In Herman Hesse's novel Steppenwolf, the main

character, the Steppenwolf, contemplating suicide. He

attempts to defend his suicide with religious and
intellectual justifications, but the argument leads him to
the conclusion that his life is worth living and death is not
a logical alternative. Unfortunately, the novel offers little
evidence beyond the Steppenwolf's own sentiments as to
why he is unable to commit himself. The purpose of this
study is to shed light on the reasons behind the
Steppenwolf's decision to live, using certain religious and
philosophical references. Many critics have tackled the
problem of suicide throughout history. Many people
attempt to rationalize suicide for various reasons. Because
of the variance in arguments, the individual is forced to
understand applicable reasoning and Because of the
variance in arguments, the individual must analyze
appropriate logic and evaluate whether suicide is
justifiable. The Steppenwolf is one of these people. He is
controlled by two souls, one of a wolf and one of a man.
The soul is the heart of life for men or humans. The soul
is immortal and is thought to live on after death. Both
religion and philosophy regard the soul as the center of
man and the goal of their respective ideas. The
Steppenwolf is controlled by two instincts that are closely
tied to the wolf and man souls. One will act like a solitary
wolf, while the other will interact with people like a man.