Demian takes place during two distinct eras of German history, and was published in a third era. Research and write about the history of Germany during one of these eras: the German Empire (1871-1914); World War I (1914-1918); or the Weimar Republic (1919-1933). What was the political system in Germany during the era? What was the status of Germany's relations with other European and world nations? What major political and social issues and conflicts faced the German people during the era?

Hesse was strongly influenced by several authors roughly contemporary to his own life, including Thomas Mann, André Gide, and Franz Kafka. Write an essay about one of these authors. What are his major works of fiction? What central themes are addressed in his novels and stories? What similarities do you see between the fiction of this author and that of...