Speculah:Madoka Magica and Der Steppenwolf
This part will focus on hermann hesse's "der steppenwolf".
a short comparison between madoka and harry haller, the protagonist of "der steppenwolf":
harry haller's personality is torn between introverted/shy/well-adjusted (madoka in her daily life) and the "wolf" side, meaning fighting against the rules set by society (madoka will fight as a mahou shoujo against the rules of the witches; madoka in the underworld).
the first part of the book compares to madoka's school life, dinners with her family etc. it's a simple, level-headed report of his surroundings from his point of view.
the second part of the book is where harry makes contact with three friends (hermine, maria and pablo) who offer him opportunities and make him realize how he has been living his life up to this point. they talk to him about his wishes and desires, they present the antithesis to harry's perpective.
miki as well as mami and kyubey are the circle of friends. miki is the catalyst to madoka's transformation: on the rooftop, she tells madoka that her life is easy-going, meaningless and that other people would actually risk their lives just be offered an opportunity like this. mami is the mirror to madoka's soul: she helps the people in need and defeats the monsters of the underworld, madoka is fascinated by her. her life has meaning. she is the personification of her desires, just like hermine is to harry in "der steppenwolf" (albeit in a different sense).
now the third part, called "traktat des steppenwolfs". it is set in a "magic theater" (tanzpalast "= palace for dancing" in the underworld, which is in fact made to look like hell. it is an abstract world and induced by harry taking drugs (= madoka taking the gem). it is where harry faces his desires, the mirrors of his personality and where he can see where they lead, be it "negative metaphores" or "optimistic images". there are only pictures, there is no reality. what happens there is otherworldly, it's about death, killing, further self-realization and the transformation of his personality. there are enticing, trapping writings on the wall of the entrance to this theater, just like in madoka's underworld.