Hermann Hesse's "Demian"

Paper Summary:

Ths paper begins with a brief biography of Hermann Hesse, as well as descriptions of his major influences such as Friedrich Nietzsche. The paper then examines Hesse's novel "Demian" and discusses his use of symbolism (specifically that of the bird/egg and Abraxas), the relationship between Emil Sinclair and Demian, and the idea of "total war" that was accepted by the youthful generation during 1914-1918.

From the Paper:

"Hermann Hesse was born in the small town of Calw in Wurttemberg, Germany in 1877 to a Christian missionary family. Through his early life, he had many conflicts with his parents, and after a failed attempt at suicide, was admitted into an institution in Bad Boll. Over the years, he was placed into another mental institution in Stetten im Remstal, and then a boy's school in Basel, Switzerland. After being released, he married Maria Bernoulli in 1904 and settled down in Gaienhofen on Lake Constance near the Rhine and Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. It was in Gaienhofen that he became fascinated with Buddhism. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Demian." Wikipedia. 18 Nov. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demian>.
• Hesse, Hermann. Demian. New York: Harper Classics, 1919.
• Lombardi, Esther. "Demian." About.Com. 18 Nov. 2007 <http://classiclit.about.com/od/demian/fr/aafpr _demian.htm>.

More papers on Hermann Hesse's "Demian":

• Book Review # 145290 : "Hermann Hesse's ''Steppenwolf.''"
• Book Review # 52551 : "Hermann Hesse's "Siddhartha"
• Comparison Essay # 89139 : "Buddha According to Encyclopedia Britannica and Hesse"

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