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Alone with our thoughts

August 31st 2009 00:33
Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse

The hero of Herman Hesse's The Glass Bead Game, which won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946, is Joseph Knecht, the brilliant young teacher and leader. The main themes of the book — conflicts between looking within and without, between elitism and secularism, between the need to concentrate on research and the need to teach the lessons of that research — are built around the character of Knecht.


The second great character in the book for me is the man Knecht succeeded in the role as Master of the Glass Bead Game, a man grown old when the book begins and who, during the journey of the story, retires from teaching and from the world. Slowly, he retires within himself, and the end of the novel sees him as a beatific presence, sitting contentedly in the sunshine outside his cottage, apparently welcoming the presence of visitors but no longer saying anything to anyone.

Through this example Hesse appears to have provided his own subtle answer to the questions which so vexed Joseph Knecht, and which become more valid as the world gets smaller and closer through the conforming influences of technology, trade and intellectual suasion.

In the several decades since I first read this wonderful book, I have constantly thought of the old man sitting in the sunshine, listening to the birds and conversing with no-one except himself. Has he found all the answers? Or has he discovered a blissful reality where it is no longer imperative for questions to have answers?


In a hustled and bustled world, it seems odd to live only with your own thoughts, but the older I get, the more natural it seems.


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Posted By: Chris Champion - Category: Life questions
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9 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Norm

August 31st 2009 00:57


Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Even my thoughts are interrupted by ads.

Go the Mighty Blues.

Comment by Chris Champion

August 31st 2009 01:02


LettersToNorm
Vyoos
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The Blog of Lists
There's a Carlton fan still waving the flag? The bland old flag? I salute your resilience.

Comment by Norm

August 31st 2009 01:16


Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
As John Elliot said, "They cheated to win the flag."

Nigel Smart for PM.

Comment by Morgan Bell

August 31st 2009 05:17


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Artist Quirk
i think we all spend our youth trying to avoid being alone with our thoughts, i guess some people just never grow up

Comment by Chris Champion

August 31st 2009 05:38


LettersToNorm
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Good perspective Morgan. That makes a progression from one to the other, which suggests a natural growth or change.

The scary thing is that I had forgotten what it was like when I was young.

Anyway, I'm glad we have been us sorted this out. In summary, the world is can be viewed on three levels: there is the young person's way of seeing things, the old person's way of seeing things, and Norm's way of seeing things.

Comment by Morgan Bell

August 31st 2009 06:18


Science News
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just dont confuse captains and leading goal-kickers and you should go just fine

Comment by Janet Collins

August 31st 2009 07:18


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I have constantly thought of the old man sitting in the sunshine, listening to the birds and conversing with no-one except himself.

A bit like blogging really but with sunshine

Comment by Chris Champion

August 31st 2009 07:43


LettersToNorm
Vyoos
Zoomies
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Nice image Janet. With sunshine, and without proximity to emails and phone calls and text messages and screen glare and the dangers of deep-vein thrombosis. Okay, I'm heading for a park bench ...

Comment by Wilson Pon

August 31st 2009 08:45


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Honestly, the Glass Bead Game was one of my favorite books about the conflicts of elitism and secularism. By the way, Chris. Which side does you think you're in, elitism or secularism?

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