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?
Answers
ANSWER :
The General was a ruthless person. He had private assassins to have any one killed. He told Sadao that he would send two of them to get rid of the American Soldier. But later he says that he forgot his promise. He does not think it was a lack of Patriotism. Then what was it? I think it was pure selfishness and self absorption. The general thought of nothing but his own life. He needed Sadao for his operation and did not want any trouble should come to him. I don't think he forget his promise. He did not want to involve himself in the matter. That is why he says to Sadao, “If the matter should come to light ,you would understand that.” In fact he wanted Sadao to kill the soldier himself and have his body removed. He wanted Sadao to have the German ruthlessness in the case of the soldier but American sentimentality in his own case. He was surely a very self absorbed person.
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Answer :
In the short story 'The Enemy,' the General was a very ruthless, selfish and self-absorbed man. He had kept Dr. Sadao in the country because of his own medical needs and requirements. He did not trust the German trained doctors and did not want any risk to his health because of the doctor's execution for treachery. Even though he had assassins to get rid of the American soldier, he conveniently forgot his promise because he did not wish to be involved in the matter.
The General's attitude towards the enemy soldier was not out of human consideration as he wanted the enemy to be silently wiped out to save the doctor from being arrested for treachery. The lack of patriotism or dereliction of duty also did not guide his decision as he himself admitted to Dr. Sadao after his operation that he had suffered a lot and he considered his own health as his top priority.