The Enemy

How do Hana’s maternal instinct and the theme of human kindness reveal themselves in the story, and why are they problematic for her?

In what ways do the cook and the gardener represent the themes of patriotic loyalty, honor, and duty?

“The young American without a word shook Sadao’s hand warmly and then walked quite well across the floor and down the step into the darkness of the garden” (57). How does this quote encompass Tom and Sadao’s relationship at the end of “The Enemy”?

How does the author create sympathy for Sadao and Hana, and why would this be controversial given the context in which the story was written?

The plot of “The Enemy” relies on the reader knowing the social and political context surrounding the events in the narrative. How is the social and political context of “The Enemy” addressed by the author?

What are the internal and external elements that contribute to Sadao’s dilemma, and how is this inner conflict resolved in the denouement of “The Enemy”?

How is the general portrayed by the author, and how does his illness benefit Tom, the American?

The general tells Sadao that he is a good man and that he will be rewarded, but when Sadao gazes at the sea after nightfall, he already feels as if he has been rewarded. Why is that?