SUMMARY WITH EXPLANATION
The story is set in the days of the II world war. An American prisoner of war is washed ashore in a dying state and is found at the doorstep of Dr Sadao Hoki, a japanese doctor. The doctor is confronted with a dilemma whether he should save the wounded enemy soldier as a doctor or hand him over to the authorities as a patriot. He was a renowned surgeon and a scientist. He had mastered the art of healing wounds. At present, he was perfecting a discovery which would render wounds entirely clean. This was the only reason that he was not sent with the troops. The old General himself was not well and he could need the services of Dr Sadao any time.
First, the doctor and his wife Hana thought of throwing the wounded enemy soldier back into the sea. But both of them felt they couldn't do so. They decided that they would treat his wounds and hand him over to the police. They brought him inside their house and took him to the room of Dr Sadao's father. Hana herself washed him with warm water as her maid servant declined to wash the american, as he was an enemy. Dr Sadao operated upon him and it was a success.
When their servants came to know about the presence of American prisoner of war in the house, they felt uncomfortable. They declined to enter his room. So, Hana had to serve him herself. She had to feed him with her hands as he was too weak to eat himself. The servants waited for some days. When their master didn't send him out, they left their jobs in protest. Slowly the man started recovering. One day a messenger came from the palace of the general. He said that the General was having pain and Dr Sadao had to go to the palace. Dr Sadao went to the General, gave him treatment and told him everything about the american in his house. The General told Sadao that the best way would be to get the American killed quietly. He suggested that he would send his personal assassins todo the needful. Sadao also felt that it was a suitable thing to happen.
Dr Sadao didn't tell his wife about the plan. He waitedfor the assassins for three nights but they didn't turn up. It the meantime, the American was feeling quite well. After much thought Dr Sadao decided to send the American to the unguarded island in the sea. He gave him his boat, a lot of food and water and a flashlight. He instructed him to stay on the island and wait there for a korean boat. He told him to signal him two flashes if his food ran out before he caught a boat. He should sighnal him one flash if he was all right and still on the island. He instructed him to signal only at the sunset.
The General survived the operation. Dr Sadao told him that the American had escaped. The General keeps quiet about the case as he khew he too would be in trouble if the case came up for trial. That night as Sadao stood outside in his veranda, he saw na flash of light. So the prisoner had gone safely away.
TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS
READ AND FIND OUT
Q.1.Who was Dr Sadao? Where was his house?
Ans. Dr Sadao Hoki was a well-known, competent Japanese surgeon and a scientist. He was perfecting a discovery which would render wounds entirely clean. His house was build on a spot of the Japanese court. The low, square stone house was set upon rocks well above a narrow beach that was outlined with bent pines.
Q.2. Will Dr Sadao be arrested on the charge of harboring an enemy?
Ans. No, Dr Sadao won't be arrested on the charge of harboring an enemy because he being a competent surgeon and a scientist the general needs him for an immediate surgery.
Q.3.Will Hana help the wounded man and wash him herself?
Ans. Initially, Hana hesitates to help a prisoner of war. He is a wounded sailor belonging to the US Navy. In that sense he is their enemy. She fears that by giving shelter to such a man they can be in danger of bring arrested. But her inherent compassion and humanity wins over and she helps the wounded man and washes him herself.
Q.4.What will Dr Sadao and his wife do with the man?
Ans. Dr Sadao and his wife Hana will let the man be in their house and treat his wounds well. Their servants are likely to leave their house as a protest against keeping a white man inside their house. But the doctor and his wife will look after the wounded man. Hana will cook for him and will make him feel comfortable.
Q.5.What will Dr Sadao do to get rid of the man?
Ans. Dr Sadao has saved the man's life and he will not let him die. He will send the man back to the sea from where he had come. He will, in fact, give him his boat with sufficient food and clothes to go to a nearby island. From there the man will take a Korean boat and escape to freedom at night.
ADDITIONAL SHORT QUESTIONS
Q.1. Why did the general spare the American soldier?
Ans. The General had given a promise to Dr Sadao that he would have the American soldier killed. However, because of his ailment he thought of nothing else but himself. He forgot the promise given to Dr Sadao. Evidently did not get the American soldier killed because of human consideration
Q.2.Why did the messenger come to Dr Sadao? What did Hana think about it?
Ans. The messenger wanted to inform Dr Sadao that the General was in pain and wanted his immediate attention. Hana thought that he was there to arrest on the doctor for protecting the enemy soldier. Only on that day all the servants had left and she probably thought the news of the presence of the enemy soldier at their home was out.
Q.3.Hana told Yumi to wash the soldier. How did Yumi react?
Ans. Hana told yumi to fetch the hot water and bring it to the room to wash the wounded soldier. Yumi refused to wash a 'white' and 'dirty' man. Her think lips folded themselves into stubbornness. There was so fierce a look of resistance upon Yumi's round dull face that Hana felt unreasonably afraid. She emphatically declared that she would have nothing to do with it and it was not her business.
Q.4.Why did the servants leave Dr Sadao's house?
Ans. The servants felt uncomfortable about the presence of an enemy soldier in Sadao's house. They tried to give vent to their resentment indirectly. They even tried to put an emotional pressure on their masters to send the enemy soldier out of their house. When nothing made Sadao change his mind, the servants, in protest, left his house.
Q.5.What forced Dr Sadao to be impatient and irritated with his patient?
Ans. Dr Sadao had given shelter to an American soldier who was enemy of his country Japan. He was caught between patriotism towadts his nation and his duby as a doctor. He was in two minds whether he was doing the right thing by treating him. Due to confusion and indecision he was doing the right thing by treating him. Due to confusion and indecision he was impatient and irritated with his patient.
Q.6.How did the gardener react when Dr Sadao told him about the wounded American soldier?
Ans. When Dr Sadao told the gardener about the wounded American soldier, he was shocked, frightened and tensed. He pulled the few hairs on his upper lip. He bluntly told Hana that he and other servants would take leave of them if Dr Sadao tried to heal the wounded soldier. He wanted Hana to convey this message to Dr Sadao.
Q.7.What was the special benefit enjoyed by Dr Sadao during the war time?
Ans. Dr Sadao was a famous surgeon. During the war time most doctors were sent to the battle front to provide emergency medical help. But he was not sent abroad with the troops because the general needed an urgent operation and he didn't trust any other doctor.
