THEUNSURRENDEREDPEOPLE

-
Kenzabur
oOe

Answeri
ntwoort
hreesent
ences
1.Whi
chmet
aphordoesOeuset
orepr
esentt
heat
om bomb?

Accor
dingtoOe,theat om bombbecamethesymbolofal
lhumanevi
l
.He
comparesi
ttoasavage,
primi
ti
vedemonandsay
siti
samoderncur
se.

2.
Didt
heat
temptt
oaccor
dposi
ti
vev
aluet
oA-
bombi
ngbr
ingpeace?

No,
theat
temptt
oaccor
dposit
ivev
aluet
oA-bombingdidnotbr
ingpeace.Ev
en
t
heair
menwhocarr
iedoutt
hebombingdi
dnotf
indpeace.

3.
Whatl
essenst
heA-
bombdr
opper
s’bur
denofconsci
ence?

Fol
lowingthedroppingoft
hebomb,theHi
roshi
ma survi
vor
sbegant orecov
er
andrebui
ld.Thi
slessenedt
heat
omicbombdropper
s’bur
denofconsci
ence.

4.
Whatwast
hecal
cul
ati
on,
accor
dingt
oOe,
thatl
edt
othedeci
sionofdr
oppi
ng
anA-
bomb?

Thedeci
si
ont odropthebombwasbasedonthei
deat hatt
heenemyJapan
woul
dhavethehumanst r
engt
htocopewi
tht
hehel
lthatwouldf
oll
ow.Thi
sof
cour
sewasjustanil
l
usi
on.

5.Whatgr
uesomeni
ght
mar
edoesOehav
eabouthumani
sm?

Oe’
snightmareisaboutt
rust
inginhumanstr
engt
h.Thenight
mareisthet
rust
pl
aced i
n human capabi
l
ityto copewi
ththekind ofhel
lthatfol
l
owed the
dr
oppi
ngoft heat
omicbomb.

6.Whatr
educedt
heemot
ional
bur
denoft
heAmer
icandoct
ors?

Theaut
hort hi
nksofthestoi
cism oft
hesurv
ivor
s’,astheyawait
edthei
rtur
nsin
t
hewait
ingroom oftheAtomicbombcasualtycommission.Thi
sgreat
lyr
educed
t
heemotionalbur
denoftheAmer i
candoctor
s.

7.Whydi
dGodt
rustNoah?

Noahhadthewil
landabi
l
ityt
ocarryoutGod’
spl
an.Thati
swhyGodt
rust
edhi
m
i
nthefaceofacal
amit
y-t
hedeluge.

8.WhydoesOesayt
hatwhathappenedi
nHi
roshi
maaf
tert
heA-
bombi
ngwas
nothor
ri
ble?

Oesay st hatwhathappenedinHiroshi
maaftert
heA-bombingwasnothorr
ible.
Thisisbecauset hepeopl
eofHiroshimawhosurvi
vedmadenoeffor
ttoimpress
upont hosewhodr oppedthebomb, howhor
ri
blewastheactcommit
ted.I
nstead
theybegant orepai
randrebui
ld.

9Whatmetaphor
sdoesOeuset
oil
l
ust
rat
ethei
mpactoft
heA-
bombi
ngof
Hi
roshi
ma?

Oe imaginesthe sit
uat
ion i
ft he bombi
ng i
n Hiroshi
ma had t
aken pl
ace i
n
Leopoldvi
ll
e,Congoinst
ead.Heassumest hatthebombi ngwouldhavebeen
postponed.Oealsocomparesthebombingtothefl
oodintheti
meofNoah.

10.Howist
he’
fl
ood’oft
hepr
esentage di
ff
erentf
rom t
hebi
bli
calGr
eatFl
ood
ofNoah?

Oecall
sthe‘fl
ood’ofthepresentagea‘uni
ver
saldel
uge’.ThefloodofNoah
r
ecededbutthe‘fl
ood’i
nJapanismor el
i
keithasbeenfrozen.Onecannott
ell
t
heconsequencesofsuchafl
ood.

Answeri
nabout100wor
ds.

1.I
nwhatway
sdi
dhumangoodwi
l
lact
?

Evenbefor ethesmokeoft hebombi nghaddi eddown, humangoodwi llbeganto

actin Hiroshima.Peopl e began t o use firststeps t owards ‘r
ecov er
yand
rest
orati
on’.Thepeopl eattempt edt ogettheirl iv
esbacki norder.Doctorswent
aboutt r
eat i
ng pat i
entswi thl i
mi ted resources.These ef fortswer er equi
red,
accordi
ngt oOe, tobal ancetheef fectsofthebombi nginHi roshi
ma.Theaut hor
thi
nksoft hestoicism oft hesur vi
v ors’
,ast heyawai t
edt heirtur
nsinthewai ti
ng
room oft he Atomi c bomb casual tycommi ssi
on.Thi s greatl
yr educed the
emotionalburdenoft heAmer icandoct ors.

2.
Whatwassopar
adoxi
cal
aboutt
hehumani
sm ofAmer
icani
ntel
l
ect
ual
s?

Oemai ntai
nsthattheAmer i
cani ntel
lectualsappr ov
edoft hebombi ng,int he
beli
efthatthehumani sm thatf ollowedt heev entwoul dbalancesuchanact
.Thoughhellwouldfollow theat omicbombi ngofHi roshima,itwouldnotwi pe
outallthegoodthatexi st
edi nsoci ety.Thei deawast hattherewoul dexistin
Hiroshi
mapeoplewhowoul dtryt omaket hehellashumaneaspossi ble.Oe’s
ni
ght marei
sabouttrustinginhumanst rength.Thenightmarei sthetrustplaced
i
nhumancapabi l
it
ytocopewi t
ht hekindofhel lt
hatfoll
owedt hedroppingoft he
atomicbomb.Thenot ionof ’balancing’ist heattacki
ngwol f
’sconfidenceint he
scapegoat
’sabi
l
ityt
osett
hingsst
rai
ghtaf
tert
hepi
ti
lessdamagei
sdone.

3.
Whatouldhav
emadet
he’t
oughest mi
nds’post
ponet
hedr
oppi
ngofan
at
omicbomb?

Iftheat omicbombi nghadbeenschedul

edtobedroppedinLeopol dvi
ll
e,Congo
i
nst eadofHi roshi
ma,allt
hepeoplewouldhavebeendoomedt odeat hwithno
survivors.Thiswoul dhavebeenashocki ngscenar
io event ot he‘toughest
minds’ .Thefactthatallthepeopl
ewoulddieeit
herbyt hebomb,ort heafter
effectsofi t
,wouldhav ecausedpost
ponementofthebombi ngi nLeopoldvi
lle,
withoutev enset t
ingafutur
edate.
Therecover
yandrebuil
dingt hatfol
lowedi n
Hiroshimal essenedt heburdenofguil
tont hemindsoft hosedroppedt he
atomi cbomb.

4.Descr
ibet
hescenar
iooft
hesupposeddr
oppi
ngofanA-
bombonLeopol
dvi
l
le.

Iftheatomi cbombinghadbeenonLeopol dvi

ll
einst
eadofHiroshi
ma,ahuge
numberofpeopl ewouldhavedi edinstantl
y.Woundedsurvi
vor
swouldhavedi
ed
overaper iodofmont hs.Epidemicsandpest swouldhavespreadamongthe
survi
vors.Thecitywouldhav ebecomeawast el
andwithnoonet odi
sposet
he
dead.Thosewhoar ri
vedlatertoi nvesti
gatethedamagewoul dhavelef
twit
h
horri
blenausea.Someoft hem woul dnev eragai
nbet hesame.Awholecit
y
wouldhav ebeenr endereddeadl y.Suchascenewoul dhavebeenseenas
shockingtoeventhetoughestmi nds.

5.HowdoesOecompar
ethebi
bli
caldel
ugeofNoaht
otheat
omi
cbombi
ngof
Hir
oshi
ma?

Oest atesthattheatomi cbombi ngofHi r

oshimawaspr obablythewor stdel
uge
t
h
i
nt he20 cent uryhistory.Oecompar est he‘fl
ood’ofHi r
oshimat othef l
oodi n
Noah’ st i
mes.Inthebi bli
calstory,afterther ai
nsoff ortydaysandni ghts,God
entrustedNoahwi t
ht het askofr ebuil
dingt hesociety.InHi r
oshima,thepeopl e
whoat t
empt edtorebui l
dt hei
rli
vesf oll
owi ngtheat omi cbomb.Si nceNoahhad
a balancedman,hewasabl etocar r
youtt hetaskent rustedtohim.Simi l
arl
y,in
Hiroshima,t hepeopleofJapanat temptedt or econstructtheirli
ves.Butunlike
thebiblicaldel
ugewhi chreceded, Oesay st hatthefloodofHi roshi
maf rozeover.
Onecannott el
lwhent hisfrozenfloodwi ll
thawandf lowaway .

6.Whati
st he20thcent
hecanceroft uryaccor
dingt
oOe?

Accor
dingtoOe,thecanceroft he20th centur
yisthepossessi
onofnuclear
weaponsbyvari
ousnat
ions.
Forthispossessionofnucl
earweapons,t
herei
sno
knowncure-v
erysi
mil
artocancer.Thesoul swhichwer
esalvagedinHir
oshi
ma
 byt hepeopleofJapan,canbeseenast hesoul ssalvagedofallhumanbeings
today ..Oecompar est he‘fl
ood’ ofHir
oshimat ot hefl
oodinNoah’ st
imes.I
nthe
bibl
icalstory
,aftert her ai
nsoff ortydaysandni ght
s,Godent r
ustedNoahwi t
h
thet askofr ebuil
dingt hesoci ety.I
nHi r
oshima,t hepeopl ewhoat t
emptedto
rebuildthei
rli
vesf oll
owi ngtheat omicbomb.Si nceNoahhad a bal ancedman,
hewasabl et ocar ryoutthet askentrustedtohi m.Simi l
arl
y,i
nHi r
oshi
ma,the
peopl eofJapanat temptedt or econstr
uctt heirli
ves.Butunlikethebibl
ical
delugewhi chr eceded,Oesay st hatthef l
oodofHi roshimafrozeover.One
cannott el
lwhent hisf r
ozenfloodwi l
lthawandf lowaway .

Answeri
nabout300wor
ds.

1.HowdoesOesubst
anti
atet
hatthesoul
ssal
vagedbyt
hepeopl
eofHi
roshi
ma
ar
ethesoul
sofal
lhumanbeingsal
iv
etoday
.

2.Just
if
ythet
it
leoft
heessay
”TheUnsur
render
edPeopl
e”.

3.HowdoesOer epr
esentthedual
i
sm ofgoodandev
ilt
hrought
heessayy
”The
Unsur
render
edPeople”
.

(
COMMONANSWER)

Theextract“
TheUnsurrenderedPeople”istakenfr
om ‘TheHir
oshimaNot es’
by
KenzaburoOe,publ
i
shedi ntheyear1965.Thi
sisalongessayonhowt heatomic
bombingonJapanaf f
ectedpeople’
slives.Heremainsasastaunchadvocateof
democracyandanti
-nuclearact
ivi
sm.

Oebegi nstheessaybysay i
ngthatev enbef orethesmokeoft hebombi nghad
dieddown,humangoodwi l
lbegant oacti nHi roshima.Peopl ebegantousef i
rst
steps towards‘ r
ecov eryandr estoration’.Thepeopl eattemptedt ogett heir
l
ivesbackinor der.Doctorswentaboutt reat
ingpat i
entswi t
hl i
mit
edr esources.
Theseef f
ortswer er equir
ed,accor dingt oOe,t obal ancet heeffectsoft he
bombinginHi r
oshima. Theaut hort hinksoft hest oici
sm ofthe survivors’
,as
theyawaited thei
rt urnsi nthewai ti
ng r oom oft heAt omicbomb casual t
y
commi ssi
on.Thisgreat l
yreducedtheemot i
onal bur
denoft heAmer i
candoct ors.

Oemaintainst
hattheAmer i
canintell
ectualsapprovedofthebombi ng,i
nthebeliefthat
thehumanism thatf
oll
owedt heev entwoul dbalancesuchanact. Thoughhellwoul d
fol
lowtheatomicbombingofHi roshi
ma, itwouldnotwi peoutal
lthegoodt hatexisted
i
nsociety.Theideawast hattherewoul dexistinHiroshimapeoplewhowoul dtryt o
maket hehellashumaneaspossi ble.Oe’sni ghtmareisaboutt r
usti
ngi nhuman
str
engt
h.Thenightmareisthetrustplacedinhumancapabi l
i
tytocopewi ththekindof
hel
lthatfol
l
owedt hedroppi
ngoftheatomicbomb.Thenot
ionof’balanci
ng’ist
he
att
acki
ngwol f
’sconf
idencei
nthescapegoat
’sabi
l
ityt
osetthi
ngsstraightaf
tert
he
pi
ti
lessdamageisdone.

Iftheat omicbombi nghadbeenscheduledtobedr oppedinLeopoldvil

l
e,Congo
i
nst eadofHi roshi
ma,allt
hepeoplewoul dhavebeendoomedt odeathwithno
survivors.Thiswoul dhavebeenashocki ngscenario eventot he‘toughest
minds’ .Thefactthatallthepeoplewoulddieeit
herbyt hebomb,ort heafter
effectsofi t
,wouldhav ecausedpostponementoft hebombi nginLeopoldvi
lle,
withoutev ensetti
ngaf ut
uredate.Therecoveryandr ebui
ldi
ngthatfoll
owedi n
Hiroshimal essenedt heburdenofgui l
tont hemi ndsoft hosedr oppedt he
atomi cbomb.

Iftheatomi cbombinghadbeenonLeopol dv
ill
einst
eadofHi roshi
ma,ahuge
numberofpeopl ewouldhavedi edinstantl
y.Woundedsur v
ivor
swouldhavedied
overaper iodofmont hs.Epidemicsandpest swouldhav espreadamongt he
survi
vors.Thecitywouldhav ebecomeawast el
andwithnoonet odi
sposethe
dead.Thosewhoar ri
vedlatertoi nvesti
gatethedamagewoul dhavelef
twith
horri
blenausea.Someoft hem woul dnev eragainbet hesame.Awhol ecit
y
wouldhav ebeenr endereddeadl y. Suchascenewoul dhavebeenseenas
shockingtoeventhetoughestmi nds.

Oest atest hattheat omicbombi ngofHi roshimawaspr obablyt hewor stdel

uge
t
h
i
nt he20 cent ur
yhist or
y.Oe compar est he‘fl
ood’ofHi roshimat ot hefl
oodi n
Noah’ stimes.I nthe bi blicalstor y
,aftertherainsoff ort
yday sandni ght
s,God
entrustedNoahwi t
ht het askofr ebuil
dingt hesociety.I
nHi roshima,t hepeople
whoat t
empt edt orebui l
dt heirli
v esfol
lowingt heat omicbomb. SinceNoahhad
a balancedman, hewasabl etocar ryoutt hetaskent r
ustedt ohim. Simil
arl
y,in
Hiroshima,t hepeopl eofJapanat temptedt or econstr
ucttheirl i
ves.Butunlike
thebiblicaldelugewhi chreceded, Oesay sthatthef l
oodofHi roshimaf r
ozeov er
.
Onecannott ellwhent hisfr ozenfloodwi ll
thawandf lowaway .

Oe emphat i
cal
l
yst at
esthatwhi
lethedualism ofgoodandev i
lcannol ongerbe
seen as fashi
onableterms,the ev i
loft he at omic bomb is never
theless
addressedinthisessay.Thi
sev i
lwascount erbalancedbyt hegoodwi l
land
humani t
ari
anatt
empt softhosewhot r
iedtor ebuil
dHi r
oshi
ma,especiall
yt he
doctors.Thesoulsthussalv
agedt husarer epresent
ati
veofal lhumanbeings
today.