Study Help
Practice Projects
1. Steppenwolf considers Mozart's opera The Magic Flute to be an example of perfection, even though it supports the notions of faith and optimism. Study the plot of the opera, and watch a performance, if possible. Then choose one scene from the opera and construct a new scene in the Magic Theater sequence in which Steppenwolf encounters The Magic Flute within one of the galleries. Consider how he might react. You could even include Mozart in the gallery as well.
2. The Magic Theater is a surreal place, and as a result, it can be difficult for readers to visualize the events that happen there. Consider how you could stage the scenes and write a short play in which you provide specific stage directions, prop instructions, and so on, in order to help an audience understand what happens in the Magic Theater.
3. Steppenwolf repeatedly criticizes bourgeois society, but the reader is not given an opportunity to see things from the perspective of the bourgeoisie. Stage a debate between Steppenwolf and some members of the bourgeoisie. You can create nonspecific characters or you can use bourgeois characters from the novel, such as the nephew and the professor.