Lonesome, solitary, a loner, a lone… well, wolf. All words that aptly describe Steppenwolf protagonist Harry.
He scares away girlfriends and wives, insults his friends, and has a penchant for roaming the streets late at night. Isolation has to do with a philosophical problem in the novel: Harry should let go of himself and his personality and embrace the infinite possibilities of life, but he is so closed off from everyone that it's super hard for him.
Questions About Isolation
- Why is Harry so lonely? Is it his own fault somehow?
- How does Harry's isolation benefit him? And how does it make his life harder?
- Do any other characters in the novel show signs of isolation?
- Do you think that Harry has conquered his loneliness by the end of the novel? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Harry's isolation is a self-imposed limitation that keeps him from experiencing life.
Harry is a genius madman, which separates him from the rest of humanity and leaves him very lonely.