Friendship and Exploitation

The Devoted Friend story explicitly critiques one-sided friendships where the powerful exploit the kind-hearted, a theme echoed in the Happy Prince's relationship with the Swallow.

The Miller's manipulation of Hans under the pretense of friendship highlights the theme of exploitation, where one party benefits at the expense of the other.

The Rocket claims friendship with the Prince but admits he would not be his friend if he knew him, revealing a hollow and exploitative notion of connection.