Demian, Hermann Hesse

Dear Readers,

Have you read: Demian, written by Hermann Hesse?

Have you known Hermann Hesse?

Hermann Karl Hesse (1877 – 1962) was a German-born Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. His best-known works include Demian, Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game, each of which explores an individual's search for authenticity, self-knowledge and spirituality. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

A few months ago I watched one music video which was inspired by this book and I really liked it so I decided to read the book. This book had become my favorite book.

Emil Sinclair is a young boy raised in a middle class home, amidst what is described as a Scheinwelt, a play on words that means "world of light" as well as "world of illusion". Emil's entire existence can be summarized as a struggle between two worlds: the show world of illusion, and the real world, the world of spiritual truth. In the course of the novel, accompanied and prompted by his mysterious classmate 'Max Demian', he detaches from and revolts against the superficial ideals of the world of appearances and eventually awakens into a realization of self.

These passages are segments of the novel that best demonstrate themes and lessons to be learned when reading Demian:

‘’If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us.‘‘

“I have been and still am a seeker, but I have ceased to question stars and books; I have begun to listen to the teaching my blood whispers to me.” 

“I live in my dreams — that's what you sense. Other people live in dreams, but not in their own. That's the difference.” 

“One never reaches home,' she said. 'But where paths that have an affinity for each other intersect, the whole world looks like home, for a time.” 

“Good that you ask -- you should always ask, always have doubts.” 

“I realize today that nothing in the world is more distasteful to a man than to take the path that leads to himself.’’

“For the first time in my life I tasted death, and death tasted bitter, for death is birth, is fear and dread of some terrible renewal.”