has anyone read this?
i picked it up yesterday and bought it based on the authors intro. if you've read it, what were your thoughts?
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has anyone read this?
i picked it up yesterday and bought it based on the authors intro. if you've read it, what were your thoughts?
I think it was attempt on Hesse's part to portray the crisis within an individual who is undergoing a battle between his better nature and his "animalistic" urges
Apparently Hesse says it's not about that at all
Where does Hesse say it's not about that at all?
I've picked this one up too. It's still in my to-read pile, so I can't really comment yet.
I picked one up in Borders before they shut down. It has a "Design it yourself" cover?!!!
Anyway, I wanted to read it again because I read it when I was much younger and didn't understand it too well. Again, it is in my pile.
I do like Hawkwind's song Steppenwolf base on the book. It quotes fom the text.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGb17_gTXho
I've nominated Steppenwolf for the March book club so I won't be reading it until then. Care to join me? (tries to sound not too desperately in need of extra votes :D )
I read Steppenwolf a couple of years ago, and while it is a fascinating book, it is far from being Hesse's best work. I found it to be basically a book about the battle that goes on within an individual.
Yes, everyone. Let's vote this one for the march book club read and we can discuss it. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by TheFifthElement
Ok. I'm up for that. I've got a gazillion books to read from Christmas, so it'll give me an excuse to start it.
I think it was attempt on Hesse's part to portray the crisis within an individual who is undergoing a battle between his better nature and his "animalistic" urges
That seems to be one obvious interpretation... and certainly a valid one regardless of what the author says. The artist is quite often not the best one to analyze his or her own work. I personally found the book to be a great read... merging elements of German Expressionism and Surrealism, Hesse was certainly attempting to confront the Modern world in which he felt the traditional narrative forms were no longer fully adequate. My personal favorites by Hesse are the Glass Bead Game and Narcissus and Goldmund, but Steppenwolf would not be far behind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jermac
introduction.
He says that it is his most misunderstood work to date because it is not about a mans inner struggle, it is in fact, about healing.
Just a reminder that this book is nominated for the March 10 book club read and it needs more votes! Please register your vote here: http://www.online-literature.com/for...ad.php?t=49886
Thanks :D
I read this a few years back and loved it.
I'll vote for this choice, but I don't know just how active I'll be in the discussions (don't get here a lot these days).
Good choice, btw! :nod:
***Bump***
Those that wish to read Steppenwolf can vote in the book club forum for the March read. Here:
http://www.online-literature.com/for...ad.php?t=49886
I've voted. :thumbs_upQuote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
Oh cool! It seems to have taken a nice lead right now. Let's hope it holds on. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulclem
Didn't understand the ending at all (the carnival).
J
EDIT: Uh, the 'Magic Theater.' Something about posture towards life?
This reader now has understanding of this book. Steppenwolf is a (more) metaphorical account of Jung's process of individuation (they were friends, Hesse was a huge admirer of analytic psychology). It's pretty blatant.
Hesse's work and analytic psychology are inextricably linked, such as Glass Bead Game and Psychological Types. There's probably no way you can understand its intended meaning without having encountered Jung's corpus-- unless Jung was 'right' and you understand it intuitively from the framework of his posited archetypes that exist in the unconscious.
There was no 'merging' of anything or 'deconstructing a narrative.' The narrative is not stylized, it is a direct incarnation from a lecture/essay in collected works of C.G. Jung.
J
Just finished reading Steppenwolf a few weeks ago. It was existentially a good read. I'm currently reading other books, by Celine actually, and then I'll get back to Hesse again.