The Forest Dweller, by Hermann Hesse, is not only the tale of the fall of tyranny or the fall of the high priest, but it is also a tale of existential enlightenment. The Forest Dweller represents an allegory of existential thought and triumph. The central thematic idea of ​​the story is the struggle between the individual and the herd. Kubu fights to free himself from the tribe that exiles him and from the forest that holds him prisoner. Following Kubu's development through the story, it is clear that although initially catalyzed by someone other than Kubu, inevitably, Kubu decides on his own to continue his existential journey towards individuality and self-realization. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The beginning of the story describes not only the inhabitants of the forest, but the house in which they live. Hesse describes the forest as “dark” “a cradle, a nest and a grave”. This image of darkness symbolizes the ignorance in which the inhabitants of the forest live. Hesse describes the inhabitants of the forest as those who seek refuge in this void of knowledge, going so far as to say that not only are they born here when he calls it a nest, but they also die there when he calls it a nest. serious. The choice of Hesse setting is especially important as the forest dwellers are forced into this herd mentality. They have no choice whether to become members of the pack, they are forced. This makes it even more difficult to break free from the herd mentality and creates an even bigger obstacle for the existential hero: Kubu. Mata Dalam creates an exceptional problem for Kubu and the rest of the forest dwellers. Hesse describes Mata Dalam as the opposite of what would be considered an existential hero. His actions are far from authentic, this is especially true when considered in the context of his poor eyesight and his position within the tribe. From the outside it appears that he works in the best interests of the tribe members. He says he wants to keep them safe from the sun, using himself as an example. However, the narrator also alludes to the belief that Mata Dalam is actually just keeping people in a state of fear to promote only his own self-interest and no one else's. Furthermore, he bears no responsibility for his actions to the tribe, and is the instigator and propagator of the herd mentality that has overwhelmed the forest dwellers and cast them into eternal ignorance and darkness. The existential hero, Kubu, embarks on a journey that takes him along multiple paths and into many different realms within himself. The story's setting and antihero all serve to spark the impending internal revolution within Kubu. He, like the rest of the inhabitants of the forest, is born under the subjugation of the mind. Unlike the rest of the forest dwellers, however, he begins to question and doubt Mata Dalam. It seems that even the narrator of the story begins to doubt Mata Dalam. The narrator's response "so he said" after the introduction of the new customs indicates that the reader can believe Kubu and that he is not just a rebellious teenager. Kubu's exile from the tribe catapults him on his journey. He has no choice in his solitude as "not a member of the tribe" will look upon him. The days and nights spent in the hollowed-out tree trunk serve as the dark night of Kubu's soul. He sits and contemplates his misfortunes, the idea of ​​the “outside” and his supposed impending death. Although it is not stated outright in the text of the story, it is clear that Kubu was also suffering from existential nausea during this time period, as he sat there "terrified", "faltering between terror and contempt". continuing his journey and finding himself ispart choice and part fate. Destiny in the sense that Kubu is forced into this decision, he can't really go back to his flock like he did after being exiled from them. In a strictly existential sense, however, Kubu embarks on a journey to become an individual. When he emerges from the dark night of the soul, Kubu's change is stark. He begins to doubt everything he has been taught and begins to question everything he has been told. By calling the priest's curse “nothingness,” he indicates that he is ready to move further away from the flock. His constant questions about the sun, the moon, and life in general indicate that his preconceived notions exposed by the flock are being challenged. Hesse's statement that "the longer he stood alone, the more clearly he could see", indicates that Kubu was transcending himself and looking into the depths. It was no longer crowded with the herd; he could figuratively see what they were blocking. His quickness in distrust furthers his journey towards individuality. It is important that Kubu's first attack was aimed at what is the cornerstone of the flock: the divine spirit. It is this divine spirit that supposedly gave Mata Dalam her power and wisdom and is also the divine spirit that could strike down any forest dweller. The fact that Kubu took on such a strong and powerful belief right from the start indicates how far along he already was in his journey at this point. The conclusion he reaches about the outside being better than the inside adds to the progression of his journey. At this point, he decided to leave the forest and see what is beyond what was forbidden: "outside". Kubu leaving the forest and entering the sun is the culmination of his journey. At this point there is no turning back for him. He is about to do what no forest dweller in all of history has dared. This single act, separate from all others, would irrevocably distance Kubu from the rest of the forest's inhabitants. But taken as a whole in the context of his entire journey, this not only distances Kubu from the rest of the Forest Dwellers, but also pushes him to become an Individual. At this point in the story and journey, Kubu is almost entirely self-realized. The last part of the story is perhaps Kubu's most significant. When he kills Mata Dalma, he does so with premeditation, but also with a sense of duty. This is the definitive action that will separate him from the herd forever. The pack members, on the other hand, would never rise up and rebel against their leader, Kubu, like an Individual would. He is not afraid of what the other inhabitants of the forest would think, he takes it almost as a duty, choosing his "action" and killing Mata Dalma. Even more significant than his decision to kill Mata Dalma, is his decision to leave behind the hammer and the sun carving. He wants the rest of the forest dwellers to know that he killed the high priest. This single action completes Kubu's existential journey. He is a fully realized individual who acts alone without the herd and accepts responsibility for his actions. The end of the story describes images of the "outside". The “outside” that Hesse continually puts in quotation marks to underline the difference between the inside of the forest and what lies beyond the forest. The stark difference between light and dark throughout the story comes to a head at the end, when the narrator details how the sun's rays travel across the world. Hesse interpreted the difference between these two kingdoms through the novel. Kubu is born in the darkness, dies and is reborn in the light is a perfect symbol of being born without knowledge and being reborn again with knowledge not of the earth, the moon or the.