The Devoted Friend

The Devoted Friend

1. Aspects

   • 1. Little Hans had a great many friends, but the most devoted friend was the Miller. The rich Miller never gave little Hans anything in return, or what he gave him was broken.
     • 2. Miller never even goes to see Hans in the winter, when Hans is starving and forced to sell his buttons and wheelbarrow for food.
       • 3. After winter, when Hans' flowers are blooming, Hugh visits Hans with a basket to get flowers. Upon hearing Hans' story, Hugh promises to give Hans his wheelbarrow, which is falling apart and not even usable.
       • 4. In return for this 'gift,' Hugh guilts Hans into working for him day in and day out, selling his flour, mending his roof, and even going to get the doctor for Hugh's sick son.
       • 5. On the way back from this last errand, Hans gets lost and dies.

2. Themes

   • Ignorance and selfishness on the part of Miller since being of a higher class does not recognize the sacrifice and effort that Hans makes for basic needs to live and that Miller does not want to give or lend him things just because they are new, it is selfish.
   • Friendship, in history it is seen in a stronger way since on the part of hans we can see that if he practices true friendship and on the other hand Miller who says good things about friendship but does not practice them.
   • Manipulation, by the character Miller towards Hans with his words manages to convince him to do tasks to make him think that this is true friendship.

3. Characteristics

   • The Miller
     • The Miller is an incredibly wealthy man but he doesn’t share his wealth with his so-called friend.
     • He is a rich, exploitative merchant who manipulates Hans into performing labor in the name of friendship.
   • Hans
     • He is an innocent, good-natured peasant who believes himself to be the Miller’s best friend.
     • He is belonging to the working class, he lives in a cottage and spends all his time working in his garden, growing beautiful flowers that he can sell at the market.