Who Hans Brinker is
Hans Brinker lives with his parents and younger sister Gretel in a small cottage in Holland. Strong and steady, he works as a carpenter's helper and earns what he can for the household. His father, Raff Brinker, cannot work because an old accident has clouded his mind.
What Hans Brinker wants
Hans loves skating and hopes to compete in a race whose prize is a pair of silver skates. He makes wooden skates for himself and Gretel, but they cannot match the steel blades other children wear. The race offers hope, yet Hans must weigh his own wishes against his family's need for his work.
Hans Brinker and the others in the story
Hans and Gretel are close, sharing both the household's work and their hopes on the ice. Hans's loyalty gives his skating ambitions a deeper meaning, since he thinks of his parents as well as himself.
Questions
How old is Hans Brinker?
Hans is about fifteen, already taking on paid work to help his family.
What does Hans Brinker want?
He wants to enter the skating race and win the silver skates, while remaining faithful to his family's needs.
Does Hans Brinker put his finger in a dike?
No, a different boy does that in a separate legend told within the novel.