The early thought of young Lukacs reveals the process by which the literary critic became a Marxist, and numerous studies on the early Lukacs enables us to follow this long and complex process. Though Geschichte und Klassenbewufltsein was recognized as. Lukacs' first Marxist work, a scruplous analysis of his early works reveals that in some ways it belongs to the strain of his earlythought. Nevertheless, the continuous and discontinuous elements in Lukacs' ealier works have not yet been clarified. But clarifying those problems relating to the continuous and discontinuous elements existing within the framework of ealier works is crucial to a true comprehension of them. For example, careful scrutiny of the elements of continuity will define the purpose of Geschichte und Klassenbewufβtsein; a purpose not always distinctive in this work. More over, recognizing and analyzing. the discontinuous elements will reveal the differences between Geschichte und Klassenbewujitsein and earlier works with regard to the concept of totality, and thus define the gist of Lukacs' argument in Geschichte und Klassenbewufltsein. In other words, from the viewpoint of motive-for Lukacs, the recovery of 'totality' in modern society-Geschichte und Klassenbewuβtsein can be interpreted as a further attempt to achieve the same goal that he consistently strove to attain through his earlyworks. In ealier works, the concept of totality was expressed as an idealistic and static notion of society. However, in Geschichte und Klassenbewufitsein the concept is transformed into a dynamic and historical idea, which is, I think, essential to his, method and goal. This paper will attempt to clarify the purpose and method of Geschichte und Klassenbewufltsein through scrutiny of the problems associated with the continuous and discontinuous elements existing in Lukacs' ealier works. The former part of this paper will examine the concept of totality in the period preceding Geschichte und Klassenbewufitsein by discussing the reasons why Lukacs considered it necessary to recover totality in modern society, and why achieving this goal necessitated to change the concept of totality. The latter part of this paper will investigate the purpose of Geschichte und ,Klassenbewufltsein from the viewpoint of the concept of the historical totality contained in it.