By Ralph Haselmann Jr.

Lucid Moon Review Poetry Website Archives, www.lucidmoonpoetry.com

      Herman Hesse observed the nature of behavior that occurred during the World Wars, and as a result, he was saddened and depressed at the brutality that existed in the world. He could not understand why such ruthlessness and hatred existed in the world, and why people would senselessly kill one another. As a result of the Wars, Hesse began to look at his values and morals, and the values of people in general. He began to question religious beliefs, and he questioned the existence of God. He reasoned that if God really existed, why did he allow the killings to occur? How could God allow people to be so destructive and kill one another? If God did not exist, no one would prevent all the killings and destruction, and life would suddenly seem without meaning. Hesse furthered that thought and allowed the possibility that maybe man really has no purpose on earth, and that maybe man was an accident - a result of an evolutionary process, a chance combination of chemicals. If man serves no purpose, then life in general is meaningless. If you deny the existence of God, then you deny the existence of a meaningful universe, of a Heaven and a Hell. Then there is no ultimate destination or afterlife, and life is without meaning. (Good intro)
      Hesse comes to believe that if life in general has no meaning, then a person’s individual life is more important and has significance. Hesse is saying that life’s meaninglessness can be overcome if we place importance on our individual lives and set goals which establish a meaning. Hesse believed that he was not responsible for the brutality and hostility that existed in the world, hence the “meaningless” of life, yet he felt he was responsible for what he accomplishes, and what he does in his lifetime.
      We are living in a world of fear and violence. The general nature of the behavior of people is one of anger and hostility. Crime and violence are apparent more than ever before - all one has to do is read a newspaper and one will come across an example of the sickness in our society. People are fighting more frequently and this creates anxieties of World Wars. The threat of a third world war is always imminent and this creates what can be termed as the “Age of Anxiety”. Hesse’s anguish over the hostility that existed in the world was obviously just. The harsh reality of a war can make a person aware of the brutality that exists in the world . (Your thoughts are mature and your argument is balanced)
      I agree with the premise and concept contained in Hesse’s statement. If we are exposed to the violence that exists universally, then we should question our morals and values, and our beliefs in religion and God. We should wonder about the powers of God and wonder if he really has control over our lives. Maybe there really is a God, a spirit who prevails over us and who guides us through life and reestablishes our faith, yet he may really have no control over our actions. Maybe man has no control over our actions. Maybe man is the only one who can control our lives and our destiny. Hesse did question his morals and beliefs, and he suggested that God may not really exist, man has no purpose on earth and therefore life is meaningless. He is also saying that if we look inside ourselves, then we may be able to assert a meaning for our lives.
      Many people commit senseless acts of violence and brutality, commit crimes, and take drugs. These people seem not to care what happens to their lives and seem not to take responsibility for their actions. They seem to have no responsibility and no goals to strive for. I agree with the concept that life’s meaninglessness can be overcome if we look at our morals and values and look inside ourselves. If we question religious beliefs and the existence of God, then we can understand ourselves better and can assert a meaning for our lives. In essence, Hesse is saying that a person must be responsible for his actions and the life he leads. I believe this is true, and that we should set goals to strive for, so our life has importance.
      I would not accept Hesse’s statement as a creed for life, and I would not strictly follow it. If everyone questioned our Government, God, Religion, values and morals, then we would have anarchy, but I believe it is a logical statement, and that it is worth trying out. I am not responsible for the meaninglessness of life which can be attributed to someone else’s actions. I believe, however, that if a person looks inside himself, and looks at his values and morals, he can establish a meaning for his life, and his existence becomes significant. I believe that a person should be responsible for his actions and should set goals and strive to reach them during his life.

A
This is an intelligent, balanced, well written, and carefully considered essay which says much about your ability nd maturity.

Ralph Haslmann Jr.
World Lit
Mr. Parent
11/5/81

Ralph Haselmann Jr.’s Bio
Ralph Haselmann Jr. was born on October 4, 1965 and lives in the lush rolling green hills of Morristown, NJ. He graduated from Mason Gross School Of The Arts, Rutgers (New Brunswick, New Jersey) in 1990 with a BFA in Graphic Design. He proceeded to paint houses for 11 years after school because it paid much more. He edits the critically lauded Lucid Moon Review Poetry Website, www.lucidmoonpoetry.com, which has been called the best poetry website on the internet, a valuable resource for poets, and is highly rated by Google. His first two poetry books, Wounded Heart, Naked Soul and Scattershot Haze, are available at Xlibris at 1-888-7xlibris, www.Xlibris.com , www.Amazon.com , www.BarnesandNoble.com , and www.Borders.com . In October 2001, Ralph was in a horrible, serious, near-fatal car accident, which left him paralyzed below the waist and in his right writing hand. Ralph is not wallowing in anger or self-pity, rather he is rededicating his life to promoting and publishing the works of others and himself. Remarkably, he can type with an adaptive keyboard and use a mouse pad to work on his website. Ralph is a member of The Writer’s Bridge, a group which will help place his writings in magazine markets that will pay him. Ralph is also a proud member of Peta, not People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals, but the other one, People Eating Tasty Animals! Ralph has given poetry readings at The Shaker Café in Flemington NJ and The Back Fence in NYC. If you would like to reprint his writings or correspond with him, he can be reached at:

Lucid Moon Review Poetry Website and Newsletter, Ralph Haselmann Jr., editor
Morris Hills Center, Room 427 W, 77 Madison Ave., Morristown, NJ 07960
(973) 993-9744 ralphylucidmoon@yahoo.com, www.lucidmoonpoetry.com.

© Copyright 2005 Ralph Haselmann Jr. and Lucid Moon Review Poetry Website www.lucidmoonpoetry.com