‘Demian’ by Hermann Hesse has the best psychological insights. Here’s why.
Even after more than a century of its publication, Demian remains one of the best books that deal with the idea of creation of self. As the story progresses, the author explores the loss of self, finding your true self, and knowing who one is.
“The things we see are the same things that are within us. There is no reality except the one contained within us. That is why so many people live such unreal life.”
This message is more important now than it was when the book was written. Everyone living in the 21st-century takes the images outside them for reality and never allow the world within to assert itself. Often, this induces endless competition in emotional realms of people and that’s when they are robbed of their peace. Only if we let our inner world unfold will we be able to shine in our own colors while being a part of the rainbow called world, bringing individual humans to the table and not just photocopies of the same idea, same motive, same effort.
“Every man is more than just himself; he also represents the unique, the very special and always significant and remarkable point at which the world’s phenomena intersect, only once in this way, and never again. That is why every man’s story is important, eternal, sacred; that is why every man, as long as he lives and fulfills the will of nature, is wondrous and worthy of consideration. In each individual the spirit has become flesh, in each man the creations suffers, within each one a redeemer is nailed to the cross.”
I believe the above lines are why the universe sometimes makes us lonely and leads us back to ourselves — each and every person’s story matters.
“I have no right to call myself one who knows. I was one who seeks, and I still am, but I no longer seek in the stars or in books; I’m beginning to hear the teachings of my blood pulsing within me. My story isn’t pleasant, it’s not sweet and harmonious like the invented stories; it tastes of folly and bewilderment, of madness and dream, like the life of all people who no longer want to lie to themselves.”
We can infer from the second half of this paragraph how society paints life as a clear path with no valleys and ridges when, in reality, there are valleys so deep that it takes proper knowing of oneself and courage to climb back up.
“If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us.”
Quite self-explanatory, right? And these lines are what I am talking about when I say I love psychological and philosophical classics. They have these raw thought-provoking ideas that make us better.
“The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The bird flies to God. That God’s name is Abraxas.”
In the book, Abraxas is a god who’s both the light and the dark, the good and the evil. The author also explores how evil is necessary for us to grow and how 100% good and 100% evil are pure myths. They have to coexist for this world to function.
Further, these lines also contemplate on the idea of growing and establishing our place in the world. By establishing place, I do not mean achieving success but rather being able to evolve your thoughts and achieving core self-growth.
“One never reaches home,' she said. 'But where paths that have an affinity for each other intersect, the whole world looks like home, for a time.”
Our modern restless souls clearly needed to hear this.
In conclusion, with its thought-provoking writing, Demian leads us on a path of self-discovery and growth as we transition to face the world. Best read in teenage years.
