to the voice of conscience. Dr. Sadao’s act shows that a person’s first duty is to humanity, not to the divisions created by war.