The Miller offers Hans a broken wheelbarrow as a token of their friendship, which comes to represent the broken friendship between the two men. The Miller declares, “Hans […] I will give you my wheelbarrow. It is not in very good repair, indeed, one side is gone, and there is something wrong with the wheel-spokes, but in spite of that I will give it to you.” The Miller then proceeds to selfishly take a plank of wood from Hans to mend his own barn-roof, the very plank that Hans would need to repair the broken wheelbarrow. Throughout the story, the Miller speaks of offering his wheelbarrow and his friendship to Hans but never acts on these offers: the wheelbarrow never manifests in the fairytale, and the Miller never shows Hans any genuine devotion. The broken wheelbarrow and the Miller’s exploitation of Hans also serve as an ironic counterpoint to the Miller’s lofty words about generosity and friendship.
The Broken Wheelbarrow Quotes in The Devoted Friend
“‘Hans,’ said the Miller, ‘I will give you my wheelbarrow. It is not in very good repair, indeed, one side is gone, and there is something wrong with the wheel-spokes, but in spite of that I will give it to you. I know it is very generous of me, and a great many people would think me extremely foolish for parting with it, but I am not like the rest of the world. I think that generosity is the essence of friendship, and, besides, I have got a new wheelbarrow for myself. Yes, you may set your mind at ease, I will give you my wheelbarrow.’”
The Broken Wheelbarrow Symbol Timeline in The Devoted Friend
