The dual nature of the Steppenwolf protagonist, Harry Haller, as half human and half wolf, is that of an unhappy man who struggles against the meaninglessness of bourgeois German society after World War I. Death is a repeated theme, mostly centering on suicide and murder. The wolf is an image of hedonism and primal instincts. Steppenwolf exists in a world he cannot understand, causing despair and depression. He sees relief in death, but lacks courage.
The book dissolves into magical realism as Haller experiences surreal visions of various German artists, composers, and intellectuals while he goes about the business of assassination and murder. The author, Hermann Hess, believed the book offered a message of transcendence and healing. That message was lost on me amid depictions of lust, casual drug use, and self-indulgence.