POST: Discussion Questions for Demian (closes 10/13)

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3. What is Max Demian's relationship with each of the two realms? In what ways does he embody elements of both?

Demian's presented to us as the dark mysterious character, yet he has an ability to sense Sinclair's troubles and his light side begins to appear. The dark realm is when Demian is by himself or what he is portrayed as to the teachers, students and other kids at school. It is presented in many situations some of them which include, when the teacher looks at him yet is speechless with what appears to be fear. Another example would be how he suddenly got Komer to stop threatening Sinclair. Although the vast majority of society sees Demian as a dark character, his anima side comes into the picture when there is any situation concerning Sinclair or Demian's mother. With them he seems to be a concern, loving character, who is protective of the two people he cares about.

13. What are the rewards and costs of discovering one's "own destiny" and living that destiny?

The process of individuation comes with many rewards as the individual finally realizes the person it was meant to be. However, this rewarding experience does not go unpunished. As the individual quests for their own image of destiny, they lose sight of those around them, as long as they are not playing a significant role in their own development. This is witnessed as Emil throws just about everybody, including his own loving family, aside when he meets Demian and begins his movement towards self discovery.

2. What characterizes the two realms that Sinclair identifies at the novel's beginning--the realm of light and the forbidden realm? How do the two realms interact throughout the novel, in terms of Sinclair's experience of them and in terms of what we learn about them? How does Sinclair's relationship to each change?

The two realms interact with Sinclair afecting the way he acts. When he is in the realm of light he loves his family plays with his sisters and everything is okay, but when he is in the forbidden realm he drinks and is sad all the time. throughout the story he learns the way the two realms work, with the light realm all is good and happy, but in the forbidden realm there is crime, and murders. From time to time he is switching from realm to realm and continously is liking the forbidden realm more, he drinks and really is going downhill. Then he sees beatrice and that begins he move back up, he stops drinking, paints, and doesn't get expelled. The switching of realms stops and Sinclair is stays in the realm of light.

2. What characterizes the two realms that Sinclair identifies at the novel's beginning--the realm of light and the forbidden realm? How do the two realms interact throughout the novel, in terms of Sinclair's experience of them and in terms of what we learn about them? How does Sinclair's relationship to each change?

The two realms interact with Sinclair afecting the way he acts. When he is in the realm of light he loves his family plays with his sisters and everything is okay, but when he is in the forbidden realm he drinks and is sad all the time. throughout the story he learns the way the two realms work, with the light realm all is good and happy, but in the forbidden realm there is crime, and murders. From time to time he is switching from realm to realm and continously is liking the forbidden realm more, he drinks and really is going downhill. Then he sees beatrice and that begins he move back up, he stops drinking, paints, and doesn't get expelled. The switching of realms stops and Sinclair is stays in the realm of light.

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9. What is Pistorius's role in Sinclair's progress? What are the similarities and differences between his influence on Sinclair and Demian's influence? Why does Pistorius's influence come to an end while Demian's continues?

While Sinclair never learned any new, radical ideas from Pistorious like those put into his head by Demian, he begins to develop independent view of his world. Both Demian and Pistorious tend to accept the darker side of life which they both pass on to Sinclair. When Sinclair's classmate Knauer asks him to help him find a way to suppress his desires, Sinclair responds by telling him to act upon and accept his desires, an idea that is highly influenced by what he's been told by Demian and Pisotrious. Eventually, Sinclair begins to tire of Pistorious' antiquated and impersonal stories and ideas because he begins to see that Pisotrious is not the kind of man that would likely act upon what he says while he still believes Demian would.

14. What is Frau Eva's role in the novel? Why do Sinclair and we meet her only near the end of the novel, even though she is mentioned much earlier? How would you explain Sinclair's attraction to her?


Frau Eva could only be introduced late in the novel because Sinclair could only truely appreciate her knowledge and greatness(? I know there is a better word for what she is) once he had reached a certain point. He met her when he had to meet her, as his destiny planned. She wasnt sought out early in the novel by Sinclair, because he wasnt aware of what she had.
His attraction is slightly weird, because it seems like it really should be a motherly loving attraction. Frau Eva is more of an archetypal mother than any sort of lover, so it is weird when he wants to kiss her, and even more weird when they do kiss. I guess if you took away modern thoughts about kissing being more of an action based on lust, and replaced it with a spiritual sort of symbolism, the kiss was not out of lust but more of a true sort of connection, expressed in a more physical way. That is the only way it can really work out with the way the story goes.

Good book though. I really enjoyed it.

6. What function do Sinclair's dreams serve? How does each relate to the stage of personal development during which it occurs?

Sinclair’s dreams serve as a reflection of his true self and desires. As each dream unfolds Emil is revealed a different aspect of himself that had previously been hidden deep within his subconscious. Early in the novel Sinclair’s dreams are simplistic, representing nothing more than his feeling of entrapment by Kromer and the need to get rid of him. However as the novel progresses and Emil begins to search deeper into his subconscious, his dreams become more complex. His dream about the heraldic bird represented the need to free himself from his drinking problems and reenter the world. Also during this point in his life, Emil also has a dream about flying which is similar to his dream of the bird. His dreams about Frau Eva are a reflection of his desire to see Demian again and to meet the woman that would help complete his process of individuation.

2. What characterizes the two realms that Sinclair identifies at the novel's beginning--the realm of light and the forbidden realm? How do the two realms interact throughout the novel, in terms of Sinclair's experience of them and in terms of what we learn about them? How does Sinclair's relationship to each change?

The realm of day is everything good, like ponies and all that other fairy-tale stuff. The realm of night is everything bad, such as drinking and murder. The two realms are always on opposite ends of each other fro the beginning of the novel. Sinclair thinks that he can only be in one or the other. He first starts out in the light, and then quickly jumps to the dark when he lies about the apple. He flip-flops between the realms for a while until he learns about Abraxas. When he learns that Abraxas is both good and evil, he realizes that he can be in both realms at the same time and eventually he lives in one realm of both good and evil.

15. The novel ends with Sinclair looking into "the dark mirror" and beholding his image as "completely resembling" Demian--"my brother, my master." Does this indicate Sinclair's success in achieving a realization of his own self or his ultimate submersion in a more powerful personality?


As Sinclair gazes into "the dark mirror" I believe it's a certification of his completition to finding his true self. He is now aware of the darker sides of life and now understands and accepts taking responsibility for himself.

He has left Demian behind, and in a way can now fend for himself. I think most of his success has much to do with the influence Demian had on him. Now with an understanding of himself Sinclair can take on the world.

right on.

B

5. I see the mark of Cain that the novel speaks of in the novel Demian as the lack of a false persona. At the end of the novel the mother says that bolth Demian and Sinclair have the mark. Sinclair always looked up to Demian because he was himself around everyone, and because of this he had power. Through the trials of his life he finds himself. Demian explains the mark of Cain as a symbol of power and pride, and the wisdom found in finding yourself and rejecting youre diffrent personas, or individuation, is just as much power you need.


Goodnight.

9. What is Pistorius's role in Sinclair's progress? What are the similarities and differences between his influence on Sinclair and Demian's influence? Why does Pistorius's influence come to an end while Demian's continues?

Pistorius is the one who guides Sinclair during the time when he has no one else. As he is lost he turns to someone who has beliefs that are similar to his own in hopes of feeling accepted, although what he learns as time goes on that he could never be accepted in the way that he wants to be because he is marked.

The main difference between Pistorius' influence and that of Demian is that while they both believe in individuation/ "renewing the world within oneself" Demian has more original and complete thoughts while Pistorius is still searching. Although Demian and Pistorius did think differently both seemed to have a very strong connection/influence on Sinclair while he chose to follow them exemplified by the way Sinclair seemingly communicated mentally with each of them at one point in the novel. Although there is no proof that he actually did communicate telepathically Sinclair merely hearing their voices advising him from within suggests how much faith he put in each of them.

Pistorius did not continue on as Sinclair's mentor because he lived a contradictory existance. He was all talk and no action while Demian lived every day as an example of what he believed. Sinclair inevitably lost his respect for Pistorius because of this and also because as he grew more experienced he saw exaclty how much P. dwelled on things that he saw as irrelevant and unimportant. Although D. and P. were both Sinclair's friends and advisors Demian was a more accurate example of what Sincalir wanted to ( and did later ) become while Pistorius warned him of what he didn't want to become.

14. What is Frau Eva's role in the novel? Why do Sinclair and we meet her only near the end of the novel, even though she is mentioned much earlier? How would you explain Sinclair's attraction to her?

Frau Eva serves as both a mother figure and an attraction for Sinclair. She helps Sinclair develop as a man, just like her son Demian does as well. I believe she is introduced later in the novel because early in the novel Sinclair is attracted to Beatrice, so Frau Eva takes over her roll when Beatrice is out of Sinclair's life. Frau Eva is very caring and sweet to Sinclair but she also pushes him to become more confident and in touch with himself. Sinclair attraction to Frau Eva is because she is the perfect woman. She encompasses every aspect of a great human being.

4.
Sinclair moves from childhood to adulthood in very distinct steps. First he moves away from the world of his childhood, temporarily with the Kromer affair and more permanently with his decline from the light side of life in prep school. After he pulls himself out of despair, he moves toward individuation under Pistorius, and eventually grows beyond Pistorius and n longer needs him as a mentor. His dreams of Eva bring him further towards individuation by giving him a clearer view of the paradox of human desire. Meeting Eva and being separated from her brings Sinclair fully into himself and into adulthood.

15. The novel ends with Sinclair looking into "the dark mirror" and beholding his image as "completely resembling" Demian--"my brother, my master." Does this indicate Sinclair's success in achieving a realization of his own self or his ultimate submersion in a more powerful personality?

When Sinclair says that his image now resembles Demian's completely, he is not saying that he has now reached success in finding himself, but instead he is saying that he now sees in himself much of "Demian"- his teachings, and his thought processes, within himself.

If a sponge is surrounded by a pool of water, its only option is to drink, but it can only drink in as much as it can retain. Then it will be full, and the water inside will be an indespensable, internal part of itself and its new shape. This is how I view Sinclair's comment; that he nows see himself as Demian because he is filled with Demian's mentality. I do, however, beieve that Sinclair himself is shaped by other people's ideas he admires and agrees with, as he seems to find himself through bits and pieces of the organist, Demian, and Frau Eva.

2. What characterizes the two realms that Sinclair identifies at the novel's beginning--the realm of light and the forbidden realm? How do the two realms interact throughout the novel, in terms of Sinclair's experience of them and in terms of what we learn about them? How does Sinclair's relationship to each change?

It's still 10/13--11:50. Sinclair's two realms consist of a dark and a light realm. The dark realm refers to the corrupt outside world, which is full of "frightful, mysterious things," while the lighter realm refers to Sinclair's home--his sanctuary--as well as the cleanliness of life, school, intelligence, the Bible, and all that is good and non-corrupt. Throughout the novel, each of these realms interact as Sinclair experiences the both good and evil. For example, as his life progresses he becomes extremely interested in religious topics and remains consistent in becoming more knowledgeable in this subject. However, the dark realm takes control of him during his older years when he begins to drink alcohol, causing him to become much more psychologically ustable.

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What is the importance of the biblical story of Cain and the mark of Cain? How would you describe the repeatedly cited "sign" that is so important to Demian and his mother? What endows Sinclair with that sign?

When Demian explains his own interpretation of the biblical story of Cain and Abel, Sinclair begins to question religion and all the traditional things he has learned from his family. It’s important because this was Sinclair’s first step towards individuation. Even Sinclair believes that Demian has the same sort of “sign“ because he always stood out with classmates and many others. Later, Demian and his mother see Sinclair superior to them because he has a distinction about him, possibly the same “sign”. This means that Sinclair is for once different, or special. He now has a pathway to find himself even more because he’s much more confident in himself.

6. What function do Sinclair's dreams serve? How does each relate to the stage of personal development during which it occurs?

Dreams are very important is Hesse’s Demian, especially Sinclair’s dreams of a freedom outside his ordered life. Jung sees dreams as a look into someone’s true self. For him archetypes are very important in a person’s dreams. The presence of Frau Eva in Sinclair’s dreams lends strength to the idea that Sinclair is disenchanted with his current life. It also lends credence that true freedom in his life can only be gained through his meeting with Frau Eva, and that this meeting will result in his full individuation.

Throughout the story, Sinclair describes two very different realms that make up his world. These Realms are light and dark. From the start, Sinclair describes his home as the light realm. In there he is safe and secure and knows he can trust his family members. The dark realm is the neighborhood surrounding his house and his school. Here he deals with shady people and the temptations of the dark side. When Sinclair lies to a group of friends about the apple orchard, it backfires and he finds himself in downward spiral of lies stooping him further and further into the darkness. However, once Sinclair meets Demian, his perspective on the darkness changes. Once Demian preaches about Cain and Abel, Sinclair slowly begins to form a new opinion on the dark not being so evil. As Sinclair grows older, the dark realm takes a greater hold on him as he begins drinking on a regular basis.