Talk:Steppenwolf (novel)

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great book! read!

Contents 1 Does that book exist? 2 Impressions of the Steppenwolf 3 Re: Impressions of the Steppenwolf 4 the movie 5 Useless Link

[edit] Does that book exist?

Harry is reading a 6 volume book called "Sopia's Journey From Memel to Saxony." Does this book exist? How do I find it if it does?

It does exists, it was written by Johann Timotheus Hermes at around 1770 and its German title is "Sophiens Reise von Memel nach Sachsen". It was a bestseller and very influential, thus modern editions still exit, but I don't know if there is a translation. 217.252.46.64 23:58, 25 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Impressions of the Steppenwolf

As a troubled, suicidal kid, I experienced a great sense of calm the first time I read the Steppenwolf. Perhaps it was just chance. Perhaps I was moving from one of my moods of depression to one of mania. I have to admit that I didn't understand many of the themes of the story but I think there was something more to it. I think it was a relief to know that there were other people, as exemplified by Harry, who fluctuated between conflicting feelings of self-loathing, intellectualism, artistic appreciation and any number of other confusing passions. In my own case, you could substitute a love for Catholicism for Harry's love for German poetry and many of the other drives would be the same.

Although the book didn't provide me with any meaningful answers at the time, it did encourage me to carry in the same way that Harry, after adventures, continues on with his wandering. He doesn't give up (some might say he can't escape) but continues on with his sojourn for meaning and understanding.

One other note. After reading the Steppenwolf, I was sure that Harry's life was the life for me. That is, I expected to grow up to be a lonely, single old soul finishing off most of my evenings with a solitary meal at a table for one and a stein of beer. Funny thing happened though on the way there. Another soul latched onto me who was as in need of company as I was at my core. And although there are days when our inner wolves make each others lives a living hell, we also have our days of heaven when we can't believe how perfect we are for each other (who else would have us?). And so, I say to all of you lonely souls, "Search on!". Pour yourselves into your intellectual pursuits and diversions and may you find peace by finding out that the best way to have a friend is to be one.

[edit] Re: Impressions of the Steppenwolf

I very much doubt if Steppenwolf is only the theme of lonliness. Steppenwolf is about the discovery of many facets of human personality (the anima, ofcourse is just one aspect of it). It is about the search for truth and the role of society in the search. Harry didnt want to be a friend , and even at the end he hated Bourgeois, altough he was dancing with them at that point. An intersting point is that he found his anima (Hermine) and danced with the shadow (Maria), but never really gave in to the bourgeois or perhaps never even truly liked Pablo ( a symbol of burgeois life). Taptee

Yep, best novel ever(maybe along with Ulysses). I think it's sort of a tragedy that Siddhartha is more read and more taught these days, as good as that is. Maybe Steppenwolf just appeals to a smaller audience. --B. Phillips 16:46, 1 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] the movie

IMHO the existence of the movie Steppenwolf (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072206/) should also be noted in this article, for the sake of completeness.

[edit] Useless Link

Is there any good reason why the following link was added to this page? Hermann Hesses's Steppenwolf By Wendy Koenigsmann Someone please remove it...it was a waste of my time.