Siddhartha's Journey

Words: 1004

Pages: 5

Open Document

When one thinks of time, what comes to mind? The passage of years? The inevitable expiry and demise of all things? Maybe, even, the indefinite continued progress of existence? In the eyes of Herman Hesse, this is all erroneous, as expounded, sermonized, even, in Siddhartha. In Siddhartha, the main character, Siddhartha, meanders through the incessantly ebbing and flowing path towards enlightenment with Govinda, his friend. On this path, Siddhartha experiences the zenith of life for most, possessing an abundance of money through an avaricious nature, as well as its darkest and innermost recesses of opprobrium and chagrin, eventually parting paths with Govinda, only to be reunited with him who begins to believe that Siddhartha had gotten peculiar after the diatribe Siddhartha disserted, attempting to inculcate him, unaware of the wisdom Siddhartha …show more content…
This journey culminates in Siddhartha’s realization that time is non-existent and that everything holds a oneness with their previous selves as well as those of the individuals influencing them. He had discerned that you never lose who you were before, you only build on the autochthonous version of yourself. We never change; We are who we were at will be at once. Our consciousness creates the concept of time in order to fully concentrate on the current moment, since that protracted the lives of our ancestors whilst facing survival situations. If we learn to let go of these imminent stimuli affecting us and our abuttings, we can think away time. Siddhartha recognizes this and notices that “[in the river] His father’s image, his own image, his son’s image, dissolved into one another; Kamala’s image, too, appeared and dissolved, and Govinda’s image[...] they all became part of the river.”(Hesse 72). Here, through the use of personifying the river to describe a vessel for all of these opposing yet united personalities and emotions,

Siddhartha's Journey To Enlightenment

the novel, it becomes clear that Siddhartha’s journey towards self-realization and enlightenment are driven just as much by external influences and his tensions with society as his internal realizations and development. Even within the first chapter, Siddhartha’s unease towards, and dissatisfaction with, the societal expectations and provided way of life that comes with being a Brahman’s son, are what drives him to take the first crucial steps in his liminal journey and begin seeking the good life…

Words 737 - Pages 3

Siddhartha's Journey To Enlightenment

On this life-long journey of enlightenment, Siddhartha goes through many trials. He turns away from the ways of a Samanas, which he devoted his young life to, he turns away from the Buddha, and he turns away from a luxurious lifestyle. He does all of this in search of finding Self. He eventually ends up as a ferryman, but finds everything he is searching for. In his pilgrimage, he discovers many truths and lessons, all of which help him achieve enlightenment, to the point where his childhood best…

Words 669 - Pages 3

Essay about Siddhartha: Gautama Buddha and Siddhartha

for truth. Obtaining truth is key for fulfilment of a perfect correlation with the earth. His journey revolves around achieving enlightenment by reaching nirvana. Siddhartha, through his journey to enlightenment, undergoes spiritual breakthroughs, obtains truths, overcomes obstacles and evidently awakens. His journey is constantly changing from confused start to enlightened finish. Siddhartha’s journey is highlighted by his rejection of teachers, his acceptance and willingness to be guided by nature…

Words 796 - Pages 4

Comparing Hesse's The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia With Atlas And Weather Guide

views, and different interests from his family, which creates to Siddhartha’s life. For instance, Siddhartha began questioning the gods and left his family to retrieve answers, likewise Hesse was not interested in becoming a priest, but was instead interested in the Indian culture. “The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide” also states that Hesse gained interest in Indian mysticism, which started his journey to self-acceptance.…

Words 371 - Pages 2

Siddhartha And Vasudeva Symbolism

into Siddhartha's eyes and saw the cheerfulness of the knowledge shining in them, he softly touched his shoulder with his hand, in this careful and tender manner, and said: "I've been waiting for this hour, my dear. Now that it has come, let me leave. For a long time, I've been waiting for this hour; for a long time, I've been Vasudeva the ferryman. Now it's enough. Farewell, hut, farewell, river, farewell, Siddhartha!"(Hesse 114 ). The ferryman is a guide for both the river and Siddhartha’s path…

Words 160 - Pages 1

Comparing Douglas's Journey And Siddhartha

in life is on a journey, and while we might have different experiences, all our journeys contain trials and tribulations. No other situation exemplifies this more than Siddhartha's journey and Frederick Douglass's journey. As Frederick Douglass journey on learning how to read and write and Siddhartha's journey of finding salvation hid a troubling roadblock, their commitment to life is tested. Frederick Douglass and Siddhartha both had encountered a place in their respected journey which makes them…

Words 630 - Pages 3

Water In The Awakening

Siddhartha is completely devoured by his journey for profound edification. Siddhartha does not contend to stoke the present conversation, nor does he doubt shrewdness out of a feeling of pride or predominance. He finds sensible blemishes in the lessons put before him, and he looks for reality. Every section, he is stirred and reestablished. The importance of the water in "Awakening" is Siddhartha's obsession to teach himself since instructors cannot educate the idea of the self. He sees his surroundings…

Words 302 - Pages 2

Siddhartha Journey

make a journey of a thousand miles by fretting about how long it will take or how hard it will be. We make the journey by taking each day step by step and then repeating it again and again until we reach our destination.” I think this quote by Joseph B. Wirthlin is extremely applicable to the book Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. I think, even though Siddhartha has a very unique journey, many people can relate to his endeavor. Siddhartha's journey is much different from many others people's journeys. Siddhartha…

Words 718 - Pages 3

Irony In Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha

which the author expresses through sophisticated language and impressively vivid imagery, as while as a bold example of irony. A quote from a passage belonging to an earlier chapter in the story uses detailed imagery and description to express Siddhartha’s early internal conflicts: “Walking the rosy paths of the fig tree garden, sitting in the bluish shade of the grove of contemplation, washing his limbs daily in the bath of repentance, sacrificing in the dim shade of the mango forest, his gestures…

Words 562 - Pages 3

Herman Hesse Essay

Samana’s and find true enlightenment on his own terms. -Refusal of the call “It is not seemly for Brahmins to utter forceful and angry words, but there is displeasure in my heart. I should not like to hear you make this request a second time.” (10) Siddhartha’s father disagrees with his decision to become a Samana, and says to him that he will be greatly discouraged if Siddhartha continues to even ask for his permission. His father doesn't believe in foul language and communication, however, he tries…

Words 804 - Pages 4