Chapter 10 Summary and Analysis

In January 1933, Hesse's work on The Glass Bead Game stopped because of writer's block. When the National Socialists came to power in Germany on January 30, 1933, many people left Germany. Henirich Wiegand and his wife became guests of the Hesse's at their villa. There were many visitors and refugees, and Hesse had many friends in Germany, many of whom were Jewish. Some of his friends were National Socialists, including Finckh, which led to a break with them.

Hesse, wanting to hold true to his values and maintain his German audience, decides against making public statements. His The Glass bead Game became representative of the situation in Germany, and his writings began to reflect the stability he thought he had in his own life. The Glass Bead Game represented a system that replaced the crumbling system in Germany where music and math were...