#pasychology
Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse
[Originally published on my Medium page: link here]
Surprisingly, the narrator is not present when introducing the novel, rather the landladies nephew is the one who manages to share.publish the manuscript left behind by Harry Haller. Unsurprisingly, like many Hesse novels, it reads like day-to-day journal entries, which critically focuses on human psychology.
There’s a clear conflict from the beginning, Harry Haller is too intelligent to be stuck in a world constructed by and for the bourgeois society. Haller does come off as extremely arrogant, however, his whole “spiritually and intellectually awakened” persona isn’t ideal, rather it becomes the main reason for his disconnection with society and others.
On our late night walk with Haller, we come across The Treaties of the Steppenwolf, a short pamphlet that is claimed to be “not for everyone” and is a margin-writers dream. The pamphlet examines and introduced us to the perceived duality of the soul one being a man and the other a wolf; grouping savage, instinctual qualities to the wolf and civilized, posed qualities to the man. Both sides of the soul seem to be in constant disagreement, but one cannot rule without the other. This part was pretty comical to me, first because I think anyone could relate towards this simple explanation of the human soul — the constant struggle between instinctual gut feelings and society norms. As I was getting comfortable in the rant of dualistic entities inside of the soul, the pamphlet does a complete 180 and calls this idea idiotic and rudimentary; people that accept this do not understand the complexity that the human soul actually is — not two but many that cannot be defined nor understood in this lifetime. I highly enjoyed the pamphlet.
It does also touch lightly on the subject of depression and suicide — being as they are a result of the disconnect from others. The sole focus on the self, thinks only as far as the self, hence the timed lifespan (theres a bunch of other rabbit holes one can venture down).
After the pamphlet, Hesse provides a small encounter between Harry and a past friend to further prove that his intelligence serves as more of a burden; the arrogance is not intentional rather unavoidable (almost like a sickness). That being said, Steppenwolf does leaves on a hopeful note. It emphasizes the human need to connect and the constant struggles in belonging.
The novel is a hit or miss for readers, either the tone of Harry Haller becomes intolerable, the monologues becomes gruesomely long, or simply this work dims in comparison towards Hesse’s other works.
If you think this book is about a man turning into a werewolf — totally not for you.
Read this book if you try your best to understand others and even at time try to understand yourself.
- Rate: 4/5
- Time: Took me 3 days, tried to pace myself — could’ve done it in 2 days
- Book-Shelve Worthy: It’s in the Hesse collection
Quoteworthy
Solitude is independence. It had been my wish and with the years I had attained it. It was cold. Oh, cold enough! But it was also still, wonderfully still and vast like the cold stillness of space in which the stars revolve.
You are willing to die, you coward, but not to live.
In eternity there is no time, only an instant long enough for a joke.
For what I always hated and detested and cursed above all things was this contentment, this healthiness and comfort, this carefully preserved optimism of the middle classes, this fat and prosperous brood of mediocrity
The man of power is ruined by power, the man of money by money, the submissive man by subservience, the pleasure seeker by pleasure.
I cannot understand nor share these joys, though they are within my reach, for which thousands of others strive.
I cannot understand nor share these joys, though they are within my reach, for which thousands of others strive.
