Hans by Hermann Hesse. Short summary

5 seconds

The writer tells of a brother, Hans, who as an adult managed to retain his childlike naivete and defenselessness. This led to the development of a fear of dismissal, and Hans committed suicide.

1 minute

The writer talks about the life and fate of his brother Hans, who as an adult, managed to keep his childish naivety.

Hesse recalls two incidents. The first occurred at Christmas, when the Writer was a teenager and Hans was a six-year-old child. Hesse remembers his delight at the holiday and his naïve belief in a miracle.

The second incident occurred when the writer became angry with Hans and wanted to hit him. He noticed the defenselessness and humility in the boy’s eyes.

The brother’s naivety and inability to defend himself will last a lifetime. He would be bullied by teachers at school, but he would humbly endure humiliation. He will spend his life in the same job as a humble employee and have no ambition or desire for promotion.

Hans will fear being fired. This fear will become his mania, which will cause the man to kill himself.