In trying to understand Hesse and his writings as a whole, I find that nature was a key for his survival, his escape from all the negative forces in his life. And this key element was reflected in the sceneries of his writings, such as the river in Siddhartha. Nature was also important in his paintings and poems...

And on the opposite end, Harry Haller could not appreciate nature and so he was partly miserable because of it.

And curiously, Hesse had Joseph K. drowning at end of the Glass Bead Game. One can almost make a claim that Hesse, in his last work, completed the systhesis of human and nature and then giving birth to inspiration to the boy, the next generation.

Curious, I wonder if Hesse at meat, or was he a vegetarian?

Warm regards,
Duke

P.S. So many visit and read these posts, but few like to post a thought. Please post something! That's what the Net is for, exchanging ideas.

Additionally, the duality found in humanity that Hesse wrote about can also be reflective of Nature; we can dig up stuff from the Earth and make a bomb or grow food from the soil to feed people. And Mother Nature can give us sunshine to help photosynthesis along, or a hurricane / typhoon can wipe out lives in a snap.

Warm regards,
Duke

Glasperlenspiel is, in my opinion, a brilliant synthesis of ideas, culture and religion. Although the Castalians are non-denominational, they do worship the Game in a sense. It's practice aims at unity, at infinity in a finite world. The game is the ultimate analogue to man's dual nature; that is, of finitude and infinitude. B/c, as the opening quote reads, nothing is more difficult yet nothing is more neccesaary to contemplate that which is niether probable nor demonstrable - for the serious and concientious indiviual - this birngs the individual closer to being born. Likewise, Knecht returns to the bounty fo life - the water - his death is a symbol of unity, of both death and brith.

Metamophosis? and nature, like cockroches?

i left the r out of metmorphosis before, you,ve read it too eh?

oh! or wait, am I confusing hesse with kafka?and the paranoia of the trial?

yes, i think so.

I loved Srange News From another Star...

his writings have the profoundest effect on me more so than any other author thinker

William,

Yes, most readers like Hesse because he offers much more than just a piece of dead tree with ink printed on it. He spent his whole life searching to be human and searching for the meaning of being human and it shows in his works. When I read his books I see him and I see me and I see life and everybody. Too bad I wear glasses...

Best,
Duke

hahah i like the way you describe it " another piece of dead wood with ink printed on it " funny anyways hesse and everyone find themselves out there in the nature , if you were in a realy difficult situation what would you tend to do if you know that out there in nature life seems perfect and yes indee is perfect just like you except that you are buried into your own dramas but perhaps because you arent looking the right direction , hesse has found a new direction so now that you have read his works can look into that direction and find peace just as hesse characters and himself did.

To anyone interested in responding intelligently:

Plinio Designori and Knecht have an intense discussion in the chapter called 'A Conversation'. Plinio expresses, with much unrest but w/o sparing the significance of his state mind, his general perspective on Castalia and the outside world. He contends that both worlds have forgotten about eachother, and, what is worse, both worlds have seemed to drift away and forget about themselves - they are then twice removed from respect for one another and respect of their own institutions. In this sense, throught he narrator, I beleive we see one of Hesse's preoccupations with modernity. Aside from Tegularis as a representation of the dangers of Nietszhean thought, Hesse presents both the Castalian and teh man of the world affected my the disease of soft nihilism - a stale, indifferent attitude towards life, without conviction - full of talent yet overly complacent with an unwillingness to serve. I find that the threat of nihilism is definitely one issue Hesse meant to address in The Glass Bead Game. Does anyone else have an opinion on this subject?

Yes, he was a vegetarian for some time and in times of illness. He learned to be vegetarian during his stay at the spiritual commune of Monte Verita near Ascona/switzerland where he fopund his "guru" Gusto Gríser. You will recognize the figure of Graeser in Demian and so many other master figures in Hesse's work. Read 'Mountain of Truth' by Martin Green, see www.gusto-graeser.de.vu or mail to me:
Gustomueller@web.de

So long!