XII English STBB - Unit # 1 - The Devoted Friend By Oscar Wilde

PDF XII English Book STBB

Unit # 1

Exercise 05: Answer the following questions after reading the text.

1. How does the friendship between Hans and Miller seem odd from the beginning?

The friendship between Hans and Miller seems one-sided and unbalanced right from the beginning. Hans is poor but generous, while the Miller is rich yet selfish. Instead of helping Hans or sharing his wealth, the Miller constantly takes flowers, fruits, and herbs from Hans’ garden under the excuse that “real friends should have everything in common.” This statement sounds noble, but the Miller never applies it fairly. He only takes and never gives. What makes it odd is that Hans accepts this inequality without complaint, showing how much he values the Miller’s friendship despite being used.

2. Why did Hans sell his wheelbarrow?

Hans sold his wheelbarrow out of sheer necessity during the harsh winter. Since his flowers and fruits did not grow in the cold season, he had nothing to sell in the market and no means of earning money. As a result, he suffered from hunger and poverty. To survive, Hans gradually sold his possessions: first his silver buttons, then his silver chain, then his pipe, and finally his wheelbarrow. Selling the wheelbarrow was not a choice of convenience but a matter of survival.

3. In what way does the Miller exploit Hans with the promise of giving him his wheelbarrow?The Miller uses the wheelbarrow as bait to manipulate Hans into doing endless tasks. Though the wheelbarrow is old and broken, he presents it as a great act of generosity. In exchange for this supposed gift, he asks Hans to mend his barn roof, carry flour to the market, drive his sheep, and even part with his flowers and wood. Each time, the Miller praises friendship and generosity but never fulfills his promise. This shows how he exploits Hans’ trust by dangling the wheelbarrow in front of him like a reward, while benefiting from Hans’ hard labor and sacrifices.

4. What final act of the Miller's selfishness leads to Hans' death?The final act of selfishness occurs when the Miller refuses to go himself to fetch the doctor for his injured son. Instead, he sends Hans out into a terrible storm, knowing the risk it poses. To make matters worse, the Miller refuses to lend Hans his lantern, fearing it might get damaged. Hans, eager to prove his friendship, sets out in the storm without any light. He loses his way, falls into a water-filled hole on the moor, and drowns. The Miller’s selfishness, combined with his refusal to act responsibly, directly causes Hans’ tragic death.

5. Hans' own simplicity and trustworthiness also contribute to his death. Do you agree with the statement? Justify your response.Yes, Hans’ simplicity and trustworthiness are partly responsible for his death. He is too innocent and unquestioning, and this makes him vulnerable to exploitation. Despite suffering himself, he never refuses the Miller’s requests, believing that obedience and sacrifice are the signs of true friendship. Even when he senses that he is being unfairly treated, he ignores his doubts and convinces himself that the Miller must be right. His inability to recognize false friendship, combined with his eagerness to please, leads him into the final fatal errand. Thus, Hans’ death is not only the result of the Miller’s selfishness but also of his own blind trust.

6. "False friends are worse than open enemies." Discuss this aphorism in the context of the story The Devoted Friend.This aphorism is well illustrated in The Devoted Friend. An open enemy shows hostility clearly, so one can defend oneself. A false friend, however, hides selfish motives under the mask of love and loyalty, which is far more dangerous. The Miller pretends to be Hans’ greatest friend, always talking about generosity and the beauty of true friendship. But in reality, he uses these words to manipulate Hans into working for him, giving him his belongings, and even risking his life. Hans believes the Miller’s false friendship and pays with his life. In this way, the story shows that betrayal by a false friend, who uses affection as a weapon, is far more harmful than direct enmity.

7. How would you deal if you have a friend like the Miller?If I had a friend like the Miller, I would be very cautious. True friendship should be built on mutual care, respect, and support, not on exploitation or manipulation. If my friend only took from me without ever giving back, and always used sweet words to hide selfishness, I would recognize that this was not genuine friendship. In such a situation, I would set clear boundaries to protect myself and avoid being used. If the friend still behaved selfishly, I would distance myself from them completely. It is better to have few true friends than to surround oneself with false ones who cause harm under the mask of kindness.

Exercise # 6

Write any 5 contrasting characteristics of Hans and Miller.

• Generosity (Hans) vs. Selfishness (Miller):Hans is generous, always willing to share his flowers, fruits, and time without expecting a reward. The Miller, however, is selfish, constantly taking from Hans and never giving him anything in return.

• Simplicity (Hans) vs. Cunning (Miller):Hans is simple, innocent, and easily trusts the Miller’s words. The Miller is cunning and clever with speech, using fine talk about friendship to manipulate Hans.

• Hardworking (Hans) vs. Exploitative (Miller):Hans works honestly in his garden and also helps with the Miller’s heavy tasks. The Miller avoids effort himself and exploits Hans to complete his own work.

• Trustworthiness (Hans) vs. Hypocrisy (Miller):Hans is sincere and always keeps his promises. The Miller is hypocritical, preaching about loyalty and generosity while practicing the opposite in his actions.

• Sacrifice (Hans) vs. Self-interest (Miller):Hans sacrifices his comfort, possessions, and even his life for friendship. The Miller only thinks of his own advantage, even sending Hans into danger during the storm.

Summary

Title: The Devoted Friend by Oscar Wilde

This story is about Little Hans, an honest and hardworking gardener, and his so-called friend, the rich Miller. Hans has a beautiful garden and takes great pride in it. The Miller often visits him, takes flowers, fruits, or herbs, and preaches about the nobility of true friendship. However, the Miller never gives Hans anything in return.

During the winter, Hans suffers from cold and hunger, but the Miller avoids him, claiming that true friends should not bother each other in times of trouble. When spring arrives, the Miller again begins to exploit Hans by making him do difficult tasks—carrying heavy flour, mending the barn roof, and driving sheep to the mountains—while constantly reminding Hans that he is going to “give” him his broken wheelbarrow.

Despite his suffering, Hans continues to serve the Miller because he values his friendship. Finally, on a stormy night, the Miller sends Hans to fetch a doctor for his son. Without even lending him a lantern, the Miller selfishly sends Hans out. Hans loses his way in the storm and drowns in a pool of water.

At Hans’s funeral, everyone mourns sincerely except the Miller, who hypocritically calls himself Hans’s best friend. He even complains about the wheelbarrow he never truly gave.

Moral: The story highlights false friendship and selfishness. It teaches that true friends help and support each other instead of exploiting one another with empty words.

خلاصہ (اردو)

(یہ خلاصہ طلبہ کی بہتر سمجھ کے لیے دیا گیا ہے)

یہ کہانی آسکر وائلڈ کی لکھی ہوئی ہے جس میں چھوٹے ہانس اور اُس کے دوست ملر کا ذکر ہے۔ ہانس ایک دیانتدار اور محنتی مالی ہے جس کا باغ گاؤں میں سب سے خوبصورت ہے۔ ملر اکثر اُس کے باغ میں آتا، پھول اور پھل لے جاتا اور دوستی کے بارے میں بڑے بڑے دعوے کرتا، لیکن کبھی ہانس کی مدد نہیں کرتا۔

سردیوں میں ہانس بھوک اور سردی سے بہت پریشان رہتا ہے لیکن ملر اُس سے ملنے نہیں آتا اور کہتا ہے کہ مشکل وقت میں دوست کو تنگ نہیں کرنا چاہیے۔ بہار آتے ہی ملر پھر ہانس کا استحصال شروع کر دیتا ہے۔ وہ اُس سے آٹے کی بوری اُٹھواتا ہے، گودام کی چھت مرمت کرواتا ہے اور اپنی بھیڑیں پہاڑ پر لے جانے کے لیے بھیج دیتا ہے۔ یہ سب وہ اس بہانے سے کرواتا ہے کہ وہ ہانس کو پرانا ٹوٹا ہوا ٹھِلہ (wheelbarrow) دینے والا ہے۔

ہانس اپنی غربت اور مصیبت کے باوجود یہ سب برداشت کرتا ہے کیونکہ وہ ملر کو اپنا بہترین دوست سمجھتا ہے۔ ایک طوفانی رات کو ملر اُس سے اپنے بیٹے کے لیے ڈاکٹر بلانے بھیج دیتا ہے۔ بغیر لالٹین کے، ہانس اندھیری رات میں نکلتا ہے اور راستہ بھٹک کر ایک جوہڑ میں ڈوب کر مر جاتا ہے۔

ہانس کی موت پر سب گاؤں والے افسوس کرتے ہیں، لیکن ملر سب سے زیادہ ریاکارانہ طور پر ماتم کرتا ہے۔ وہ اپنے آپ کو اُس کا سب سے اچھا دوست کہتا ہے اور پھر شکایت کرتا ہے کہ اُس نے ہانس کو تقریباً اپنا پرانا ٹھِلہ دے ہی دیا تھا۔

سبق: یہ کہانی جھوٹی دوستی اور خود غرضی کو بے نقاب کرتی ہے۔ اصل دوستی فائدہ اُٹھانے کا نام نہیں بلکہ ایک دوسرے کی مدد اور قربانی کا نام ہے۔