Go To Index
Unit 01: Trustworthiness And Tolerance
The Devoted Friend
English (C)
For Class XII (All Groups)
Short Question Answers
Q.1: How does the friendships between Hans and Miller seem odd from the beginning?Ans: In the beginning of the story, the friendship between Hans and Miller seems odd because it is senseless that the Miller is the most devoted friend of Hans. It is very strange in the friendship that the Miller plucked a large nosegay or handful of sweet herbs or filled his pockets with plums and cherries from Hans' garden in the fruit season. The neighbours noticed that it was thoroughly weird that the Miller never gave little Hans in return though he had so many things, Hans was glad to hear the thought provoking statements from the Miller.
Q.2: Why did Hans sell his wheelbarrow?
Ans: Hans sold his wheelbarrow because the winter was a bad time for him and he had no money at all to buy bread with. Hans decided to sell the silver buttons off his Sunday coat then his silver chain and he his big piper and at last he sold out his wheelbarrow.
Q.3: In what way does the Miller exploit Hans with the promise of giving him his wheelbarrow?
Ans: The Miller exploits Hans with false promise of giving him his wheelbarrow in the way of blackmailing him to do favors such as a plank of wood be given, fining a very big basket full of flowers, carrying a sack of flour or sell it the market and at last driving the sheep to the mountain.
Q.4: What final act of the Miller's selfishness leads to Hans' death? OR What was the supreme manifestation of the miller's selfishness, which caused Hans to lose his life?
Ans: One day, the Miller came and said to Hans that he was in trouble because his little boy fell off a ladder and hurt himself. He requested Hans to fetch the doctor mentionaing the false promise of wheelbarrow but he did not give Hans the lantern. At last, Hans lost his way and his body was found by csome goatherds floating on a great pool of water.
OR
One dark night the miller prevailed upon Hans to go to town and call in the doctor for his wounded son. Hans asked the Miller to lend him his lantern to find his way through, but he refused to do so, saying that if any thing happened to his new lantern, it would be a great loss to him, still Hans went on this errand and loss his life."It is my new lantern and it would be great loss to me if any thing happened to it."
It is appropriate to state that the Miller preferred losing devoted friend to losing a new lantern. This is a supreme manifestation of his selfishness and lust of money.Q.5: Hans' own simplicity and trustworthiness also contribute to his death. Do you agree with the statement? Justify your response.
Ans: Hans is totally responsible for his death because of his trustworthiness and simplicity. The Miller behaved very brutally with him by expressing lofty ideas but remained selfish and unrepentant. Hans was fooled by the Miller in the name of aphorism and sophisticated ideas. Hnas should have recognized the true identity of the Miller in the exploitation of giving him the wheelbarrow and never allowed him to take advantage of himself. One sided friendship appeared to be the insane decision from Hans who should take care not to hurt his feelings by the others.
Q.6: "False friends are worse than open enemies." Discuss this aphorism in the context of the story The Devoted Friend.
Ans: The Miller said, "Real friends should have everything in common. The rich miller took everything from Hans without giving him anything in return. The miller proved himself a false friend because he did not go to see Hans in winter when Hans was suffering from cold and hunger. The miller would visit him in spring and asked for a large basket of primsroses. The miller was a true of enemy of Hans in the disguise of devoted friend. The miller would not allow Hans' good nature to be spoiled. The miller was responsible for Hans' terrified death.
Q.7: How would you deal if you have a friend like the Miller?
Ans: If someone behaved in this manner with me, I would first disgrace him that I am not a fool and no one is able to take advantage of me. I would rather contront him and criticize to amend his ways and rules of friendship. I would take care of me not allowing anyone to hurt me. If the friend remained unrepentant, I would break all ties with him.
Q8: Why was Miller criticizing his son?
Ans: Miller said that his son appeared to be a silly son and he did not understand the function of school in his life. He criticized his son that he had not learned anything at all from the school.
Q.9: What did miller do for not spoiling Hans? OR How did the Miller justify his not asking Hans to share some of his good things during the winter?
Ans: The miller said that Hans would feel jealous if he saw the warm fire, good supper and cask of red wine. The miller did not want to spoil Hans by the feeling of envy. He proclaimed himself to be his best friend and he took care of his nature as well. He kept watching his friend if he led to any temptations.
OR
The Miller was of the view that if Hans came there and saw their warm fire and grand supper during the winter, he would become envious, and it would spoil his nature. But as Hans was his best friends, he would not like to see that his nature was spoiled.Q.10: How was the journey of Hans to fetch the doctor for Miller's son?
Ans: The storm grew worse and worse and the heavy rainfall was not letting Hans see anything further on the way to bring the doctor for Miller's son. Then, he lost his way and managed to keep up with the horse. At last, Hans strayed on the dangerous moor and was dowrned. His body was found by some goatherds floating on a great pool of water.
Q.11: What happened to Miller's son?
Ans: One day, Miller visited Hans and cried that his fell off a ladder and hurt himself. He further informed him that the doctor lived too far and it was a terrible night to travel then he requested Hans to fetch doctor instead of him. He recalled the false promise of wheelbarrow again at this moment.
Q.12: How did Miller express his grief over Hans' death?
Ans: Miller was the chief mourner at the death of Hans. He led the procession in a long black cloak and he wiped his eyes with a big pocket-handkerchief. He again expressed his aphoristc statement like "A great loss to me at any rate". Now, he said that he could not get anything for his wheelbarrow if he sold it. He said that it was not nice to be generous because he suffered for being generous due to the tragic death of Hans.
Q.13: I was half afraid you had forgotten me." Elaborate it.
Ans: Hans complained of the attitude of the miller in this dialogue. He said that he thought that miller was a rich man and he being his devoted friend forgot him in his testing time. The miller did not visit Hans when he was in deep trouble due to the harsh winter season when he had nothing to eat and he sold his valuable things for the bread.
Q.14: What was the condition of the Miller's wheelbarrow when he offered it Hans?
Ans: The Miller's wheelbarrow was not in a good condition. One side was gone and there was something wrong with the wheel-spokes. He uttered the false promise to give it to Hans anyways. The Miller appreciated his notion of generosity because it was the essence of friendship according to him.
Q.15: Friendship is a one-sided notion not the two-sided one. Elaborate.
Ans: One-sided friendship is damaging beause a devoted friend is exploited for the other friend's selfish motive for the sake of friendship. Hans knew the true nature of the Miller but he kept calling him a true friend because of his aphoristic statements. Friendship is considered to be the two-sided norm but the true friendship is one-sided notion.
Q.16. When do we suspect that the Miller was not really a very good friend to Hans?
Ans: We suspect the Miller to be insincere to Hans when we hear him saying to his wife that there was no good in his going to see Hans as long as the snow lasted. He argued that visitors should not bother people when they are in trouble.
Q.17: How did the Miller's wife reveal that she too was ready to exploit the generosity of Hans?
Ans: Ans. As soon as the winter season was over and the primroses began to bloom, the Miller prepared to go and see Hans. The Miller's wife praised her husband for possessing such a good heart, and asked him to take a big basket with him for taking the flowers. This shows that she too was ready to exploit the generosity of poor Hans
Q.18. How did the Miller persuade Hans to carry the large sack of flour to the market?
Ans: Once Hans was busy in his garden. He was nailing up the creepers and watering the flowers. The Miller came to him and asked him to carry the sack of flour for him to the market. Hans regretted, but the Miller reminded him of the favor of giving him his wheelbarrow, and so, poor Hans had to accede to his request.
Q.19: How did the Miller justify his rebuke to Hans for staying in bed a little later than usual, after his tiring expedition to the market?
Ans: After his tiring expedition to the market, Hans felt very tired and exhausted. So he went to bed. Early in the morning the Miller came to collect his money but found Hans still in bed. He scolded Hans for being lazy and sluggish, and justified his rebuke by expressing that idleness is a great sin, and that he did not like that any of his friends should fall a victim to this evil.
Q.20: Comment briefly on the Millar's claim to have been Hans' best friend?
Ans: The Millar was out and out a selfish and mean fellow, his claim to have been Hans best friend was motivated purely by his selfishness. On the pretext, he walked at the head of the funeral procession and shed crocodile tears. He had offered Hans his good for nothing wheelbarrow, but now he did not know what to do with it.
Q.21: What is the moral of the tale " The Devoted Friend", according to author?
Ans: "The Devoted Friend" is well-known short stories among the Author Oscar wild work. "The Devoted Friend" is a moral tale that critiques selfishness disguised as friendship. In this story, Wilde uses irony and satire to explore the themes of exploitation and hypocrisy, showing how true friendship requires sincerity and sacrifice.
No comments:
Post a Comment