Question 4 - Chapter 4 - The Enemy - Vistas - Chapters (Literature) - English Class 12

Read the extract and answer the following questions.

Extract:

They saw when they came toward him that indeed it was so. The sand on one side of him had already a stain of red soaking through. ‘‘He is wounded,’’ Sadao exclaimed. He made haste to the man, who lay motionless, his face in the sand. An old cap stuck to his head soaked with sea water. He was in wet rags of garments. Sadao stopped, Hana at his side, and turned the man’s head. They saw the face. “A white man!” Hana whispered.

(The Enemy)

Question (i)

What is the name of the literary device used to describe the man's cap as "soaked with sea water"?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

Personification

Step-by-step explanation:

• The question asks what is the term for a figure of speech that gives human qualities to something that is not human.
• To answer this question, we need to identify the part of the extract that uses this figure of speech and explain how it works.
• The extract says that the man's cap was "soaked with sea water". This implies that the cap was wet and salty from the ocean water.
• However, the word "soaked" also suggests that the cap was absorbing or taking in the water, as if it had a choice or a desire to do so. This is a human quality that is given to the cap, which is an inanimate object.
• Therefore, we can conclude that the name of the literary device used to describe the man's cap as "soaked with sea water" is personification. 🎩

Question (ii)

What is the theme of the extract?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

Love and compassion

Step-by-step explanation:

• The question asks what is the main idea or message that the author wants to convey through the extract.
• To answer this question, we need to look at the extract and find the clues that indicate the theme.
• The extract tells us that Sadao and Hana found a wounded enemy soldier on the beach and decided to help him, even though they knew he was their enemy and they could get in trouble for doing so.
• This shows that they had love and compassion for another human being who was suffering, regardless of his nationality or status. They chose to act on their moral values and emotions rather than their political or social obligations.
• Therefore, we can infer that the theme of the extract is love and compassion. 💕

Question (iii)

What is the tone of the extract?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

Suspenseful

Step-by-step explanation:

• The question asks what is the attitude or emotion that the author expresses or creates through the extract.
• To answer this question, we need to look at the extract and find the words or phrases that indicate the tone.
• The extract uses words like "wounded", "stain of red", "motionless", "white man", and "whispered" to create a sense of tension and uncertainty in the reader. We wonder what will happen to the man, how he got there, and what Sadao and Hana will do with him.
• The extract also ends with a question mark, which leaves us hanging and curious about what will happen next.
• Therefore, we can deduce that the tone of the extract is suspenseful. 😮

Question (iv)

What is the conflict that Sadao and Hana face in the extract?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The conflict that Sadao and Hana face in the extract is whether to help or ignore a wounded enemy soldier.

Step-by-step explanation:

• The question asks what is the problem or challenge that the main characters have to deal with in the extract.
• To answer this question, we need to look at the extract and find the part that shows the conflict.
• The extract tells us that Sadao and Hana found a wounded enemy soldier on the beach and decided to help him. However, they also knew that he was their enemy and they could get in trouble for helping him.
• This means that they had to choose between their moral duty to save a human life and their patriotic duty to serve their country. T his was a difficult and risky decision for them to make.
• Therefore, we can state that the conflict that Sadao and Hana face in the extract is whether to help or ignore a wounded enemy soldier. 🤷‍♂️