Hesse

Symbolo: demian
We get to know Max Demian only through the eyes of Emil Sinclair. Since Sinclair sees Demian as almost divine, Sinclair would not be one to critique Demian, to offer deep insightsinto his personality, to see how Demian grows and changes. Thus, in Demian, Demian remains a fairly static character. This is just as well—Demian's function in the novel is to help Sinclair break freeof his upbringing. Demian is Sinclair's guide through life. He watches out for him when he is being blackmailed by Kromer and offers him intellectual excitement. Demian teaches Sinclair to thinkdifferently, to discover himself and his desires. Demian is there for Sinclair during the final period of time when he is becoming independent. Finally, when Sinclair has broken free, become an independentbeing, Demian leaves him. Demian's purpose is to make sure Sinclair develops. Once Sinclair is equipped to handle the world on his own, to act in accord with his desires, Demian's purpose isfulfilled, his mission accomplished. He has no more use in Sinclair's life—he must leave Sinclair alone.

The Sparrow Hawk
The sparrow hawk first appears when Demian mentions that he noticed it in thearchway above the door to Demian's house. That Demian takes note of it already sets it aside as significant. Further, it forms a connection between Demian and Sinclair. The meaning of the symbol is notfully realized until later in the work when it becomes a part of Sinclair's dreams. The bird represents a desire to break free, to be independent. Symbolically, since the bird appears on Sinclair'schildhood house, it shows that this yearning has been with Sinclair from the very beginning. Later, the sparrow appears much brighter, illuminated. This indicates that Sinclair has reached within himselfto activate the part of him that longs to be set free.
In dieses Novelle schreibt Hermann Hesse ein Geständnis über Kampfen von Emil Sinclair, einer verstandnissvoll Jung, der in eine kleine Stadt...