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Rajat Ubhaykar's Reviews > Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf
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I read this book on a twenty four hour train journey surrounded by the bourgeois. It was a terrifying experience. The book didn't change my life and was not meant to, but it gave me hope and hope is always a good thing.
The influence of Indian spirituality on this book is apparent, but Hesse chooses to dissect it using the prism of Western pessimism. He talks about the multiplicity of the self and the infinite potential associated with it, how we often choose to attach fanciful restrictions to the limitless and that every man can have his place among the Immortals. The influence of unfulfilled desires in the making of the personality and its inherent disorders and the possibility of conquering those to mould a 'new' self are also prominent themes which again run parallel to the Indian concept of rebirth.
The book has layers far too many. Each time I indulge in a flight of introspection, much like Harry Haller, or so I would or wouldn't like to believe, I stumble upon a different and equally vague interpretation of the book.
This book is great literature. It is magnificently vague and by turns sincerely hopeless and insincerely hopeful but eventually redeems itself by offering hope for the hopeless.
The influence of Indian spirituality on this book is apparent, but Hesse chooses to dissect it using the prism of Western pessimism. He talks about the multiplicity of the self and the infinite potential associated with it, how we often choose to attach fanciful restrictions to the limitless and that every man can have his place among the Immortals. The influence of unfulfilled desires in the making of the personality and its inherent disorders and the possibility of conquering those to mould a 'new' self are also prominent themes which again run parallel to the Indian concept of rebirth.
The book has layers far too many. Each time I indulge in a flight of introspection, much like Harry Haller, or so I would or wouldn't like to believe, I stumble upon a different and equally vague interpretation of the book.
This book is great literature. It is magnificently vague and by turns sincerely hopeless and insincerely hopeful but eventually redeems itself by offering hope for the hopeless.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
March 16, 2011
–
Finished Reading
March 17, 2011
– Shelved
October 15, 2012
– Shelved as:
favorites
October 31, 2012
– Shelved as:
must-read-at-least-once
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Janhavi
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Mar 23, 2011 09:43AM
i want to read this book now...a westerner's point of view on Indian philosophy sounds very interesting :)
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Excellent review, the book now has a place on my to-read-classics shelf!
Thanks Jonathan! Profound and disturbing, Steppenwolf is the classic misanthropic novel.
Great review. If I am right, Hesse was influenced by Jung.This book is great literature. It is magnificently vague and by turns sincerely hopeless and insincerely hopeful but eventually redeems itself by offering hope for the hopeless.
Very evocative writing. Congrats!
Thanks Nandakishore! Yes, Hesse was indeed influenced by Jung having known him personally. However, having just read Siddhartha I couldn't help but see similar concepts repackaged in this book with a half-human, half-beast protagonist.
Rajat,Have you read any books by Joseph Campbell? If not, read The Hero With a Thousand Faces. Man and His Symbols compiled and edited by Jung is also a must-read for better appreciation of such novels as this.
Thanks for the recommendation Nandakishore! I'm sure it'll foster a better understanding of novels such as these.
You write really well. I specially love the way you wrote the sentence "The influence of Indian spirituality on this book is apparent, but Hesse chooses to dissect it using the prism of Western pessimism"... lovely review too! :)
Thanks for the encouraging words Dyuti! :)
Excellent short review. Made me miss Hesse. I really like his Siddhartha. Thanks for reminding me to read another book by him.
Thanks K.D! The book brings out the Steppenwolf crouched inside us all. A truly powerful work of fiction.
I agree, Hesse's "stream of consciousness" style coupled with his ambiguity really does allow an intimate swim through his thoughts. As he remarks later in an essay, his characters come to him in a brief window where all of his thoughts condensate into the novel. I think the most redeeming quality of Hesse is his ability to let his poetry to flow freely out. I agree with Nandakishore too, Joseph Campbell is a must read for someone so savvy about Hesse.
I agree. Hesse is the most poetic of writers, especially in his earlier works like Peter Camenzind.
Ah, I have yet to read that one. I am reading through his works right now, albeit a bit slowly.
wonderful review. I've read it and started reading it again.
Romy wrote: "wonderful review. I've read it and started reading it again."Thank you Romy! I'm planning to take it up again myself. :)
Well done on your review mate, the question that I have is that, was he really dreaming or he really experience things he narrated?? (at the end of the book I mean).
Thank you for a lovely review !
You should know you're the reason I'm going to read this book now. Or your review, I should say.
Very good review. I too felt in the same way that the author explained Indian spirituality through this book. I really liked your review of this book - "...Hesse chooses to dissect it using the prism of Western pessimism..."
Pavan Josyula wrote: "Very good review. I too felt in the same way that the author explained Indian spirituality through this book. I really liked your review of this book - "...Hesse chooses to dissect it using the pri..."Thank you Pavan! :)
Recently came across this excellent essay on Hesse which made me reevaluate my fascination with his works during my late adolescence. Highly recommend it. Here's the link:https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
Great review. I enjoyed reading it.
Great and insightful review. I haven’t still finished the book, and I know I’ll have to reread it to dig into its endless depth. I find myself in Harry Haller’s worldview, I also crave for eternity in the exact figures of Mozart and Goethe. Mozart being my first finding, and Goethe my last one (so far).
The review is no longer here April 14 2021
Shame !
I was also reading this book on a train, and it did change the view from a window. Landscapes suddenly were fulfilled with new meaning
What an enticing review! I chanced upon it and I feel like it’s a sign as what you describe seems to be me at the moment, constantly pivoting between finding and losing my he clarity of who and what I am at my core
