Prologue
But each person is not only himself, he is also the unique, very special point, important and noteworthy in every instance, where the phenomena of the world meet, once only and never again in the same way – loc. 37
We can understand one another, but each of us can only interpret himself – loc. 51
1 : Two Worlds
Summary
Emil Sinclair knew two worlds: his father’s house, the good world, and the world of sin, which coexisted closely with the good world. One day, when telling a seemingly innocent lie to try to fit in with the popular kid Franz Kromer, Sinclair lands himself in great trouble and becomes the subject of Kromer’s tormentation. He is terrified of him, and because of his lies and failure to confess, feels that he can no longer be a part of the good world in which his family resides. He might as well have gone mad.
2 : Cain
Summary
Sinclair becomes acquainted with his new classmate, Max Demian. Demian presents a new perspective on the story of Cain and Abel that Sinclair is unable to shake: contrary to popular belief, Cain was better than Abel. He bore a mark, not necessarily physical, that made him different from others; becuase of his outstandingness, he and his offspring were discriminated against and antagonized. People were afraid of what they did not understand; the mark was no shame, but a distinction. In their next encounter, Demian was able to mindread Sinclair and got rid of his burden of Kromer. After that, Sinclair confesses to his parents and tells his father about Demian’s story of Cain; his father urges him to abandon such thoughts.
Oh, I know it today: nothing in the world is more repugnant to a man than following the path that leads him to himself! – loc. 697
3 : The Thief on the Cross
Summary
Sinclair felt his childhood slowly dying as he entered puberty. The dark world that Franz Kromer har represented now existed within himself. He often crossed paths with Demian, but did not interact with him much. It was not until many years later, in confirmation class, that they reconnected through confirmation class. Demian made confirmation class interesting for Sinclair. They sat far apart at first, but because of strong will (destiny), ended up seated next to each other. Demian explains to him the power of using strong willpower to get what one wants.
Many experience this death and rebirth, which are our destiny, only this once in their life, when childhood decays and slowly disintegrates, when all that has become dear to us is about to leave us and we suddenly feel the solitude and deathly chill of outer space around us. – loc. 730
Note: Giovanni’s Room Eden seed
When an animal or person focuses all his attention and all his willpower on a given objective, he achieves it. – loc. 830
I can only accomplish it and will it strongly enough if the total wish is in my mind, when my being is really completely filled with it. The moment that’s the case, the moment you attempt a task that something inside you orders you to do, you’ll succeed, you can harness your willpower like a trusty draft horse. – loc. 847
It was my will to come to you, but I had not yet become conscious of it. At the same time your own will pulled along and helped me out — loc. 857
Only the thoughts that we live out have any value. – loc. 934
4 : Beatrice
Summary
Sinclair is a loner at his boarding school. He runs into Alfons Beck, an older boy who takes him to a tavern and listens to what he has to say. Sinclair gets drunk for the first time, and felt as if he had fallen into the dark world yet again. He takes pleasure in the sin because it allowed him to at least feel something. While people look up to him, he himself is filled with anxiety and guilt. He feels lonely and longs for love, yet is too shy to seek it out. He feels alone, even in a crowd, and wants a friend, a companion. One day, he sees a girl, Beatrice, in the park and grows infatuated with her. He turns back to solitude and breaks his bad habits because he wants to become pure for her. His infatuation helps him create his own bright world again. He paints a portrait and later realizes that it is of Max Demian, then realizes that it is actually his fate, his daemon. He longs to run into Demian again, and his wish comes true when returning home for vacation. He then paints the bird coat-of-arms and sends it to Demian. Sinclair feels a change within himself, all directed at his destiny.
The picture didn’t resemble me—nor was it meant to, I thought—but it depicted that which constituted my life, it was my inner self, my fate, or my daemon. – loc. 1250
‘A man’s fate and his character are two names for the same concept’ – loc. 1256
you are linked to me, but not you yourself, only your picture; you are a portion of my fate. – loc. 1259
It’s so good to know this: that inside us there’s a self that knows everything, wills everything, does everything better than we ourselves do. – loc. 1298
5 : The Bird Fights Its Way Out of the Egg
Summary
Sinclair receives a note: it was a reply from Demian. He speaks of the bird fighting its way out of the egg, the world. Sinclair has a recurring dream of returning home only to find the figure resembling Demian and embracing her. With this dream, he was invoking Abraxas, the God and Devil combined. Sinclair goes to university in a mental storm. When walking along the streets, he hears the sound of the organ and stops to listen. He meets the musician and talks to him about Abraxas. The musician is named Pistorius, and he becomes Sinclair’s mentor. He teaches him that everyone carries the world inside them. He guides Sinclair to understand himself, his soul, and to break his egg.
“The bird is fighting its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever wishes to be born must destroy a world. The bird is flying to God. The god is named Abraxas. – loc. 1367
But there are no such accidents. When someone who badly needs something finds it, it isn’t an accident that brings it his way, but he himself, his own desire and necessity lead him to it. – loc. 1460
There’s a big difference between merely carrying the world inside you and knowing that you do! – loc. 1602
6: Jacob’s Fight with the Angel
Summary
Pistorius taught Sinclair courage and self-respect, giving value to his ideas and taking him seriously. Sinclair continues to have his recurring dream, his dream of love. He was afraid of the half-masculine, half-maternal being, but was drawn to her by the most burning desire. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Pistorius about this dream. Pistorius was almost a priest before he found Abraxas. One day, a classmate, Knauer, approaches Sinclair with the firm belief that he consorts with spirits. He then talks to Sinclair about white magic. Then, he laments to Sinclair about the difficulties of abstinence; Sinclair can’t help him, leaving him angry. After this incident, Sinclair has his recurring dream again and is able to paint the figure. The image becomes a part of him. Memories of all time surge through him. After awakening from deep sleep, Sinclair follows his urges and finds Knauer; this encounter prevents Knauer from committing suicide. Knauer followed him for a while, then eventually their relationship faded. One day, Sinclair accidentally says something in the spur of the moment that deeply hurts Pistorius’s feelings. There is no confrontation, but their relationship had been damaged by those careless words. They still remain friends, but everything is different.
When we hate a person, what we hate in his image is something inside ourselves. Whatever isn’t inside us can’t excite us. – loc. 1701
The only reality is the one we have in us. That’s why most people’s lives are so unreal, because they consider the external images to be real and don’t allow their own world within themselves to tell them anything. – loc. 1706
The other people live in dreams, too, but not in their own, that’s the difference – loc. 1734
I had committed a small, thoughtless act of rudeness, and for him it had become a judgement – loc. 1918
Everyone had only one true vocation: to find himself. – loc. 1946
His business was to discover his own destiny, not just any destiny, and to live it totally and undividedly. – loc. 1947
7 : Lady Eve
Summary
Sinclair has a fateful encounter with Demian in the streets. Demian had been hoping firmly to run into him. Sinclair soon pays a visit to Demian’s home, where he meets Demian’s mother, Lady Eve, who appeared frequently in his dreams. He feels at home, that he had fulfilled his dreams, his destiny. He loves Lady Eve. He learns more about the people who bore the mark of Cain, who are destined to bring the future of mankind. They strive to move forward, whereas the common people are content with where the world is now. Influential people were destined to do what they had done. It was Nature’s determination. Sinclair sees an ominous sight which aligns with Demian’s dreams; the end which will lead to a new beginning is coming near.
A person is afraid only when he isn’t at one with himself. They’re afraid because they have never accepted themselves. — loc. 2070
Nature’s intentions for man are inscribed in individuals, in you and me. — loc. 2085
Let the students frequent their taverns and tattoo their faces; let the world be rotten and await its destruction—what was that to me? I was waiting solely for my destiny to come face to face with me in a new guise. – loc. 2101
‘No one ever arrives home,’ she said amiably. ‘But when the paths of friends meet, the whole world looks like home for a while’ – loc. 2148
As you know, the bird must make an effort to break out of the egg. Think back and ask: Was the path really that difficult? Merely difficult? Wasn’t it also beautiful? Could you have thought of a more beautiful or easier one? – loc. 2164
Yes, one must find one’s dream, then the path becomes easy. But no dream lasts forever, each one is replaced by a new one, and you shouldn’t try to hold onto any of them. – loc. 2169
As long as the dream is your destiny, you must remain faithful to it – loc. 2175
If some day you are able to make the request feeling quite certain it will be granted, then it will actually be granted – loc. 2269
He had loved and, by doing so, had found himself. But most people love in order to lose themselves. – loc. 2291
8 : The Beginning of the End
Summary
Sinclair feels truly happy in the presence of Lady Eve and Demian. He no longer feels alone in the presence of those who understand him, but knows he will have to return to loneliness again one day. As he attempts to summon Lady Eve with his concentration, Demian comes to him in her place and shares the news of the war. Demian is a lieutenant and will be in the front lines; Sinclair will be drafted soon. Sinclair finds that he understands humans and destiny more through being in war. It was like humanity collectively breaking out of its egg. One night, Sinclair sees Lady Eve in the stars. He is found injured, and as he drifts in and out of consciousness, he is aware that he is being guided somewhere he is meant to be. When he finally gets to his destination, Demian is there. Demian tells him that when he needs him, he can be found inside him. He gives him a kiss from Lady Eve. Sinclair is now his own guide.
But whenever I find the key at times, and descend all the way into myself, where the images of destiny slumber in the dark mirror, I need only lean over the black mirror to see my own image, which now looks exactly like him, him, my friend and guide – loc. 2557