I've just re-read Hesse's Steppenwolf. The first reading, 10 years ago, was a struggle. This time round I was transfixed. The whole novel abounded with significance for me. I am left with many thoughts and questions, but would appreciate anyone's take on why Haller kills Hermine. Very shortly after their first meeting Hermine alludes to the fact that Haller will eventually kill her. She says, it will be her last request of him, and that he will comply. When the moment finally comes, Haller finds her and Pablo naked and asleep in one of the rooms at the magic theatre. He stabbs her in her sleep (I cannot see where she requested he kill her). Pablo later critises Haller for having sullied the magic theatre with reality and says he hopes that Haller's motive for killing Hermine was jealousy.
Now, the boundaries between reality and fantasy are blurred throughout the novel. Hence, the Hermine character may never have existed independently but only in Haller's imagination. In fact, there are strong indications that Hermine exists only as a part of Haller's personality, which he attempts to de-construct in the final pages of the book. Is the killing, then, an act of immaturity? The act of a man who feels he has no choice, but to act according to his conditioning? I don't know.