The notes are a life work of a man entering old age, which enjoyed classical music and never felt happy. One day, after paying his bills, he just disappeared leaving behind his notes that were later on published by the landlord's nephew. He called himself Steppenwolf and loneliness was a reflection of life's emptiness. When he moved into the room he had a case of books and two suitcases and even though he was described as calm and introverted, a great suffering could be felt inside of him. In the beginning of the novel, the reader can learn a lot about him from the perspective of the landlord's nephew who knew him as a calm and quiet tenant. He is famous for being gifted but also for being unsocial. The main character is Harry Haller a man approaching his 50's who lives a lonely life moving from one rent control apartment to another.
The novel has a high intellectual meaning because it contains important parts of literature, music, philosophy, politics and psychoanalysis. He went to a Magical Theatre and there he found something hidden deep inside of him. The main character constantly questions himself about life and his conscious plays an important role.
The center of the novel is the author's critic of the society. He had rented a room in his aunt's house. The plot begins with a foreword from the publisher that leads to reading notes written by Harry Haller who he had met when he was 50. The novel became famous during the 60's and the 70's in the hippy movement. He wasn't satisfied with the society and he even thought about suicide.
Hesse wrote the novel while he was going through depression and felt lonely and alienated from the world. The novel wasn't accepted in the beginning and was even banned in the USA because of detail descriptions of drug usage and obscene situations.
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