The point of view changes from first person to third person within the treatise. The treatise begins much like a short story: “There once was a man, Harry, called the Steppenwolf.” Steppenwolf is shocked when he reads the first line, for he believes he is reading about himself.
The treatise states Steppenwolf is incapable of being content because he is not fully human. He possesses two natures—the human and the wolf—and they are in a constant struggle for control. His dual nature drives him constantly and prevents him from being satisfied. He desires freedom and individuality, but this is only obtained at the price of isolation and loneliness. As a result, he is suicidal.
The treatise goes on to describe Steppenwolf’s main conflict, namely, his inability to separate himself from the bourgeoisie. In fact, the treatise reveals that bourgeois society exists and flourishes due to the presence of the Steppenwolves.
More than one Steppenwolf exists, and each Steppenwolf consists of multiple natures, not just the human and wolf. Society does not acknowledge the existence of multiple selves, so the Steppenwolf is destined to be isolated, rejected, and misunderstood. Although he generally and genuinely feels superior to others, the subsequent detachment from society leads him to believe suicide is the only answer. The treatise refutes this idea: “Nor will suicide really solve your problem, unhappy Steppenwolf.”
