The Forest Dweller by Hermann Hesse is not only a story about the fall of tyranny or the fall of the high priest, it is also a story of existential illumination. The Forest Dweller presents itself as an allegory of existential thought and triumph. The central thematic idea of ​​the story is the struggle between the individual and the herd. Kubu struggles to free himself from the tribe that exiles him and the forest that holds him prisoner. Following Kubu's development through the story, it is clear that although at first it was catalyzed by someone other than Kubu, Kubu inevitably decides to continue his existential journey towards individuality and the realization of self. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The beginning of the story describes not only the inhabitants of the forest, but also 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 forest dwellers as seeking refuge in this void of knowledge, going so far as to say that they are not only born here when he calls it a nest, but they also die there when he calls it a nest. fall. Hesse's choice of setting is particularly important as the forest dwellers are forced into this herd mentality. They have no choice in becoming a member of the herd, they are forced to. This makes it even more difficult to break free from the herd mentality and creates an even greater obstacle for the existential hero – Kubu. Mata Dalam creates an exceptional problem for Kubu and the rest of the forest dwellers. Hesse portrays Mata Dalam as the opposite of what would be considered an existential hero. His actions are anything but genuine, this is especially true when taken in the context of his failing eyesight and his position within the tribe. From the outside, he appears to be working in the best interests of the tribe members. He says he wants to protect them from the sun, using himself as an example. However, the narrator even hints at the belief that Mata Dalam is actually just keeping people in a state of fear to promote only her own interest and no others. Furthermore, he takes no responsibility for his actions towards the tribe, and he is the instigator and propagator of the herd mentality that has taken over the forest dwellers and plunged them into ignorance and darkness eternal. The existential hero, Kubu, embarks on an adventure. journey that takes him down many paths and into many different realms within himself. The setting of the story and the antihero all serve to spark the impending internal revolution within Kubu. He, like the rest of the forest dwellers, was born in a state of enslavement of the mind. However, unlike the rest of the forest dwellers, he begins to question and doubt Mata Dalam. It seems that the narrator of the story also 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 onto his journey. He has no choice in his solitude because “no member of the tribe” will look at him. The days and nights he spent in the hollowed-out tree trunk constitute the dark night of Kubu's soul. He sits and contemplates his misfortunes, the idea of ​​“outside” and his supposed imminent death. Although it is not clearly stated in the story text, it is clear that Kubu also suffers fromexistential nausea during this period, as he sat there "terrified", "oscillating between terror and malice". continuing your journey and finding yourself is both a choice and a destiny. Fate in the sense that Kubu is forced into this decision, he can't really turn back to his flock like he was exiled from them. However, in a strictly existential sense, Kubu embarks on a journey to become an individual. When he emerges from the dark night of the soul, Kubu's change is striking. He begins to doubt everything he has been taught and he begins to question everything he has been told. By calling the priest's curse "nothing", he indicates that he is ready to move further away from the flock. His constant questions about the sun, the moon, life in general indicate that his preconceived ideas put forward by the herd are being challenged. Hesse's statement that "the longer he was alone, the more clearly he could see" indicates that Kubu transcended himself and looked deep within himself. He was no longer encumbered by the herd; he could figuratively see what they had blocked. His quickness to distrust furthers his journey toward individuality. It is important that Kubu's first attack was on what constitutes the cornerstone of the herd: the divine spirit. It is this divine spirit that is said to have given Mata Dalam her power and wisdom and it is also the divine spirit that could strike any forest dweller. The fact that Kubu adopted such a strong and powerful belief from the start indicates how far he was already at this point in his journey. The conclusion he comes to that the outside is better than the inside adds to the progression of his journey. At this point, he decided to leave the forest and see what was beyond what was forbidden – “outside”. Kubu leaving the forest and stepping into the sun is the highlight 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 to do. This one act, apart from all others, would irrevocably alienate Kubu from the rest of the forest dwellers. But taken as a whole in the context of his entire journey, it not only alienates Kubu from the rest of the forest dwellers, but it also pushes him to become an individual. At this point in the story and journey, Kubu is almost fully realized. The last part of the story is perhaps Kubu's most revealing. When he kills Mata Dalma, he does so with premeditation, but also with a sense of duty. This is the ultimate action that will forever separate him from the herd. The members of the herd would never rise up and rebel against their leader, Kubu, as an individual would. He is not afraid of what the rest of the forest dwellers would think, he takes it upon himself almost as a duty, choosing his "act" and killing Mata Dalma. More telling than her decision to kill Mata Dalma is her decision to leave the hammer and the sun sculpture behind. 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 actualized individual who acts alone, without the herd, and accepts responsibility for his actions. The end of the story depicts images from “outside.” The “outside” that Hesse continually cited to emphasize the difference between the interior of the forest and what lies beyond the forest. The marked difference between light and darkness throughout the story comes to a head at the end, when the narrator describes in detail how the sun's rays sweep across the world. Hesse played up the difference between these two areas throughout the novel. Kubu born in.