Demian: The Story of a Youth

Demian, as described by Hesse in the original title, is the "story of a youth." The book relates the experiences of Emil Sinclair, a boy at the beginning of the 20th century whose model childhood is tranformed through his encounter with Max Demian.
The novel reflects Hesse's fascination with mythology and religion. An extensive symbolism drawing on both Christianity and the theories of C. G. Jung permeate the work. The central message of the novel is a powerfully affirming one: that amidst chaos, amidst disintegration, one can remain loyal to a value system that has existed since the first human being.
I have read Hesse's works for many years, and this novel remains my favorite. It has some remarkable scenes, including Sinclair's conversations with the organist Pistorius and the fantastic conclusion on a World War I battlefield in Flanders.

This story considers the evolving, somewhat troubled psyche of a German youth, Sinclair, as he matures during the decade prior to WWI. The analysis of Sinclair's turmoil purportedly reflects the European or German moral malaise at the time.
As a prepubescent boy, Sinclair recognizes the realm of good and light, symbolized by his God fearing parents and innocent younger sisters, as separate from the realm of evil and dark, symbolized by Franz Kromer, an older, opportunist who extorts Sinclair into fibbing and petty thievery. Another older boy, Demian, rescues Sinclair from Kromer's clutches, and then sows a new perception of the light and dark realms with an inverted interpretation of the parable of Cain and Abel. Demian perceives the mark on Cain's forehead not as a curse, but as a badge of courage, character and power.
Tainted by his experience with Kromer, Sinclair cannot entirely reject Demian's heroic characterization of Cain, and Demian nurtures this upset of clarity, muddling Sinclair's once clear distinction between the realms of good and evil. Demian then plants the alternative perception that the individual must delve into the self to discover his peculiar fate and destiny, a unique purpose apart from the mundane consensus, the mores of the hoard. Hesse then projects Sinclair's turmoil into a characterization of, or perhaps a reflection of, the mass psyche of prewar Europe.
I first read "Demian" forty years ago, shortly after years of total immersion in university studies. Then younger and perhaps arrogant with intelligence, I felt armed and charged for the uncertain challenges ahead.
For some reason I saved "Demian," packed it away along with my complete set of Ayn Rand's novels, trig tables and "100 Master Games of Modern Chess." "Demian" moved with me around the States, to Asia, and then to Latin America, getting old, wrinkled and as shelf-worn as I. Whenever I packed or unpacked my stuff "Demian" was there, although Ayn Rand and my trig tables had wandered away.
I forgot, long ago, why I saved "Demian," why I did not shuck it off along with my other old skins. I remember only that I intended to read it again. Now older and perhaps humbled by ignorance, I finally did, but I didn't discover precisely why I kept "Demian." The half-dozen marginal marks I made forty years ago do not score insightful premonitions of my life as I remember it. Still, I cannot argue with Hesse's pretended muddle of good and evil, or with the notion of Cain in light rather than dark. Looking back, whatever I saw in "Demian" forty years ago is not too far from how it played out.

I have read all of Hesse�s novels, but after reading Demian for the third time, it remains my favorite. The book speaks to the individual because it is about one person�s journey to try to live according to the dictates of his own conscience. As the protagonist, Emil Sinclair, says, �I wanted only to live in accord with the promptings that came from my true self. Why was that so very difficult?�
As with our culture, Emil Sinclair�s world does not necessarily appreciate eccentrics or people who simply divergent from the herd. The book echoes the Nietzschean sentiment that in order to become all we can be, we must rise above the mediocrity of the herd, which is often an arduous task: following the herd is easy; following the dictates of our own consciences is hard. As social creatures, we want to be accepted, but sometimes acceptance comes at an expensive price, the denial of our true selves. Sinclair struggles with this issue. Although he never feels like he quite belongs, he engages in the activities popular with his peers such as drinking and reveling. When he finds himself in perpetual misery and dissatisfaction, he decides to embark on a new path that eventually leads him back to Demian.
The novel also echoes the Nietzschean themes of transformation and of creating our own morality. The theme of transformation is illustrated through metaphor in the form of the bird that hatches from its egg. It demonstrates that any type of birth, that is, self-renewal, is difficult. Moreover, it compels us to see that part of transcending the herd has to do with creating our own conceptions of right and wrong. Demian says, �That is why each of us has to find out for himself what is permitted and what is forbidden � forbidden to him. It�s possible for one never to transgress a single law and still be a bastard. And vice versa. Actually it�s only a question of convenience. Those who are too lazy and comfortable to think for themselves and be their own judges obey the laws�Each person must stand on his own feet.�

Demian is a gripping story of finding oneself; of travels within and "without"; of pure imagination; of longing. In many ways, it is a fairytale, a memior, a poem. Though at times tedious to read, the images roam like a dream throughout the prose. Some of the words and sentences can philosophically strike the reader: "those who wear the mark have found themselves" or "fate and temperament are two words for one and same concept". Deep with meaning and artistic images, Demian must be read and appreciated.

This book holds a precious place in my soul, i have read it twice and both times it presented me with an extra degree of understanding. The most beautiful thing about this book is its honesty, Hesse does not refrain from conveying his humanity in this book. The strenght of this book is reinforced by every sentence, every one being important, not one line wasted or trivial. It is, however a dark book, and reading it sends the reader to a very shrowded place; the depths of their soul! A warning, this book will not be appreciated by all. Some of the toughts require a good deal of receptiveness. I found most of the ideas fresh and vivid, but i could understand all of them, others may not have meandered down the same paths. To those that found the ideas already in them, I bow to you!

When Demian was first published in 1919 I can imagine that the book would have had a strong impact. In certain circles this novel still is a spiritual guide, but it certainly does not have the true literary excellence of Hesse`s best works. There are some very good bits and pieces along the way, but the story is not sharp enough and it makes it seem too long. Hermann Hesse wrote books both before and after Demian that was far more superior and should not suffer from lack of interest in the belief that Demian is one of his major works.

More reading, and more amazing lessons behind every situation and thought that takes place. Hermann Hesse in this short story focuses even more on the importance of listening to our desires, and how living life fully is the greatest gift of all.
Max Demian makes the life of Sinclair much more interesting, he kind of guides him to look at life differently and makes him believe more in himself. One of the best parts of the story is when Sinclair meets Eva, the devotion he has for her, and the oddity in their relationship.
A must read book.

Demian, like several other books by Hesse, is a book about the growth of an individual, in this case Emil Sinclair.
Emil Sinclair's life is an ordinary one: he is an ordinary adolescent growing up in an ordinary household, encountering ordinary troubles and coming up with ordinary and ineffective solutions to these problems. Into this world enters someone who is not ordinary, who does not live in an ordinary household and who does not seem to have any of the ordinary problems. This someone, Demian, solves Sinclair's inconsequential problems quite easily.
He takes Sinclair under his wing and shows him that what distingishes between ordinary and extraordinary is simply thought and action based on a deep rooted understanding of human nature. This knowledge is enough to alleviate many of the troubles which afflict most people, allowing more time for higher pursuits, for growth.
Demian guides and helps Sinclair during the early stages of his development. Sinclair's growth is incidental - he takes to Demian because Demian solves his problems. Ultimately he must move away. If he is to continue growing significantly however, there must ultimately be an awareness and a desire for it. Growth must eventually come alone and will only come if there is a strong and persistent hunger for it.
Demian is a good teacher, but like most teachers he fails because of his zeal to educate. For higher education to be successful, the student must seek out the teacher. If the teacher has to seek out the student, the student is probably not yet ready to learn. Moreover, the teacher in seeking out a student halts his own growth.
In Demian, as in many of his books, Hesse suggests a philosophy which stresses that an essential requirement for mental fulfillment is an awareness of what is required for fulfillment. This awareness in turn leads ultimately to the realization that the road to fulfillment is a lonely one.

If you hate yourself and if you hate the world, if you want everything to end and nothing last except for one thing that is doomed anyways, you must read this book. It will uphold your beliefs that the world is a bad place and then it will reinstate it as the world is not a bad place. But you will not believe it, you will seek a friend. Your friend will not betray you, maybe it's just you. It is all you, you hate the world, the world is you, you hate yourself. The world dies when you die. You die when the world dies. And more importantly, it's just a figment of your imagination?

"Demian" is the first book I read by Hermann Hesse, and it got me hooked on his novels. This book is fascinating, so much so that it's difficult to describe. It's both a coming-of-age story (although I hate that term)and also a surreal and erotic delve into the subconscious. The themes of spirituality, sexuality, suffering and redemption are all weaved together in this novel, as they are in the other equally fascinating novels by Hesse I've read. I'd also highly recommend "Steppenwolf" and "Siddhartha".

The first time I read this book when I was 15 years old. It was amazing and opened up a new realm of thought for me. The second time I read it when I was 20 years old and it made me think of other things in my life.. Iread the book the third time when I was 28 and I was amaized that every time I read it I pick up new thoughts, new ideas, etc. So, now I am looking forward to my "new age" to read it again. Without too much of the disclosure, the story line is great plus a bonus is very deep but light philosophical context. Anyone can relate to the story and thoughts that this book provokes.

Demian is Hesse's semi-autobiographical writing. This is the story of the man who wanted only to live in accord with the promptings which came from his true self.
Sinclair wanted to be true himself and lived according to his heart's prompting; Damian helped him to realize his own path.
With Damian's help, Sinclair realized that ordinary people's way of life is easy, but his way of life is difficult. However, he felt that we should live our own lives according to heart's desire. And he realized that the most important thing in life is individuality.

At the first glance, I didn't think much of the book. But as they say, don't judge by the cover, so I picked it up and began to read. Instantly you are transported into the world of Emil Sinclair. The story is interesting, and as the reader, I was eased into the deep theological messages. The novel is thoroughly entertaining as well as life changing. My only qualm is that if one is not familiar with certain biblical tales, he might miss out on some of the messages portrayed through these allusions...

This is my all-time favourite book, and the first book I ever read by Hesse. I found it in a box of my parents' old books when I was fourteen, thought it looked interesting, and was instantly drawn in. Two of my favourite Hesse quotes also come from this book--Pistorius's comment "If you hate a person, you hate something in him [or her] that is a part of yourself. What is part of ourselves doesn't disturb us" and Max Demian's comment about the Biblical Cain, "People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest."

This is the story of two young men coming of age in pre-WWI Germany. Emil Sinclair (which was the pseudonym under which Hesse originally published this book), age ten, has been having a lot of trouble with local bully Franz Kromer. He, Kromer, and two other boys were hanging out together and Sinclair said something he shouldn't have, just to try to impress the others. It turns out that what Sinclair thought was a lie actually happened, and because he swore repeatedly, even through the grace of God and all that was holy, that he and a friend had stolen some apples from a nearby orchard, he now is beholden to Kromer to not inform on him to the miller whose apples were stolen. The miller's reward was two marks, money which Sinclair can't come up with, so he is forced to become Kromer's slave more or less until Demian comes to the rescue. Demian and Sinclair have a very deep discussion, and then Demian finds Kromer and has a similar talk with him. It must have worked, for Kromer never bothers Sinclair again.

Demian is a very mysterious boy, about two years older than Sinclair, and along with his widowed mother the subject of much local gossip. They don't go to church, for starts, which makes people wonder what religion they are; people also speculate they may be lovers. But Sinclair isn't frightened of him and his mystical powers, and the two become close friends. Demian opens his mind to new ways of looking at religion, even after Sinclair has gone away to prep school. Why, for example, isn't the duality of the Divine taught in their church school? Why should one only celebrate the positive and socially acceptable things one associates with God instead of the negative things associated with the Devil, like wine and sex? Demian says that the Greeks had a religion celebrating those things, and that evil as well as good comes from God. This ties in with the information Sinclair later learns from Demian and his friend Pistorius about Abraxas, who is half God and half Devil.

Sinclair has a rough time at prep school, but all works out in the end, and when he goes to a university, he finds his old friend Demian in town. Demian takes Sinclair to meet his mother Eva, and finally Sinclair understands what Demian told him during their first meeting, about bearing the mark of Cain. Demian, Sinclair, Frau Eva, and everyone in their circle of friends bear it. As Demian said in the beginning, perhaps it's not the cut and dried story of good and evil we're taught it is; perhaps Abel was an overly pious wimp and conformist who never questioned anything, and Cain (not to excuse him for murdering his brother) had the guts to stand up for his beliefs, the one who dared to go against the accepted grain. People stayed away from him and his descendants not because they all had a divine mark on them, but because the mark represented independent thinking, a free spirit, nonconformity, character, courage, something who's different from the crowd, someone special. People fear what they don't know or understand, and even for the bearer it sometimes takes a struggle to come to terms with having it. Demian and his mother knew Sinclair had it, but Sinclair himself had to go through everything he did in prep school to finally accept himself for who he was, someone who is not like everyone else.

Demian is the story of Emil Sinclair, a boy who doesn't fit in with the other boys, his family, or society in general, and how he comes to embrace his uniqueness as he grows into adulthood with the help of another oddball named Max Demian. So far, so good.

Unfortunately, the latter part of the novel consists mainly in a lot of self-congratulatory mutual back-patting about how special they are, along with Max's mother Eva, and not part of the herd...but as far as I could tell, there was practically no substance behind their sense of their own specialness (or their utter contempt for the masses), which was rather based on nothing more than their choice to be their own little herd of three. This illustrates the problem with this sort of Nietzschean pseudo-egoism very well: the alternative to populism is not elitism, but individualism...and elitism is by definition not individualism. As one dictionary aptly puts it, elitism is "consciousness of or pride in belonging to a select or favored group"...it may be a smaller group, but it is still defining oneself primarily in terms of and in relation to the group.

Then there's all that stuff about Emil's crush on his best friend's mother, which came off not so much as liberating as just plain awkward. Throw in some all-too-obvious Jungian symbolism and bad Nietzschean philosophy (Nietzsche is explicitly mentioned more than once), and what started out as an interesting coming of age story degenerates into an overblown and in some respects absolutely ludicrous exercise in pomposity.

Still, I enjoyed this more than Siddhartha...but not as much as Narcissus and Goldmund, which felt both more honest and more relevant to me. But there are some nice passages here, and the beginning was pretty good, and it was certainly instructive to see what Beyond Good and Evil would look like put into practice (not very impressive)...so it might be worth reading once if you're interested in this sort of thing.

Demian is the story of Emil Sinclair's spiritual journey. In the beginning, Emil describes the world of his childhood. This world is split into two realms, the luminescent world of his parents, and his place in the family. Beyond this world, outside of it is the other world. This world is marked by adventure, and darkness, intrigue, and strangeness of all kind. Young Emil has such a strong sense of the other world and is attracted to it. He assumes this attraction to be the sign of his own impurity.
Later, he lies about stealing fruit to be liked among some school friends. Upon being called out for the lie, he is forced to face his own guilt, and despairs that he has forever lost the innocence that made him the good son of the Sinclair's.
Around this time, Emil meets Max Demian (who will be his spiritual daemon, or guide). Demian, even though a young man himself shows the calm and awareness of a Buddha and the zest of Nietzsche's Overman. Upon their first meeting, Emil is strangely attracted to Demian, though he doesn't understand Demian's unconventional interpretations of their friends, and his penetrating and insightful interpretations of scripture - for which Emil is not quite ready.
Through various detours, tests, and conversations, Emil and Demian grow closer, as thinkers of the world... their most unconventional shared thought being the absolute necessity of both the dark and light side of existence; and the priority that any individual has to be true to himself, and to trust the voice within.
Demian is a depiction of a beautiful soul, but a human to be sure. This is neither Jesus, nor Buddha, but one of us when we see things clearly, and live in the moment.

This book is a very intriguing comming of age book, a "bildungsroman" book. The story starts off with a very simple style, yet the deeper meanings are still present. The titles are very important to the intrepertations of the chapters and the book as a whole. This book definatly makes the reader think, and also challenges many views on life. Parts often leave the reader in awe of the ideas that are presented. Then the story deviates from the central theme of Christianity and leads into more theological and eastern religions and ideas. I think most of this is due to the knowlage that Herman Hesse held about many worldly ideas. I felt that the end was weak though. Hesse wanted to include WWI because he felt so strongly about it, but he just threw it at the reader, killed Demian and ended the book. He needed to develop the idea of the war, and the harsh realization of the reality surrounding the war. Overall the book was an enchanting journey of spirituallity. It causes the reader to question their own beliefs, but at the same time, it causes them to strength them also. This was a good book, it makes one think.

I personally found this book touching in many different ways and inspiring. Not so much as to say well now i know im "special" but to look inside myself knowing who I am; proving I am different. Sinclair was very much disenchanted and was looking at just mortals for masters. But Herman Hesse made u realize we are our own masters. This book was intended for ppl who didnt look inside themselves and for the ppl who read and did look inside they may have gotten caught up in dreams and images. But none the less u can have control.There for the book proves u can stand between the two realms.

The search for meaning and purpose. The search for soul. These are lofty topics but if done by a lesser writer would seem trite and cliche. Hesse uses original vehicles such as Jungian concepts and mysterious Gods like Abraxas to explore this theme. Something about this story reads like a fairy tale but one for young adults. Hesse in general seems to understand the questions of the soul so many ignore or tell you to suppress. I love all his books. Siddhartha, Steppenwolf, The glass bead game. But I will always love Demian, Sinclair and Frau Eva best. The story is simple yet so powerful! Anyone who questions their existence and purpose needs to read this.

The novel, Demian, which is one of the Nobel Prize winners for Literature, is a fascinating, mind-capturing book of art. A typical person with no thought about life will not be able to comprehend this novel, except for the surface story of the main character. As much as it is hard to understand, it is nearly impossible to describe its deeper meaning and message behind it. The whole story inside seems like the meaning itself, which is translated into an example that can still only be vaguely understandable. Nevertheless, the novel is a must-read and a recommendable, five star book.
The reader will be introduced to a plain, elementary school student called Emil Sinclair and follow him in his life until his death. It is set in the mid 19th century until the WWI. During his childhood years, he meets a mystical friend Max Demian, who wakes Sinclair up from his dark world and helps him to a new one. Afterwards, he struggles to find a kind of enlightenment, something that will escalate him to a higher level of understanding. At the very end, he is able to find peace and comfort and the answer to his questions and confusion.
Although, the summary was too simple, it is best to know by reading it. The novel shows all the peoples¡¯ mental adventure during life, such as love and hate, problems with social relationship as well as maintenance of individuality, and fears, confusions, and desires. With all of these going on, the reader¡¯s thoughts can be jumbled up but interesting incidents keep the readers from losing interest. The more you keep on reading, the more you become to think the way Sinclair does, and start to accept Demian in you mind. However, some of the religious questions in this novel might mislead the readers¡¯ thoughts about it, especially the Christians, if it is understood directly, from the surface.
This novel should be read below the surface, and not be taken literally.

It is some time since I have read this book and I want to read it again since I have carried a rather powerful impression of this. This book explores the dichotomy in human existance and values. Explores the growing up of man, and how ultimately, simply by striving to grow up to his true potential, he is destrying phoenix like, the bonds that surround(?) him. The way the author likens the 'different' as having the mark of Cain has always terribly impressed me. Probably the book is meant for people who carry the mark of Cain. Like the other Hermann Hesse book, this book also explores the maturing of a life, the focus is more in this case on destruction of bonds where as in the case of Siddhartha, the focus was on changing values and control of self....

I read this when I was 14 years old (which was quite some time ago) and it changed my life. I continue to re-read this book every few years as it reminds me how to put my life back into focus. Those who have read this book know what I am talking about.
Hesse's spritual concepts are a path for all of us to reflect upon and follow.

I feel that this book is just outstanding. There aren't many books that I can relate to, but this is one of them. Demain's rogue outlook on life and his philosophical rantings left me speechless. Hesse does a magnificant job of portraying the thoughts and feelings of troubled adolesents during hard times. I felt that what Demian preached was similar to the movie "FightClub" which I also enjoyed. The emphasis Hesse puts on Demian's views seems symbolic of what he felt during that time. Demian is an escape for Hesse's feelings and emotions. This book was just awesome. If you can't see the picture Hesse makes either you are A)religous, or B)too mentally sheltered to comprehend what he's trying to say. All in all, this book was great.

Hermann Hesse's 'Demian' (1919) is the coming-of-age story of Emil Sinclair, an initially innocent, introverted boy who, over the course of a decade, falls under the spell of the intellectually seductive and physically charismatic Max Demian in pre-World War I Germany. Finding himself blackmailed by lower-class bully Franz Kromer after foolishly telling a lie in public, Emil is mysteriously freed from his plight through the intervention of Demian, a romantic figure who is also a fellow student at Emil's school. Demian takes up and drops Emil socially over the course of a year, before inexplicably targeting him for friendship at the time of their confirmation.

Physically mature for his age, poised, well-dressed, and handsome, Demian challenges Emil's bland acceptance of the scriptures, outlines his own personalized Nietzschean philosophy, and shares his Gnostic beliefs ("God and Satan are one"). In the process, he slowly reveals himself to be something more than merely human. For Demian is capable of uncanny paranormal powers: by carefully studying his subjects and concentrating his will, Demian can read the minds and bend the will of others "like puppets on a string." Transfixed, Emil learns that Demian is suspected of being "a heathen" and rumored to be involved in an incestuous relationship with his own mother. Emil perceives Demian in numinous and archetypal terms, as "animal, tree, planet"--as "somehow timeless, bearing the scars of an entirely different history than we knew."

Both internally and externally, Demian becomes an idol and unwieldy obsession for Emil, simultaneously exerting a hold on him from a distance and occupying the still center of his private universe. Emil eventually becomes enamored of a young woman whom he calls 'Beatrice,' who is "boyish" and slightly built. He paints her portrait, but realizes it doesn't resemble her. He studies the painting day after day before he realizes what the reader has already effortlessly guessed: that the painting does not resemble 'Beatrice,' but Demian, who is "an angel and Satan, man and woman in one flesh, man and beast, the highest good and the worst evil." Taken a step further, Emil equates the face in the painting with his "fate or daemon," which further literalizes the book's title and title character.

As in 'Steppenwolf' (1927), and to a more pronounced degree in 'Narcissus and Goldmund' (1930), the novel has a muted but unmistakable homosexual subtext: Demian and Emil speak specifically of the "vice" of youthful sexuality, an unnamed "drive" that "the Greeks and many other peoples" elevated to the "divine and celebrated it in great feasts." Shortly after their initial meeting, Emil dreams that the larger, older Demian kneels on his chest like a medieval succubus, a dream that Demian correctly guesses Emil has experienced. Later, Emil finds the scent of "fresh soap emanating from his nape" intoxicating. Emil calls Demian "my fate and my beloved."

In fact, the entire novel reads like the protracted end product of the author's repressed and sublimated homosexuality, which, unrealized and driven inward, has taken on a variety of archetypal and magical connotations in his creative psyche.

Hesse attempts to resolve this conflict by allowing Emil to meet and fall in love with Demian's mother, the banally named "Eva." Eva is essentially Demian in a dress and with longer hair, though Emil finds everything about her "riper, warmer, more self-evident," and before long, Emil is hilariously kissing "the rain out of her hair."

Whereas Demian has long predicted a coming cataclysm that will first destroy and then transform Western civilization, Eva spouts a kind of woozy, proto-New Age mysticism that would have made Anais Nin blush: "Yes, you must find your dream, then the way becomes easy. But there is no dream that lasts forever, each dream is followed by another, and one should not cling to any particular one...as long as the dream is your fate you should remain faithful to it."

Now enthusiastically invited to share their home life, Emil soon finds himself surrounded by "astrologers and cabalists...devotees of Indian asceticism, vegetarians, and Buddhists" as the novel further devolves into unintentional parody.

The book concludes with Emil and Demian literally entrenched in the war that Demian has foreseen. Laying side by side, "his lips very close to mine," Emil finally gets the dramatic kiss he has been longing for, though it is a kiss, Demian explains, which has been ordered by and sanctioned by Frau Eva. When Emil awakes, Demian is gone, but he understands he will always remember him as "my brother, my master."

Murky, nearly useless mysticism, not wisdom, defines the text. Once Emil's early isolation and emotional suffering comes to an end, at the novel's midpoint, the book falls apart spectacularly, a fate also suffered by 'Steppenwolf' in that novel's closing pages.

I was somewhat dissapointed in 'Demian.' I had never read Hesse before and I was prepared to really enjoy this book. I thought that it started off well but the middle was very boring and the end was too weird for words. I finished the book not because I was curious but because I can't stand not to finish a book. It wasn't complete rubbish but there are better psychology/philosophy books out there. Read 'Siddhartha' instead, that is Hesse at his best.

Hesse has captivated my attention since first reading Siddhartha, a number of years ago. His writing style is fluid, insightful, and in this novel, on the darker side of human consciousness.
Hesse clearly expresses the internal struggles of youth, and the barriers of perceptions and thought. A fascinating read all in all, though not as akin to Nietzsche as I was lead to believe at first. To those who enjoy the existentialist view, I would recommend Thus Spoke Zarathustra, by Nietzsche. I also highly recommend Siddhartha, as a classic soul searching journey, similiar to Demian, marked with Hesse's undeniably original style.
Recognition of a great work, if I have the authority to bestow it.

The effects of Hesse's Jungian analysis are obvious in this, his first really deep book, and the one in which he criticizes Jungians for their amplificatory obsession with archaic imagery. Most of them have managed to ignore this criticism. --A must-read for those confronted with upsurges from the ever-dreaming within-world.

This book is among my favorites for one very specific reason: It evokes feelings from my childhood like no other book has ever done. This is a very simple book, written in a simple manner, but at the same time it transmits feelings in a way few books do. A must for world literature readers.

This is the message that " Demian " inparts to its' readers, for it tells us to have the courage of our own convictions!
The key point, though, is our making sure, that those very same convictions, are truely our own, first!!!
Our own, Spiritual growth, is Will growth, and Emotional growth, combined with, our Mental Growth; and these, in turn, can only come from, ones' own, experiences and thoughts. This is our challenge and our duty, alone! Read this book!

Hesse, like Dostoevsky and Kafka, is a master of analyzing the human character and the spiritual nature of an individual. This story will grab you an inspire you to make the most of yourself. It is an excellent depiction of the psychological and sociological processes of growing up.

I found this book (especially the first half) fascinating, and the journey of Sinclair to find himself was intriguing and interesting. He and Demian made fascinating characters, but toward the end of the book, I found that many of the ideas and rituals related to the new philosophy/religion he adopted were rather empty and trite. He seemed misguided and, though he and the others in their cult/society were supposed to be stronger or somehow more enlightened, he seemed to have a surprisingly weak and dependent character. The book is well worth reading, but the process of life and thought that is displayed in his journey is substantially more intriguing than the actual conclusions and resolutions he reaches.

Hesse is a writer's writer. Hesse lived writing and died a happy man. Through his life experience he opposed the National Socialist of his native country, while embracing his native country. Important to mention Hesse also grew along side his native brother Carl Jung. Hesse does Germany proud, as did Thomas Mann. 'Demain'is a wonderful little novel on the level of Camus' 'Stranger'. It is the story of growing and becoming, while not winning and dominating.

Demian is the most impressive, honest story about a boy becoming an adult. It will take you through that trip in a way no other book has done it before. It will help reconstruct that part of your life. I specially recommend to people around 30 who will find themselves exposed to their own growth.
I was always a big fan of Siddharta (also a 5 star) but Demian is better in my humble opinion.

Let me begin by saying that this is one of my favorite novels. Although I agree with the other reviewers about the novel's qualities, I tink most readers came out with the wrong idea.
Most reviewers have categorized this book as a coming-of-age story. That's what it seems like on the surface. I think the book is much more subtle. You will understand this when you realize that Demian is the devil, and the main character ends up in hell.
If you do not believe me, read the last couple of pages carefully. Everything from the Judas-like kiss to the subtle description about the dying man. If you think this is outlandish, take the time and read articles on this book in scholarly journals.
...and once you understand the real meaning of the book, consider if you really are on the right path yourself.

...It was OK. I found the novel slow to start, difficult to deliver its theme, and a bit pale in the spectrum of existentialist literature. I have a feeling that I may have enjoyed it more at age 17 but it held no new revelations for me nor did I find the style particularly captivating. That said, I was intrigued by one particular passage:

"Always, you must think of these things in evolutionary, in historical terms! When the upheavals of the earth's surface flung the creatures of the sea onto the land and the land creatures into the sea, the specimens of the various orders that were ready to follow their destiny were the ones that accomplished the new and unprecedented; by making new biological adjustments they were able to save their species from destruction. We do not know whether these were the same speciments that had previously distinguished themselves among their fellows as conservative, upholders of the status quo, or rather as eccentrics, revolutionaries; but we do know they were ready, and could therefore lead their species into new phases of evolution. That is why we want to be ready."

...Hesse as a pre-Kurzweillian proto-Singularity transhumanist? Or Hesse attempting to appeal to us that we are otherwise base, animal creatures that seem capable only of destruction?

The first chapter of this book was so good. Hesse writes about the character's childhood with such rich reflection and prose. People just don't write like this today. He's so in touch with his surroundings, his emotions, his inner self. After that it becomes less compelling tormented navel gazing. Sinclair, the main character idealizes his boyhood friend who has this odd and completely ridiculous take on a few Bible stories. So, he's a boy who marches to the beat of his own drum, how romantic (you get the picture) and eventually meets his friends mother. It then goes down into trivial mysticism. The family are like theosophists. No compelling take on anything. the book talks a lot about ones 'Fate'. Compared to some heavy and enjoyable literature along this vein, I found this drivel. I will try some other Hesse though.

This is the message that " Demian " inparts to its' readers, for it tells us to have the courage of our own convictions!
The key point, though, is our making sure, that those very same convictions, are truely our own, first!!!
Our own, Spiritual growth, is Will growth, and Emotional growth, combined with, our Mental Growth; and these, in turn, can only come from, ones' own, experiences and thoughts. This is our challenge and our duty, alone! Read this book!

Hesse, like Dostoevsky and Kafka, is a master of analyzing the human character and the spiritual nature of an individual. This story will grab you an inspire you to make the most of yourself. It is an excellent depiction of the psychological and sociological processes of growing up.

I found this book (especially the first half) fascinating, and the journey of Sinclair to find himself was intriguing and interesting. He and Demian made fascinating characters, but toward the end of the book, I found that many of the ideas and rituals related to the new philosophy/religion he adopted were rather empty and trite. He seemed misguided and, though he and the others in their cult/society were supposed to be stronger or somehow more enlightened, he seemed to have a surprisingly weak and dependent character. The book is well worth reading, but the process of life and thought that is displayed in his journey is substantially more intriguing than the actual conclusions and resolutions he reaches.

Hesse is a writer's writer. Hesse lived writing and died a happy man. Through his life experience he opposed the National Socialist of his native country, while embracing his native country. Important to mention Hesse also grew along side his native brother Carl Jung. Hesse does Germany proud, as did Thomas Mann. 'Demain'is a wonderful little novel on the level of Camus' 'Stranger'. It is the story of growing and becoming, while not winning and dominating.

Demian is the most impressive, honest story about a boy becoming an adult. It will take you through that trip in a way no other book has done it before. It will help reconstruct that part of your life. I specially recommend to people around 30 who will find themselves exposed to their own growth.
I was always a big fan of Siddharta (also a 5 star) but Demian is better in my humble opinion.

Let me begin by saying that this is one of my favorite novels. Although I agree with the other reviewers about the novel's qualities, I tink most readers came out with the wrong idea.
Most reviewers have categorized this book as a coming-of-age story. That's what it seems like on the surface. I think the book is much more subtle. You will understand this when you realize that Demian is the devil, and the main character ends up in hell.
If you do not believe me, read the last couple of pages carefully. Everything from the Judas-like kiss to the subtle description about the dying man. If you think this is outlandish, take the time and read articles on this book in scholarly journals.
...and once you understand the real meaning of the book, consider if you really are on the right path yourself.

...It was OK. I found the novel slow to start, difficult to deliver its theme, and a bit pale in the spectrum of existentialist literature. I have a feeling that I may have enjoyed it more at age 17 but it held no new revelations for me nor did I find the style particularly captivating. That said, I was intrigued by one particular passage:

"Always, you must think of these things in evolutionary, in historical terms! When the upheavals of the earth's surface flung the creatures of the sea onto the land and the land creatures into the sea, the specimens of the various orders that were ready to follow their destiny were the ones that accomplished the new and unprecedented; by making new biological adjustments they were able to save their species from destruction. We do not know whether these were the same speciments that had previously distinguished themselves among their fellows as conservative, upholders of the status quo, or rather as eccentrics, revolutionaries; but we do know they were ready, and could therefore lead their species into new phases of evolution. That is why we want to be ready."

...Hesse as a pre-Kurzweillian proto-Singularity transhumanist? Or Hesse attempting to appeal to us that we are otherwise base, animal creatures that seem capable only of destruction?

The first chapter of this book was so good. Hesse writes about the character's childhood with such rich reflection and prose. People just don't write like this today. He's so in touch with his surroundings, his emotions, his inner self. After that it becomes less compelling tormented navel gazing. Sinclair, the main character idealizes his boyhood friend who has this odd and completely ridiculous take on a few Bible stories. So, he's a boy who marches to the beat of his own drum, how romantic (you get the picture) and eventually meets his friends mother. It then goes down into trivial mysticism. The family are like theosophists. No compelling take on anything. the book talks a lot about ones 'Fate'. Compared to some heavy and enjoyable literature along this vein, I found this drivel. I will try some other Hesse though.

This book is a literary masterpiece. Hesse touches upon so many questions and themes that are present in all of our lives. Sinclair's progress throughout the book is amazing. He goes fom being parting of the "herd" to being an Individual. If you ever thought that you didn't fit in or that you had a different way of seeing things this book will make a lot of sense. If you are interested in existentialism in any way you have to read this novel!!!!!

Herman Hesse's Demian is the first book of its kind that I have ever read. It is a coming of age tale told in retrospect by the narrator at a middle-aged time in his life. Emil Sinclair is the novel's narrator. When Demian was first published the author's name and the narrator were synonymous. Until later when Hesse admitted that he had written the novel. Many parallels between Sinclair and Hesse are apparent in the novel. Sinclair retells the tales of his childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood while adding many thoughts and perspectives to the events. Hesse's novel serves the purpose of explaining growing up from an adult's perspective. Hesse's diction fits older audiences. In Demian, words such as "pious" (92), "antiquarian" (108), and "inexorably" (115) lose their effectiveness on younger audiences. Also, since Demian's narrator is a middle-aged man it narrows Hesse's intended audience to retrospective adults, or people who are interested in his beliefs.

Demian begins with Hesse explaining how in the novel his narrator is unconventional. Hesse explains that "novelists when they write novels tend to take an almost godlike attitude toward their subject" (1) and that in Demian his story is "not a pleasant one; it is neither sweet nor harmonious" (2). After that Sinclair "begin[s] [his] story with an experience [he] had when [he] was ten and attended [his] small town's Latin school" (3). Hesse's first chapter focuses on the central theme of Demian. This idea is that there are "two realms" in the world. The idea that people can either exist as part of "the realm of day" (3) or "the realm of night" (3), meaning that people can succumb to life's conventions or strive to be different by doing socially unacceptable acts. Emil Sinclair is very aware of these separate worlds at a young age, and is bothered by the idea that he does not fit into the realm of the light with his sisters and parents.

Sinclair surrounds himself with peers that he feels will fill this dark void. One of them becomes the infamous Franz Kromer. The boys sit and share tales of the terrible crimes they have committed, and because Emil has never committed any type of crime, he creates one. He states that he stole the apples off of the tree of a local merchant. To his horror, Kromer states that he was offered money in turn for the whereabouts of the apple thief. He begins blackmailing Sinclair into stealing from his family, and people in the town. After a few weeks of being blackmailed, Sinclair meets a character that forever changes the course of his life, Max Demian.

Demian is an astoundingly precocious youth who intrigues Emil because of his obvious knowledge. Demian has one talk with Kromer, and Kromer leaves Sinclair alone for the rest of the novel. Demian shares his ideas about the "story of Cain and Abel" (21), stating that "Cain was a fine fellow and the story was pinned on him only because people were afraid" (24). And Demian shares his idea that people in society bare similar marks to that of Cain, claiming that "Cain's mark [is] a mark of distinction" (25). However the main idea of the novel is freedom of choice.

In the beginning Sinclair just goes along with the flow of society, doing was is socially acceptable. And in the end, after his descent into the "dark realm" of boozing, stealing, stalking, and doing poorly in school, Sinclair rises and is able to be free of society. At the beginning of the novel Demian questions Sinclair about an emblem above the door to his family's manor, saying, "I know the house. There's something odd above the doorway, it interested me at once" (22). To this Sinclair states "it's a bird or something" (22). The actual depiction is that of a bird on its first winged flight escaping from some unknown force. This becomes a symbol in the novel, symbolizing Emil's desire to break free of his family and society and take flight. At first the symbol functions as a connection between Demian and Sinclair, but later in the novel, the reader understands its full meaning.

Initially the story of Emil Sinclair's ascent into adulthood is interesting, and the beginning of the novel declaring that the narrator is not infallible like most narrators will intrigue many readers. But, Demian is less of a novel about infallible narrators and more a novel about possible countercultures and acceptance of going against the norm. Since Herman Hesse wrote this novel about the time prior to World War I, it is easily seen as a parallel to the building up of tension within the world. Emil symbolizes the world and its "two realms" and Demian represents a "God" sent to advise the world in its choices. Hesse's writing in Demian is worth 145 pages of an educated minds time, but his ideas are not.

One of the best books I've ever read, a master piece by Herman Hesse, a must read book, it take you to a totally different world, it give you a better insight of how to deal with life, and how to view it.
A book that you would never put down, you would just read it all the way through, just captures all your attention, and so many things you go and read all over again and again...
Make sure you have time for such a book, it could turn your life around, who knows....

I WAS MAYBE 15 AND LOOKING FOR A SALINGER BOOK WHEN I STUMBLED UPON HESSE. AS I BEGAN TO READ DEMIAN I WAS DRAWN IN BY THE IMAGERY AND RAW HONESTY OF EMOTION. DEMIAN IS A BOOK THAT ONE MUST BE READY TO READ. ONCE ONE IS READY FOR HESSE'S MESSAGE, IT LEADS THE READER TO REVELATION ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THE NATURE OF THE WORLD IN TERMS OF GOOD AND EVIL; RIGHT AND WRONG. ABRAXAS IS THE GRAY AREA BETWEEN PERFECT GOOD AND PERFECT EVIL AND HAS CAUSED ME TO QUESTION MY OWN DEFINITION OF GOD WHILE NEVER LOSING SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT HE DOES EXIST.

I've read this book several times.
When I was in junior high, again when I was in highschool
and I just picked up this book today and reread it through in one seating
Everytime I read it, it brings new meanings that I didn't realize when I was young.
But it is enjoyable now as much as it was enjoyable back then.
I like this kind of engaging yet thought provoking book.
Feels like getting much needed oxygen for my brain.

This book has inspired me in so many ways. It deals with a very precise religion, value system, and life of the so called Emil Sinclair. It is a life-changing book which opens your eyes to another level of spirituality. I have read this book 3 times and I still do not get tired of it. I consider it my bible. It is a must get for everyone who is a fanatic of Hesse.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ. IT'S SMART CLEVER AND THOUGHT PROVOKING. IT IS ABOUT CONQUERING SELF DOUBT AND REALIZING FULL POTENTIAL. THE MARK OF CAIN IS ABSOLUTELY BRILLANT THOUGHT. THIS BOOK WILL COMPELL READERS TO FULLY EXPLORE THE DEEPEST FEARS IN THEMSELVES AND HOPEFULLY GIVE THEM COURAGE TO ACCEPT THEIR FRAILTIES, THUS CONQUERING THEM.......

Demian is a story for those who are awakening to the glory and horror or what the world can be. Like many Hesse novels, the focus is on the struggle between the spirit and the emotions. If you feel like you can relate to this struggle, I would recommend Demian for you.

I tried to read it. No luck. I almost finished it. But every time I picked it up I felt like I was punishing myself. Why force my way through a book that is so . .. . boring? I think I was hoping the end would twist the whole thing around. Maybe it does. But the more I read, the less faith I had in the book to be interesting.

What is wrong with it? All it offers is the charm of the main character. If the main character had charm, that would keep me reading. But he didn't.

It reads sort of like a tract for some sort of progressive, new-ageish, neo-pagan, pluralistic spirituality. The main character discovers some sort of ancient ultimate truth that only he and a few other people are gifted enough to realize. It is reminiscent of the spirituality of some of the Modernists, particularly Yeats.

All I can say is the book was too boring to finish.

This is a great book. It is so deep, and filled with multiple meanings that to get the most out of it, you should probably read it ten times. (I am on my fourth read.) Just read it. And see for yourself. It will change your thinking patterns and way of life.

having just finished this book my heart is still thudding, and my brain still reeling. by far, one of the most amazing books i have read hence far. HIGHLY recommended for anyone wishing to read something extremely stimulating and thought provoking.

3 Stars? How dare you! This is the pinnacle of Hesse's philosophical musings on youth and self!

Well, it started off kind of slow (the whole first bully part was a bit painful to get through), then it moved along at a nice clip as a coming of age and teen angst semi-autobiographical work of fiction, one to which I can still relate because I remember my own hormone-induced angst of the age. From here it evolved into very interesting philosophical treatise in the tradition of Socrates and Plato. This part I loved, I thought it was very well written, well thought out, and presented some interesting and thought-provoking viewpoints.

Unfortunately it barely scratched the surface of this philosophical narrative when it devolved into a weird cult-ish religious text, complete with proclamations of the *true* way things are, examples of the *true* believers' supernatural powers (yes, superpowers that cannot be explained away by youth and imagination), and a very creepy fascination with Eva (and her even more creepy teases of reciprocation!). It reminded me a bit of the Celestine Prophecy in that we are supposed to think this is the one *true* truth. It felt preachy and delusional (like CP), but without the fun adventure through the wilderness that the Celestine Prophecy gave me.

In my opinion, after Emil burns up and eats the ashes of his one painting he actually went insane from some crazy chemical that was part of the paints, and the rest of the book is simply his hallucination in the sanitarium. This explanation is the only way the second half of the book feels in any way genuine to me.

Wow. I first have to start off with how deeply disappointed I am with this novel. I had such high expectations based on what my friends had told me about it, since they had to read it for their English class, and even as I was halfway through it, was hoping it would get better. It didn't. This book is horribly depressing, confusing and pretentious. I was very, very disgusted with the book! It felt like I had jumped into a pool of unbelievable depression. I can't grasp on the idea that someone, in this case Sinclair, can just cut himself off from all humanity and brush them all as worthless beings who are on a pointless path of life. How could he even make such a claim without even making an effort to connect with people? At some point towards the end of the book, he finally begins to realize that the world is actually not as bad as he initially saw it, and realizes how happy it makes him. To me, it seemed like he was purposefully making his life a miserable horror. Locking himself away, isolating himself from all people and life experiences, having no real relationships with anyone but himself. WTF? That's supposed to make him happy? To be all alone and have this pretentious feeling of superiority over everyone else?

Also, I couldn't grasp this whole concept of "a mark," or special distinction between Sinclair and the rest of humanity who didn't have "Cain's mark." Like, wtf? It reminded me of some silly concept that would come up in a fictional good vs. evil fantasy story or something. The religious/moral/philosophical theme was so self-aggrandized like it was beyond anyone else but Sinclair, Demian and the rest of their special, select few. Ugh, how pretentious and unappealing. This book made no effort to connect to me personally, or the reader in general. In fact, it felt like it was telling the reader, "Hey, we're better than you and we're more enlightened than you. Go on with your silly social and human behaviors of having fun, having relationships with other people, and being happy. We know better and what's right." Just, no.

Simply, I had a lot of issues with this book. Every time I thought the book would be heading on a path of redemption for me, it quickly descended back to its gloomy, pathetic, depressing crap. Not at all what I was expecting from this novel. I don't recommend anyone to read this. Usually a book has at least SOME kind of benefit for me after reading it, but this one, shockingly, is one of the very few books that I've ever read that gained me nothing. The only thing I remotely liked was the ending, when I finally got some sort of closure or feeling of understanding. Overall, don't read this book. You'd be better off finding something else.

This book is amazing. I have read it once for class and have been trying to get through it again for pleasure and yet it still amazes me. What is inside this book will terrify and awe all who read it. A real gem!

In his exhausting attempts to find religious mysticism Hesse has managed another seminal work of boredom. Like in Siddhartha what starts off as a good little story (by the way what happened with Franz Kromer?) deteriorates quickly as Hesse tries to explain the unknown. The book then draws on insipidly and concludes in banality.

I hated this book! Hate, hate, hated this book! I hated every stupid word of this book, every thinly-veiled homoerotic theme, every pathetic attempt at depth! This book has no creativity and is completely predictable. You know what's going to happen at the end 100 pages before you get there. I remember thinking about a creative way the author could have ended the book, and hoped it would take the same turn I had in my mind. But noooooooo, the author ends the book in the most stale, uncreative way possible. Nothing about this book has any redeeming value whatsoever. Do you ever hear this book held up with the great literature of fiction? NO! Even great books of the 20th century? Why? Because it sucks, sucks like an F5 tornado in an Oklahoma trailer park! If you have the option of reading this book or staring at a wall for three hours, at least the wall won't take any intellect from you like this pile of tripe! Don't read this book, you'll only encourage someone else to write something like it in the future.

Have a pleasant day.

In his 1919 superb novel Demian, the 1946 Nobel Prize winning author Hermann Hesse (1877-1962) suggested, despite the biblical text clearly stating that Cain criminally murdered his brother Abel, that it is possible to interpret the biblical story of Genesis 4 hinting that Abel was the brother who acted improperly.

The 1919 novel
Hesse’s Demian is not as great a work as his Magister Ludi, his last novel, which is considered to be his greatest achievement, but is still a marvelous seldom surpassed work of art. After reading Demian, Thomas Mann, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1929, argued for years that Hesse should also be a recipient.
The novel portrays how a ten-year-old boy Emil Sinclair from a well-to-do religious German family learnt to understand himself as he grew older and came to know what is important in life. We read about a larger and older bully tormented Sinclair and blackmailed him until Sinclair met a strange young man, Demian, who saved him from the bully and began to teach him about life.
During the decade that followed, Demian taught Sinclair that people are obliged to learn to understand themselves and act based on this knowledge, a basic human requirement that most people cannot do because they are naturally passive. Demian also introduced Sinclair to his understanding of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. One of Demian’s views concerned the Cain and Abel story and the meaning of the Mark of Cain.
Demian explained that the Mark of Cain is a symbolic way of saying that people could see intelligence showing on Cain’s face and on others who are exceptionally intelligent, such as Demian. The biblical story is suggesting that people are frightened by people who carry this mark and prefer to avoid them. If this is impossible the lesser intelligent people, such as Abel, harass those who carry the mark. Thus, Cain killed his brother in self-defense, and this is why Cain was never punished for his act.
The novel depicts how Sinclair goes through various stages as he grows older, including a phase where he indulges in drink, where he is impressed by a beautiful woman, where he meets a man with good intelligence who is unable to apply what he knows, until Sinclair realizes that he is carrying the Mark of Cain.

The first account extolling Cain
Hesse was, of course, not the first person the praise Cain. During the second century, the Cainites, also called Cainians, had a similar, but not identical view about Cain. They were mentioned by Tertullian and Irenaeus as a relatively small Gnostic and Antinomian sect existing in the eastern Roman Empire. One of their religious texts was the Gospel of Judas. Just as they praised Cain, they argued that Judas was the best of Jesus’ disciples and only he knew the truth. They believed that the god mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament was the Demiurge, who was not the supreme deity, but a heavenly being who is subordinate to the supreme God, and that this subordinate god and not the supreme God controls the material world and is antagonistic to all that is spiritual and good. The Demiurge was antagonistic to Cain, whom the Cainites venerated, and included the false account of his encounter with Abel in his Hebrew Bible to defame him.

Fantastic book! Passed it along to three friends now, to which they have all adored the book. I have read it twice now and still find the material curious. Highly suggest as a necessary piece of literature for anyone that’s not read Demian yet.

I hated this book! Hate, hate, hated this book! I hated every stupid word of this book, every thinly-veiled homoerotic theme, every pathetic attempt at depth! This book has no creativity and is completely predictable. You know what's going to happen at the end 100 pages before you get there. I remember thinking about a creative way the author could have ended the book, and hoped it would take the same turn I had in my mind. But noooooooo, the author ends the book in the most stale, uncreative way possible. Nothing about this book has any redeeming value whatsoever. Do you ever hear this book held up with the great literature of fiction? NO! Even great books of the 20th century? Why? Because it sucks, sucks like an F5 tornado in an Oklahoma trailer park! If you have the option of reading this book or staring at a wall for three hours, at least the wall won't take any intellect from you like this pile of tripe! Don't read this book, you'll only encourage someone else to write something like it in the future.

Have a pleasant day.