NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Chapter 4: The Enemy (Vistas)

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1. Who was Dr. Sadao? Where was his house?

Ans: Dr. Sadao Hoki was a famous yet sympathetic and loyal Japanese scientist and surgeon. He was a grounded man and lived in an ancestral stone house in Japan built above a narrow beach on the coast, outlined by narrow pine trees. He spent about eight years in America to improve his skill and learn everything possible about medicine and surgery. When the chapter begins, we are introduced to his scientific research to discover a drug that would render the wound entirely clean.

2. Will Dr. Sadao be arrested on the charge of harbouring an enemy?

Ans: Dr. Sadao stayed loyal to the vows of the medical profession. He saved the injured man, who was washed off on the shore near his home irrespective of him being American. He was aware of the fact that his country and America had political tensions and this step would put the whole family in danger. Still, he went ahead with his duty as a doctor and a human and saved the enemy. So, if we see from a humanitarian perspective, he should not be punished for this, since he did what his profession taught him, and doctors should help humanity irrespective of country and political issues.

3. Will Hana help the wounded man and wash him herself?

Ans: Hana will help the wounded man. Though it is difficult for her since she is not medically trained and afraid of him since he was an American, she would try her best. Hana and Sadao are husband and wife. I believe they would share common values and moral values. Both would want to serve and help humanity in one way or the other possible. She tries her best to contribute as much as possible to the noble cause alongside her husband. Even though her act was so impulsive after her servant Yumi defied her orders, she still did it with utmost sincerity.

4. What will Dr. Sadao and his wife do with the man?

Ans: Dr. Sadao and his wife would help the man. The man was unconscious and a prisoner of war. He was a great threat to the family but even then, decided to treat and operate on him. It was his responsibility as a doctor to serve humanity and adhere to the vows of his profession. Hana helped to clean the man after Yumi defied to follow the orders to do the same. They fed him and tried their best to create an escape path for him. Even though they knew they would have to hand him over to the army sooner or later, they still provided him the best possible.

5. Will Dr. Sadao be arrested on the charge of harbouring an enemy?

Ans: Dr. Sadao could be arrested if someone complained about the family harbouring an enemy in their home. The servants were even worried too when they realized that their master was helping an enemy which would lead them all to prison. They were against this and left the work immediately to save their lives, Hana and Sadao even then, though half-heartedly, still helped the enemy to recover. On humanitarian grounds, the cat was well justified but it was against the political setup of the country. Sadao was close with the General and was treating him for the heart ailment. The chances were slim that the General would risk his own life at the jeopardy of the country’s safety. 

6. What will Dr. Sadao do to get rid of the man? 

Ans: With the American patient's health gradually improving by the continued efforts of Hana and Sadao, he further planned an escape for him since he was sentimentally attached with him. It was too brutal for Dr. Sadao to hand over the man to the army since they would kill him. Hana was getting impatient about keeping him at home as he caused them a lot of trouble and was a potential threat for the family too. His primary plan of letting the General know about him and sending assassins to kill him never succeeded since they never came. So, next, he planned to set him off on a boat on a nearby island, with enough supplies of food and water along with clothes, a blanket, and a flashlight. He asked him to board a Korean ship from the island which would sail him safely and save him.

Reading with Insight Answers of Chapter 4 The Enemy

1. There are moments in life when we have to make hard choices between our roles as private individuals and as citizens with a sense of national loyalty. Discuss with reference to the story you have just read.

Ans: One might come across such crossroads in life when they need to make a choice between their roles as private individuals and as citizens with a sense of national loyalty. In the story, Dr. Sadao had to decide either to let the man die on the shore since he was an American and his country was not on good political terms with them or take him home and save his life. Dr. Sadao went with the desire of his heart and went against his country to serve humanity. He would have got arrested for this cause but still preferred to risk himself to save him. As a doctor, he fulfilled his responsibility and raised himself above the masses. He did not lose his sense of patriotism too as he went to the General to inform him about the American. His sense of humanity kindles a sense of trust towards humanity and human values. 

2. Dr. Sadao was compelled by duty as a doctor to help the enemy soldier. What made Hana, his wife, sympathetic to him in the face of open defiance from the domestic staff?

Ans:  Since Dr. Sadao and Hana were a couple, they shared similar values and supported each other through every decision they made. Hana was a sympathetic human being. Seeing a man almost dead her inner conscience would have forced her to help him. She was not well versed with the details of the medical field but did everything that was possible. She cleaned the soldier when the servant refused to touch him since he was an American. She helped Dr. Sadao during the operation even though it made her puckish. When the house staff warned her against this and left the home, she still stood beside him. She washed and fed the patient when he was extremely sick. It was because of her care that he recovered faster. Though she forced him to ask the patient to leave as soon as possible as he was a potential threat to the family, she still cared for the man.

3. How would you explain the reluctance of the soldier to leave the shelter of the doctor’s home even when he knew he could not stay there without risk to the doctor and himself?

Ans: The chances of survival of the American patient were very slim. But because of the continuous efforts of Dr. Sadao and his wife, the patient survives. When he gained consciousness, he realized that he was saved by a Japanese family. Since America and Japan had political tensions between them and were at a war, he felt he would be soon handed over to the army. But the concern of the family and the way he was treated made him believe the opposite and he hoped he would survive. He felt attached to the family who risked their lives to save him. While leaving his heart was filled with gratitude for the family and he forced himself to leave so that the danger that hovered over the family would subside.

4. What explains the attitude of the General in the matter of the enemy soldier? Was it human consideration, lack of national loyalty, dereliction of duty, or simply self-absorption?

Ans: The General was self-obsessed. He only cared about himself, and the country was his second priority. He got himself treated by the expert hands of Dr. Sadao and did not trust anyone except him. When Dr. Sadao went on to explain to him about the American at his home, instead of arresting him from treachery against the country he promised to send his personal assassins and get him killed. It was a promise which was left unfulfilled and saved the life of the patient. He hence was a self-absorbed man and had a lack of humanity and loyalty towards everyone.

5. While hatred against a member of the enemy race is justifiable, especially during wartime, what makes a human being rise above narrow prejudices?

Ans: Hating individuals of one race just because of political disturbances between the countries is certainly not justified. The countries are at war mostly because of the political tensions between them and not because of the citizens that live there. It is a sheer lack of empathy and humanity. What makes you more human is when you rise above these pity issues and focus more on yourself and your duties than going with what the flock is doing. Dr. Sadao certainly sets an example for us all about how a human being should conduct himself in such situations. He risked his and his loved one's life just to save the patient who was God sent to him by nature. He was gravely injured but because of his efforts and skills, he survived. He raised himself above these pity issues and gave himself a new life. 

6. Do you think the doctor’s final solution to the problem was the best possible one in the circumstances?

Ans: After the American was healed, Dr. Sadao was required to find a possible solution to send him off. Yes, I believe his final solution to the problem was the best possible one under the given circumstances. He planned to send him off to the nearby island with enough supplies and goods for his survival on the island. He asked him to board a Korean ship from there which would land him safely at his destination. It not only saved the soldier's life but also saved the doctor from the potential threat of him and his family being in serious trouble if someone would have reported his presence.

7. Does the story remind you of ‘Birth’ by A. J. Cronin that you read in Snapshots last year? What are the similarities?

Ans: While reading the story, certain sections did remind me of the story ‘Birth’ by A.J. Cronin. Both the stories had doctors as their protagonists who tried their best to save the lives of nearly dead individuals. In the ‘Birth,’ Dr. Andrew with his efforts saved the life of a stillborn baby using all the skills and effort he could put into it. He was drenched in sweat while trying to save the life of the infant. In ‘The Enemy,’ Dr. Sadao saved the life of a prisoner of war who was an American and a potential threat to his country. He went against the political rules and served his responsibility as a doctor.

8. Is there any film you have seen or novel you have read with a similar theme?

Ans: The story teaches its readers to be selfless and own their sense of duty and righteousness. There are various stories and movies that are pillared on similar themes. An example of such a movie is ‘My Name is Khan.’ The movie is centred around the protagonist who has a sense of duty and generosity and saves his friends when the city of Georgia gets flooded. He worked endlessly to help everyone even without thinking twice about the potential threat and danger that surrounded him.

Benefits of NCERT Solutions for The Enemy Class 12 Questions and Answers

• The Enemy Class 12 Question Answers provide detailed explanations and summaries, helping students grasp the key themes and moral dilemmas presented in the story.

• These solutions include important Class 12 The Enemy Question Answer, enabling students to prepare effectively for exams by focusing on potential questions related to the chapter.

• The solutions help students improve their language proficiency by explaining difficult words and phrases used in The Enemy Question Answers, fostering better comprehension and vocabulary.

• Systematically organized, these solutions make it easier for students to follow the storyline, understand complex ideas, and retain information for longer periods.

• Prepared by top master teachers at Vedantu, students can be assured that the Class 12 English The Enemy Question Answers are 100% accurate and by the latest NCERT Syllabus.

These NCERT solutions cover all The Enemy Questions and Answers, making them an essential resource for exam preparation. The Class 12 English Vistas Chapter 4 Question Answer

Conclusion

The chapter "The Enemy" by Pearl S. Buck intricately weaves a tale of moral dilemmas, compassion, and duty against the backdrop of World War II. Dr. Sadao Hoki's internal conflict between his patriotic loyalty and his oath as a physician to save lives highlights the complex nature of human ethics. Accessing NCERT Solutions for The Enemy Questions and Answers offers numerous benefits. They provide a comprehensive understanding of the plot, critical insights into the characters, and a deeper analysis of the themes, aiding students in mastering the content for exams. These solutions not only prepare students academically but also encourage them to ponder over significant ethical questions, fostering a holistic educational experience.

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