German novelist and poet, Hermann Hesse, became inspired to write after reading Nietzsche and discovering his interest in the workings of the subconscious and psychoanalysis. Friedrich Nietzsche was a philosopher whose ideas revolved among the concept of embracing duality and the individual’s inner conflict of the impulses of passion and order. Herman Hesse’s Demian raises the question about how religion can affect an individual's thinking and actions. Throughout the novel, the adult Sinclair looks at the actions of young Sinclair through a psychoanalytic lens; always analyzing what he wants to do, what is socially acceptable, and what he actually does. The story of Emil Sinclair is based on Hesse’s reflection of his own youth since he not …show more content…
Sinclair’s refusal of Demian’s suggestion to glorify a God that represents both good and evil instead of just good, shows that Sinclair is still following the ideals set by his parents and school but not himself. Sinclair finds Demian’s idea to be surprising and radical. Surprising because the concept of looking at the world in two parts: good and evil, is something he has already realized hence the “Light and Dark Realm”. Radical because Sinclair has been taught that there are beliefs and actions that are forbidden and should be “renounced”. Realizing that Sinclair has still not understood the purpose of his concept of embracing duality, Demian says to Sinclair: “Certainly you shouldn’t go kill somebody or rape a girl, no! But you haven’t reached the point where you can understand the actual meaning of ‘permitted’ and ‘forbidden.’ You’ve only sense part of the truth. You will feel the other part too, you can depend on it. ” (64) This conversation takes place after their Confirmation class. In these classes, Sinclair defines his moral guideline through the teachings of Priests and the Bible. However, Demian states that Sinclair still doesn’t understand the notion of evil, hence wanting Sinclair to find the ‘actual meaning of permitted and forbidden.’ Demian …show more content…
When Demian demonstrated how the story of the Mark of Cain can be looked at the different way than how it was being taught at school, Sinclair recognizes that he has the ability to independently think. This also forces him to challenge views that he was constantly drilled into him (ex. School, parents, religion). "A stone had been dropped into the well, the well was my youthful soul. And for a very long time this matter of Cain, the fratricide, and the 'mark' formed the point of departure for all my attempts at comprehension, my doubts and my criticism." (43) Demian’s interpretation of the story of Cain is different than the ones taught at school. When Demian communicates this different perspective of the story, Sinclair is introduced to self-thinking and the difference between an individual and a community. It is also the first time a story has challenged his traditional Christian thinkings. A stone being dropped into a well creates an effect of ripples. Sinclair states that this well was his “youthful soul”, so the “stone” that had been dropped could refer to Demian’s new and unusual ideas creates a “ripple” or a change in Sinclair’s way of thinking. When Sinclair says “the ‘mark’ formed the point of departure of all my attempts at comprehension, my doubts and my criticism” he tells the reader that
Hermann Hesse’s novel “Siddhartha” is one of spiritual renewal and self discovery. The novel revolves around the life of one man named Siddhartha, who leaves his home and all earthly possessions in an attempt to find spiritual enlightenment. The novel contains many themes, including the relationship between wisdom and knowledge, spirituality, man’s relationship to the natural world, time, love, and satisfaction. To portray these themes, Hesse employs many different rhetorical devices, particularly diction, symbolism, and point of view. These devices allow us, as a reader, to reevaluate our lives and seek fulfillment in the same way that Siddhartha did.
Caswell’s idea of how the subconscious mind and the conscious mind deals with trauma is explored by him through the use of dreams. Caswell depicts dreams as a war of consciousness and subconsciousness in Cain’s mind. He shows how Cain’s mind and his consciousness were in a constant struggle to keep together a well-constructed world that they had created to deal with the loss
Claudia Card sees evil as “foreseeable intolerable harms produced by culpable wrong doing”, thus she builds her theory and views around this definition (Card, pg.3). She distinguishes wrongdoing and evil acts by the consequences and results of those actions, and to what extent they harmed the victim. She sees evils as actions that ruin people’s lives that achieve significant harm that causes permanent or difficult to recover from damage (Card, pg.3). However, she does make a point of differentiating evildoers from evil people, as they do not always have the purposeful intention to do the evil that they cause (Card, pg.4).
In The Jungle, Sinclair deeply understands his subjects and can make the plots real for the reader. Even in a small section of the book, Sinclair makes me feel, imagine and contemplate his words. Chapters 18 through 23, were chapters that Sinclair took time and effort to write and make it to perfection. In my own perspective, I think he achieved this accomplishment and made these chapters a realistic event.
Based on the publication of my documents alone, it forms a preconceived opinion of Upton Sinclair. My first source from Current Opinion (1913-1925), Upton Sinclair Reproved For “Swatting Venerable Heads”, portrayed excessive animosity towards Sinclair. The publisher for this article put the discontentment on man had with Sinclair’s work, and Upton’s response to the negative feedback was receiving on display. Dean Hodges, a reviewer of the book and a churchman, took great offense from Upton’s most recent book at the time “The Profits of Religion”. He argues that the book plays with “tragic facts”. Dodges goes on to say “the matters with which he deals are too tragically serious for this light handed treatment.” Dean did a modest job in trying to communicate and describe what was actually fictitious about Sinclair’s book, but there were numerous empty insults that had little explanation. I believe Hodge’s deep commitment to religion, as well as many others, increased the anger that was placed towards Upton Sinclair. And at that time any ideas going against societal, political, and religious standards were not acceptable. The publisher portrayed Sinclair’s responses to these ins...
Because of Daniel Keyes’ allusion to Genesis Chapter 3 in his short story, “Flowers For Algernon”, it is made apparent that Charlie, an individual once unaware of his vulnerability, faces societal and mental repercussions due to his sudden attainment of knowledge, illustrating to the reader; with knowledge comes consequences.
Though often extensive detail may be condemned as mere flowery language, in understanding Sir Gawain and the Green Knight one must make special emphasis on it. In color and imagery itself, the unknown author paints the very fibers of this work, allowing Sir Gawain to discern the nuances of ritualistic chivalry and truth. His quest after the Green Knight is as simple as ones quest toward himself. Through acute awareness of the physical world he encounters Gawain comes to an understanding of the world beyond chivalry, a connection to G-d, the source of truth. He learns, chivalry, like a machine, will always function properly, but in order to derive meaning from its product he must allow nature to affect him.
...ds” (Karolides 284). Sinclair gave specific examples of the atrocities in Packingtown. He also supplied statements from well-known citizens who supported his position.
Ziolkowski, Theodore. Hesse: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1973
Sinclair explained how the workers who worked in the meat-parking stockyard were also in danger when he said, "in its way as horrible as the killing-beds, the workers in each of them had their own peculiar diseases." Even the employers who worked in the stockyard were very sick each with its own stage of diseases from the rotten meat they were parking.
Sinclair stated that “the animals’ faith emphasized [his] views of how industry treats humankind” (Sinclair 8). Machinery was more important and valuable than the human life, especially the life of an immigrant worker with no rights and freedoms. The author concluded that society was the jungle where people had to work hard in order to survive and escape the challenges of their living. Continuous struggle was needed to maintain the challenges and problems of people’s everyday life enabling them to maintain control over their life and to get the current opportunities. Exploitation of immigrants was another important problem covered in the book promoting specific changes in society. In conclusion, Sinclair made a very convincing argument and his writing was so influential it prompted government action.
...d on his real life experiences in Chicago, which he used to then write the book. One who has read the book would also say that Mr. Sinclair is in favor of these government regulations that we have today, as the end of the book quickly transforms into a sort of socialist propaganda, which includs a 7-page pathos-based speech by a socialist speaker in the story; the book ends with a large socialist movement ramping up all over the nation with Jurgis being a part of it. While the need for socialism is debatable, the regulations that we have in place today are derived from lesser forms of Socialism, and are undebatably in place for the betterment of our society.
In conclusion, I feel that Sinclair's novel was a success, but not in the way he intended. His expose dealing with the meat packing industry was too graphic to be ignored and became the focus of the country instead of his message for Socialist reform which while not ignored did not catch on with the intensity he desired leaving the immigrant population to continue fending for themselves in the jungle.
...ention given to words when Abel only speaks to his Grandfather when his life has come full circle, even though Abel has wanted to since he came home the first time after the war. The significance of Abel’s silence shows just how much weight he puts on whatever he does say, reflecting the Native American view of the importance of words.
Demian, on the other hand, was someone Sinclair looked up to, not as a peer but as a mentor and a man. Demian talked to Sinclair about books and life in general. Kromer finally stopped bullying and bothering Sinclair, and Sinclair was able to move on with his life. In this particular situation, it was Demian who helped Sinclair move forward. Sinclair was also beginning to see that Demian was not trying to be a mean person or someone who was trying to get something out of him, as Kromer had been.