First of all, about the coyote.
First of all, the Wolf of Savannah is a person, a kind of person, represented by the protagonist Harry harrell, which contains both wolf nature and human nature, and is constantly in conflict. However, such direct polarization is actually only a simplified explanation. As the article said, "it is extremely stupid to simply divide an extremely complicated person like Harry into wolves and humans. The essence of Harry is far from just two factors, but hundreds of factors. His life (like everyone's life) is not just between two poles-desire and spirit, or saint and prodigal son-but between hundreds of pairs and countless poles. " So the coyote actually represents division and contradiction.
There is no doubt that coyotes are miserable and lonely, but that doesn't mean they are weak. On the contrary, they are strong, intelligent and talented. They love freedom, keep sober and independent thinking, take life seriously, have their own beliefs and aspirations, and have a passionate heart. However, "for this simple, comfortable and easy-to-satisfy world, your demands are too high, your desires are too much, and the world spits you out because you are different." As expressed in the article, they have a picture of life in their minds, with beliefs and needs. They were prepared to do something and make sacrifices, but they gradually realized that the world didn't ask them to do anything and make sacrifices at all, but lived in peace. The capitalist world at that time denied their spirit and soul, making them forget themselves and choose obedience and acceptance. Although their strong will survived, they could not erase their disappointment with the world and their hatred for themselves. "His life tells us that if you can't love yourself, you can't love others. If you hate yourself, you will hate others. In the end, you will become as lonely and pessimistic as hateful selfishness. "
In addition, coyotes also belong to the ranks of suicides. The author points out that it is wrong to call only those who really commit suicide suicides. Among ordinary people who have no personality, no obvious characteristics and have not experienced the torture of fate, suicide is not necessarily their nature.
"The characteristic of suicide is that he thinks himself-with or without reason-is a particularly dangerous, unreliable and endangered natural bud. He always feels that he is endangered and unprotected. He seems to be standing on a narrow cliff tip. As long as the external force gently pushes or slightly faints, he will be rolling in the deep. This kind of person has a characteristic that suicide is the most likely way of death for them, at least they think so. "
Most of them are people who are deeply guilty of developing their own character. It seems that their purpose in life is no longer self-completion, but self-disintegration. However, in fact, many of these people can't commit suicide because they know that suicide is a sin, not a decent way. They even feel gloating when they encounter misfortune, holding the idea of "I want to see how much pain a person can bear", but they have gained great strength. But even if they are alive, they are still suffering and can't get rid of it easily, because the main reason for this consequence is the times.
Second, about the times.
"Every era, every culture, every custom and every tradition has its own style, its own gentleness and harshness, its own sweetness and cruelty, and it takes certain sufferings for granted and tolerates certain bad habits. Only when the two eras alternate and the two cultures and religions intersect can life truly become suffering and hell. "
The era in which coyotes lived, that is, the era in which the author lived, was an era from peace to war and from capitalism to imperialism. Everyone thinks he is innocent and there is nothing to blame. "They lost their sense of security and no longer felt innocent. Their fate is to doubt life and experience the question of whether life is meaningful as personal pain and bad luck. "
They think that everyone should check what mistakes he made in this war to avoid the next war, but this has become unforgivable. At that time, no one wanted to think clearly or reflect on the extent to which he was involved in the bad things in the world and how much responsibility he should bear, but enthusiastically prepared for the next war, so this war finally broke out, and it was even more terrible than the last time.
However, this book also tells us that even if the struggle is unsuccessful, life will not become mediocre and stupid. On the contrary, "if you are fighting for a good thing and an ideal, and you think you must achieve your goal, it will be much more mediocre." Can all the ideals come true? Do we live to destroy death? No, we live because we are afraid of death, and then we fall in love with death. It is precisely because of this that sometimes this bit of life will be so wonderful in an hour. "
Third, about the split soul.
"It is wrong to think that man is an eternal whole, and it will bring misfortune to people, as you know. As you know, people are made up of many souls and countless "I". It is considered crazy to decompose the false unity of human beings into so many images. To this end, science also invented the name' schizophrenia'. Of course, without priority and a certain order and arrangement, this diversity cannot be controlled. In this sense, science is right. "
As mentioned above, an important feature of coyotes is division. Including the description of the final climax of the novel in the magic theater, all kinds of fantasy scenes seen by wolves are actually extensions of one of their own souls, with a strong magical color, and I can even hear my heartbeat when I watch it. When the hero Harry is doing something, there is always another voice in his head laughing at his current behavior. He can't find balance, no order and arrangement in the divided soul, only uncontrollable diversity, so his life is a mess, and he often thinks of death but dares not die. But the other two characters, Hermina and Pablo, seem to do better. They seem to enjoy their present life humorously, but they are dismissive of it. However, what impressed me the most was the description of "structural art" in the magic theater.
"We want to use a new concept to supplement the flawed psychology in the scientific community. This concept is called structural art. We show it to people who have experienced self-disintegration. He can reassemble the disassembled parts at any time, thus realizing the diversity of life drama. Just as a writer creates a script with several characters, we constantly build new combinations with many images that decompose ourselves. These groups constantly perform new plays and constantly change new scenes, so that this drama always has new and fascinating tension. "
This is the diversity of souls, with a certain order and arrangement. It seems to be a kind of "controlled schizophrenia" that a person can disintegrate his own soul and arrange it like a script character. This idea can't help but make my heart tremble.
Fourth, about redemption.
Hesse once said: "Although the story of the Wolf in the Wilderness is about disease and crisis, it is not about the crisis of destruction or death. Instead, it's about treatment. "
So, what is his treatment prescription? "Mozart and immortality appear repeatedly in the novel. He believes that people must replace the idols of the times with beliefs with eternal value, and this belief is the reverence for Mozart and immortality and the persistent pursuit of human nature. He hopes that people will love more, believe more, replace hate with love, replace revenge with reconciliation, and replace superficial and commercialized false culture with real culture. "
However, in addition, I think there are other prescriptions that the author wants to express.
The author once mentioned Humor under the gallows, "In humor, we can not only affirm sages and fallen people at the same time, but also bring the two poles of society closer together, and also bring citizens into the ranks of those who are affirmed ... Only humor can accomplish this impossible thing, illuminate all fields of life with its prism light, and integrate them into one, and this humor is a wonderful invention of those who are hindered in accomplishing great achievements. This kind of humor is perhaps the most typical human being. The author spoke highly of the role of humor in us. " It seems that the world we live in is not our world. Respect for the law is beyond the law, possession of property seems nothing, and giving up everything does not seem to be giving up. All these popular and constantly expressed demands for high wisdom in life can only be realized through humor. "
The last method is also a passage at the end of the novel.
"I know there are hundreds of pieces in my pocket, and I am shocked to foresee the significance of this game. I want to start this game again, taste its pain again, tremble for its absurdity again, and go to my inner hell again and again. One day I will learn to play this game of life better. One day I will learn to laugh. Pablo is waiting for me and Mozart is waiting for me. "
Hundreds of chess pieces in the game of life symbolize the split soul of the coyote. They have understood from the "structural art" that their souls can be dismantled and reorganized to face this game of life and travel to the inner hell.
For me, what impresses me most in the whole novel is the existence of "structural art" and people's ability to control their divided souls. There is also the role of Pablo, who loves to play and is an artist. He laughs humorously and never takes anything seriously. He has a magical theater that can split people's souls. It seems to be in line with the road to redemption I just said, but it's scary.