I think the circle is very abstract. I could make up stories of what the circle means to men, but I don't know if it is that conscious. I think it was a form, a vehicle. I don't think I had a sexual anthropomorphic, or geometric meaning. It wasn't a breast and it wasn't a circle representing life and eternity....I remember always working with contradiction and contradictory forms which is my idea also in life. The whole absurdity of life, everything for me has always been opposite. Nothing has ever been in the middle. When I gave you my autobiography, my life never had anything normal or in the center. It was always extremes.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Hesse describes life and art as driven by contradictions and extremes rather than balance.
- In plain terms
- Life and art are about opposites and extremes, not the center.
- What can you take from it?
- Embrace contradiction as a natural part of life and creation.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What contradictions shape your work?
- Do you seek balance or extremes?
Another view
Many people find stability and balance in their lives.
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