Who was Dr. Sadao? Where was his house?

Dr. Sadao Hoki was a famous Japanese surgeon and scientist. He was famous for his art of healing the wounds. He went to America for learning surgery and medicine. He was working on a discovery which would totally clear the wounds. But milk of humankind rolled in his veins. He lived in a house built on the Japanese coast. His square stone house was set upon rock above a narrow beach. The beach was outlined with bent pines.

It was the time when Japan was at war with America. It was against the laws to shelter an enemy as Dr. Sadao had sheltered an enemy soldier but he can’t be arrested and punished for harbouring the enemy. It would not happen since his servants did not disclose the secret to the police. Even Dr. Sadao had told every thing to the old General but he went on sleeping over the matter. He was not at all in a mood to lose the precious services of an expert surgeon.

It is quite natural as well as acceptable beyond doubt that individuals who belong to enemy countries tend to despise and show jealousy towards each other even if they are quite unknown and ignorant about each other. Among them only the few people behave above narrow mindedness and petty prejudices. Rather the milk of sympathy, kindness, humanity and solace flows in their pure veins and they fail to realise that after all the affected person is a man like them. He too possesses the same personality, feelings, traits and exceptions like others.

In the story ‘The Enemy,’ Dr. Sadao and his wife provide a fine example of this kind who rise above narrow mindedness and petty prejudices. Their inner urge overpowers them and they save the life of a fatally wounded soldier duly flung away through the sea waves near the house of Dr. Sadao. They bring him home and find him to be an enemy but Dr. Sadao has got sufficient mastery in his training to save the dying humanity. The milk of human kindness flows both in Dr. Sadao and his wife Hana though there are every chance of being called him as a traitor. The domestic servants too object and leave the house till the stay of the soldier. In the end Dr. Sadao helps his safe return as well. Thus we can see some people rise above petty prejudices and narrow mindedness.

Dr. Sadao and his wife Hana have brought the wounded soldier in the house. Due to humanity, they operate and treat his wounds. Even the servants refuse to keep and threaten to leave their house but Hana is reluctant to help them. She assures the soldier not to afraid. She serves him cooked food and feeds him by herself. They keep him for a fortnight and did their best to save the enemy soldier.

Hana knows that the man is an enemy and he is the prisoner of war. He belongs to the U.S. Navy. She is well aware that sheltering an enemy can put them in severe danger. She asks her maid Yumi to bring warm water and wash him but she declines. Since the blood of humanity and obedience to her husband compel her to do the needful.