the devoted friend summary.
Answers
Answer:
One day, an old Water-rat comes out of his hole and sees a Duck teaching her ducklings how to stand on their heads in water. “You will never be in the best society unless you can stand on your heads,” she calls out to her ducklings, who flatly ignore her. The Water-rat and the Duck begin to talk, and the former declares his esteem for “devoted friendship.” Overhearing their conversations, a Linnet asks the Water-rat what he thinks devoted friendship consists of. The Water-rat haughtily replies: “What a silly question! […] I should expect my devoted friend to be devoted to me, of course!”
The narrative begins with talking animals, hinting that the story is most likely a work of children’s literature. Yet, these anthropomorphic animals voice lofty ideas about “the best society” and “devoted friendship,” showing more sophisticated preoccupations than characters seen in typical children’s stories. Furthermore, the style of the narrative is rather satirical. From this, readers can gather than the story is intended for adults as well as children.
THEMES
Innocence and Friendship Theme Icon
RELATED QUOTES
The Linnet asks the Water-rat what he would do for his so-called devoted friend in return. The Water-rat claims to not understand the question, so the Linnet decides to tell the Water-rat a story about friendship. The Water-rat asks eagerly if the story is about him, to which the Linnet replies, “It is applicable to you.”
The inquisitive Linnet appears to be wiser than the selfish Water-rat, who does not understand that devoted friendship should be mutual. This preps readers to see the Linnet as a sort of authority figure, a reliable storyteller. When the Linnet begins telling his tale, readers can also see that the narrative operates as a story-within-a-story.
THEMES
Innocence and Friendship Theme Icon
The Linnet begins his tale by introducing Hans, a poor, kindly peasant who lives in a tiny cottage with a beautiful garden. Hans works in his garden every day, and his flowers are known for their exceptional beauty. Hans’s “most devoted friend” is a rich Miller, named big Hugh. The Miller regularly walks by Hans’s cottage and takes flowers from the garden, declaring that “Real friends should have everything in common.” Hans simply smiles and agrees. The neighbors think it’s odd that the Miller, despite his wealth, never gives Hans anything in return. Hans never notices this, though, and instead delights in the wise and beautiful things the Miller says “about the unselfishness of true friendship.”
THEMES
RELATED QUOTES
Upgrade to unlock the analysis and theme tracking for all of The Devoted Friend!
or sign in
Winter comes. Since he has no flowers to sell at the market, Hans suffers from cold and hunger. The Miller never visits Hans and instead sits in his warm home with his wife and son, enjoying ample food and drink. The Miller claims to his family that there is no use visiting Hans, as “when people are in trouble they should be left alone and not be bothered by visitors.” He plans to see Hans in the spring, when Hans will once again have flowers to give to the Miller. The Miller’s wife lavishes praise on her husband, telling him that he is “certainly very thoughtful about others,” and that it’s “quite a treat” to listen to all the wise things he has to say. When the Miller’s son asks after Hans and offers to share his own food with the peasant, the Miller scolds him, saying that such a gesture would “spoil” Hans’s good nature.
Explanation: