Demian

By Herman Hesse

demian

Demian by Herman Hesse, is about a boy called Emil Sinclair. It begins with Emil being blackmailed by an eleven year old thug called Franz Kromer. A slightly older, but amazingly mature boy called Max Demian, starts attending Sinclair’s school. Max Demian is a warrior soul. Sinclair is fascinated and charmed with this young boy, as is everyone else in the school.

A Real Alternative to Create
An Alchemy of Mindworks

One day, after class, Max Demian approaches Sinclair and they begin to talk. They had just been studying the subject of Cain and Abel in class. During their discussion, Max presents him with some stories of wisdom; outlining an alternative interpretation to the story of Cain and Abel. These stories are a contradiction of the new world translation of the bible, and these new ideas excite and confuse Sinclair.

Altered Ego

Demian also intuits that Sinclair is being bullied by Franz Kromer. Demian questions Sinclair and offers him some sound advice, on the best way to deal with a petty tyrant like Kromer. Sinclair is afraid and hesitant. Soon after this discussion, Franz Kromer undergoes an attitude change and becomes afraid of Sinclair and begins to avoid him.

The Ancient Art of Mastering the Zone

Sinclair approaches Max and asks if he had anything do to with Frans Kromer leaving him alone. Max tells Sinclair that he did nothing, he just spoke to Kromer. Now, how would Demian be able to frighten Kromer by just speaking to him? I would like to suggest that this is related to the shine of his eyes.

For the Tropic of Freedom Books Finders Keepers:

What is Max Demian's interpretation of the story of Cain and Abel?
How does this show us our tendency to take what we are taught as literal truth?
And how much of what we are taught is really symbolic truth?
How do you know which one is which?

For Other Freedom Books by Herman Hesse
Journey to the East