Status Updates From El lobo estepario

“pois o “Amarás teu próximo!” estava tão entranhado em sua alma como o odiar-se a si mesmo;”

“Observad el lustre metal que ha llegado a mis manos. Sois un señor, no lucharé con vos… ¡os mentí!”
-Hermann Hesse

Harry’s failure + the ending
• Harry does not solve himself —> given another chance to learn that life can be absurd, contradictory, and worth living
• Hermines death is symbolic. Harry’s dependence on her ends but everything she arose in him remains there
• He has to learn a new way to live through this transformation

Mozart + Pablo
• Pablo wants Harry to experience the Magic Theater as play—> Harry turns every experience into an existential crisis
• Mozart is humor+freedom shows Harry that seriousness is part of his prison—> learning to laugh at himself and becoming free

Hermine (after theatre)
• Her “death” represents Harry needing to break away from reliance on her as guide
• Mozart reveals killing Hermine was Harry’s own fantasy
• Harry wants someone or other things to make his life meaningful

(Finished the book)
The Man + The Wolf
•Theatre breaks Harry’s belief that he is divided into two -> The man and wolf switch places bc neither is fixed
Gustav + Violence
• Gustav’s shooting scene allows Harry to act out his death/violence fantasy
• reality seeps in—> fantasy loses its power when consequence comes
• actually facing destruction changes things for Harry