“True, many verses in the holy books – the Upanishads, the Samaveda – spoke of this inmost and ultimate essence. Glorious verses! ‘Your soul is the whole world’, it proclaims in those writings; also that in sleep, deep sleep, a person enters his inmost sanctum and dwells in the atman. These verses contained marvelous wisdom – everything in them is the knowledge of the wisest of the wise formulated in magical words, pure as bee-gathered honey. No, the immensity of knowledge that lay preserved there, gathered by countless generations of wise Brahmins, should not be underestimated. But where were the brahmins, the priests, the sages, or the ascetics who had succeeded not only in knowing this most profound knowledge intellectually but also living it? Where were the adepts who had learned the knack of bringing indwelling in the atman out of the realm of sleep into that of wakefulness, who had made it a part of every aspect of life, both word and deed? Siddhartha was acquainted with many venerable brahmins, his father above all. His father was a pure, a learned, a supremely venerable man, admirable, peaceful and noble in demeanor, pure in his life, wise in his words, refined and elevated in his thought. But even his father, who knew so much – did he live in holy bliss, and had he found contentment? Was he, too, not only a seeker, still thirsting? Did he not have to slake his thirst again and again at the sacred springs – the rites, the books, the discourses of the brahmins? Why did he, blameless as he was, have to wash away his sins each day, perform purifications each day, each day again? Was atman not within him? Did the primordial spring not flow in his own heart? That is what had to be found – the primordial spring within one’s self; one had to become master of that! Anything else was a vain quest, a false direction, a misunderstanding. These were Siddhartha’s thoughts. This was his thirst and his pain” (Hesse 6).
This passage serves to explain Siddhartha’s inspiration to find the atman, or the innermost essence of oneself, which then leads to his decision to leave his family to become a shramana. Hesse compares the “marvelous wisdom” from the holy books to “bee-gathered honey” to show the purity of the verses, since honey directly from a bee without manipulation is very pure. Siddhartha questions why these people – the brahmins, priests, sages, and ascetics – who have supposedly succeeded in “bringing indwelling in the atman out of the realm of sleep into that of wakefulness” (Hesse 6) haven’t incorporated this into their daily lives. He is confused why there hasn’t been anyone who has “succeeded not only in knowing this most profound knowledge intellectually but also living it” (Hesse 6). This inquisition further invigorates Siddhartha’s desire to find atman. As the passage continues, the tone becomes more intense, almost accusatory, calling anything less than finding atman a “vain quest, a false direction, a misunderstanding” (Hesse 6), further solidifying his “thirst” to achieve this spiritual enlightenment through finding atman. The increase in tone and culmination of Siddhartha’s thoughts eventually amount to “his pain” that he feels. Siddhartha’s description of his father also helps to characterize his father as a man who is much admired by Siddhartha. Hesse uses descriptive diction in words such as “venerable”, “admirable”, “refined” and “elevated” in order to describe Siddhartha’s high view of his father. However, he is still confused on why someone so pure in life and wise in words, such as his father, is still seeking atman. The repeated questions that Hesse uses while describing Siddhartha’s father show how Siddhartha is utterly dumbfounded. They also try to make the reader empathize with Siddhartha, leaving the reader yearning for the answers that Siddhartha is looking for. Towards the end of the passage, Siddhartha also suggests that the “primordial spring” does not flow within his father’s heart, which means that his father might lack an original source of atman.
I totally agree. This passage is important because it's when Siddhartha begins to question what he's been taught. His father is such a venerable and elevated brahmin, but so how can he not live in contentment, in atman? These thoughts are what give Siddhartha direction: he has to move toward finding atman. Also, I noticed that the "thirst" for knowledge was a theme that comes up a lot throughout the book. Sometimes it's seen as a good thing, sometimes as bad thing, but whatever it is, it's what keeps Siddhartha moving. Later, when he is with the ascetics, he wonders about the old priests. Have they found contentment? Will they ever find contentment? In chapter two, he says, "[Our eldest] has reached sixty and still has not attained nirvana. He will get to be seventy and eighty; and you and I, too, we will get old, and we will do our practices and fast and meditate. But we will not attain nirvana; neither will he.... We find consolation.... but we are not finding the essential, the path of paths." (Hesse 15) This is what prompts him to move on once again, to go learn from the Buddha.
I see where you are coming from in the third part of your analysis, but I believe that "admire" is the wrong word to use. I think it would be better described as a deep respect. Govinda admires Siddhartha, that is why he follows Siddhartha even when he does not understand Siddhartha. The same does not go for Siddhartha and his father. Siddhartha respects his father, otherwise he would not have gone to him seeking permission, "With your permission father... Siddhartha will do what his father tells him to," (Hesse 5-6). He respects his father enough to not directly go against his wishes, but like many young men, Siddhartha feels he has grown old enough for his father to show him the same level of respect and let him experience his own path.
“But his friend, the brahmin’s son Govinda, loved him more than any other. He loved Siddhartha’s gaze and his sweet voice, he loved his way of walking and the complete grace of his movements; he loved everything Siddhartha did and said, but most of all, he loved his mind- his elevated, fiery thoughts, his burning will, his lofty inspiration. Govinda knew Siddhartha would never become an ordinary brahmin, a lazy purveyor of rituals, a greedy dealer in charms, a vain mouther of empty phrases, a base and devious priest, nor would he become a mindless good sheep in the common herd. Certainly he would not; and Govinda, too would not become any of those things; he also would not become a brahmin like ten thousand others. His desire was to follow Siddhartha, the beloved, the magnificent. And if Siddhartha ever became a god, if he ever entered the light, then Govinda would follow him- as his friend, as his companion, as his servant, his spear bearer, his shadow. “Yes, everyone loved Siddhartha. He aroused joy in everyone, he was a delight to all.” (Hesse 4)
Analysis:
In this passage, Hesse describes Govinda’s relationship with Siddhartha, and all the things he loves about him. In doing so, he also describes how everyone sees Siddhartha. After giving the reader the details of Govinda’s view, he writes, “Yes, everyone loved Siddhartha. He aroused joy in everyone, he was a delight to all.” (Hesse 4). He uses words such as, “sweet voice”, “complete grace”, “elevated, fiery thoughts”, “burning will” and “lofty inspiration” to depict Siddhartha as a determined, intelligent, articulate young man. Then, he describes the things Siddhartha will NOT become: “ordinary”, “lazy”, “greedy”, and “vain”. The connotations of these words give the reader a negative, repulsed feeling, and shows how “base and devious” other rich people seem compared to Siddhartha. Govinda puts Siddhartha on a high pedestal, calling him “the beloved, the magnificent”, and describing what he would do if Siddhartha ever became a god, as if it were a possibility. The diction Hesse uses shows the reader how much everyone, especially Govinda, looks up to Siddhartha. In this passage, Hesse uses long sentences when listing Siddhartha’s traits to make the lists seem longer. However, the sentences do not feel like run-ons, because they are punctuated with commas, semicolons, and dashes, which creates a rhythm for the reader. A steady rhythm helps connect the thoughts, and makes the passage flow more smoothly. When describing a wonderful person like Siddhartha, it only makes sense to make the reader feel comfortable. This passage is an interesting characterization of Govinda as well. It’s the first time we meet him, and he is described totally through his relationship to Siddhartha. Hesse writes, “His desire was to follow Siddhartha...” (Hesse 4). He even speculates that if Siddhartha became a god, “...then Govinda would follow him- as his friend, as his companion, as his servant, his spear bearer, his shadow.” (Hesse 4). This really emphasises the leader/follower relationship between Siddhartha and Govinda. For what is a shadow, if not a follower? This relationship explains why Govinda follows his friend everywhere, even toward a more difficult lifestyle.
I agree with everything you said. The points you brought up at the end of your analysis are thoughts I had reading a book called "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal." As the title suggests, it is another novel concerning a spiritual symbol. Biff follows Joshua (Christ) around like a shadow. He is almost always at Christ's side. Even though throughout the novel Biff is the more confident one of the duo, much like I see Govinda because Siddhartha can't seem to be content with any path, he follows Joshua in a journey across the Middle East and Southern Asia. Where the difference lies is Govinda leaves Siddhartha to follow others, forever playing the role of the shadow. Biff eventually becomes a leader in Lam. When Christ is crucified, Biff takes it upon himself to spread the word of his best friend
I 100% agree with your analysis of Govinda's role as Siddhartha's shadow. I thought it was interesting how this creates a sense of a higher power for Siddhartha, making his character the leader of the two's relationship. Even throughout the rest of the story it can be seen that Govinda always finds himself wanting the approval of Siddhartha. After he leaves to continue his life without Siddhartha, fate brought them two together again, only to find Govinda lost and discontent with the life he lived without Siddhartha.
“The ritual ablutions were good, but they were water-they did not wash away sins, they did not heal the mind’s thirst, they did not resolve the heart’s fear. The sacrifices and the invocations of the gods were splendid, but was this all there was? Did sacrifices bring happiness? And what about the gods? Did Prajapati really create the world? Was it not atman- That, the one and only and the all in all? Were the gods not formed things, created like you and me and subject to time, impermanent? So was it good, a meaningful and supreme act to sacrifice to the gods? To what other should one make offerings, what other should one worship besides That, the one and only, atman? And where was the atman to be found, where did it dwell, where did it’s eternal heart beat? Where else but in one's inmost self, the indestructible essence within everyone. But where was this self, this in most essence, the ultimate principle? It was neither flesh nor bone, neither thought nor conscious-so the wise men taught. So where was it then? Was there any worthwhile path other than the one leading to That, the self, the me, atman? But nobody taught this path! No one acknowledged it-his father did not, nor the teachers and wise men, nor the sacred liturgy. They knew it all, the brahmins and their holy books, knew everything! They had covered everything and more-the creation of the world, the origin of speech, nutrition, the in-breath and the out-breath, the ordering of the senses, the deeds of the gods-their knowledge was endless! But what good did it do to know all of these things if one did not know the one and only, the most important thing, the only important thing?” (Hesse 5)
In the beginning of the novel Siddhartha, it becomes apparent that Siddhartha doubts the ways in which the Brahmins believe they will discover their atman and innermost self. The rituals that Siddhartha performs begin to feel unsatisfying, therefore causing him to question his actions. Siddhartha feels that although his teachers have poured the very best of their knowledge into his soul, there is something more he needs. This is expressed previously before the passage, “[his teachers] had already shared with him the better part of their wisdom; they had already poured their all into his waiting vessel, and the vessel was not full” (Hesse 5). The spiritual diction in the passage above creates a sense of bewilderment for the reader. Hesse’s audience becomes entwined in finding the truth to those beliefs and questions the evidence which supports it. In addition, phrases such as “mind’s thirst” and “heart’s fear” merge the body and spirit when finding one’s atman. As Siddhartha comes to the realization that the path to finding his atman is unpaved, he knows it is his duty to pursue it. Previously, Hesse created a tone of uncertainty through questions, but towards the end of the passage, he replaces it with Siddhartha’s confidence in other’s lack of knowledge. Hesse lists the particular aspects in which the Brahmins have conquered, and emphasizes the most important piece of knowledge which is unknown. This draws the audience’s attention to the undefined path of the atman. Siddhartha’s sole objective is to become one with his inner soul, and he sees that in order to reach this, he must find hope in a new adventure. He is optimistic in finding happiness and nirvana, and recognizes that he must remove himself from the comfort of his home in order to achieve this. Ultimately, Siddhartha’s discontent and frustration drive him to create a new chapter in his life as a Shramana.
I agree. I also think that this questioning is a common theme throughout the book. Siddhartha isn't satisfied until the end that he has found the happy medium, that he has found his atman (or his detachment from atman). Siddhartha also finds that he dislikes teachers, because he believes that what he is trying to find, he must find himself. I like how you pointed out that Hesse replaces Siddhartha's uncertainty with his confidence in other's lack of knowledge. It's another thread that's woven through the book. Siddhartha thinks he knows more than everyone else, until he meets the ferryman for the second time and asks him to teach Siddhartha everything he knows. Once Siddhartha learns from the ferryman and the river, he becomes happy and at peace.
I agree with your analysis of the tone of uncertainty that Hesse uses in this passage. I also believe that the questions help to create confusion; confusion that Siddhartha is currently feeling about finding his atman. This confusion that Siddhartha experiences helps prompts his journey to find his atman. The long repetition of questions also helps to connect the reader to Siddhartha’s situation by evoking thought in the reader, which not only keeps the reader interested in the plot, but also tries to give the reader a more personal connection with Siddhartha’s desire to find his atman. Also, the repeated use of impassioned exclamatory phrases following his questions further involves the reader in Siddhartha’s thoughts and feelings.
"Siddhartha gave his garments to a poor Brahman in the street. He wore nothing more than the loincloth and the earth-coloured, unsown cloak. He ate only once a day, and never something cooked. He fasted for fifteen days. He fasted for twenty-eight days. The flesh waned from his thighs and cheeks. Feverish dreams flickered from his enlarged eyes, long nails grew slowly on his parched fingers and a dry, shaggy beard grew on his chin. His glance turned to icy when he encountered women; his mouth twitched with contempt, when he walked through a city of nicely dressed people. He saw merchants trading, princes hunting, mourners wailing for their dead, whores offering themselves, physicians trying to help the sick, priests determining the most suitable day for seeding, lovers loving, mothers nursing their children—and all of this was not worthy of one look from his eye, it all lied, it all stank, it all stank of lies, it all pretended to be meaningful and joyful and beautiful, and it all was just concealed putrefaction. The world tasted bitter. Life was torture." (Hesse 7)
Analysis: In this passage, Siddartha begins his life as a Samana. He lives without any pleasures that he grew accustomed to; food, water, personal hygiene. It appears that Siddhartha grows cold and bitter due to the life, "His glance turned to icy when he encountered women; his mouth twitched with contempt, when he walked through a city of nicely dressed people," (7). To feel contempt is to feel so above someone else, they are worthless in comparison. Hesse paints the picture of a Siddartha void of humanity, filled with nothing that made him the man that he once was, empty. This is the way of the ascetics; to be is to suffer, existing is suffering, The only way to end the suffering is to be enlightened, and to the ascetics, living an empty life would leave room for something greater. However, Hesse uses words like "stank," "illusion," "decay," and "torment" to show just how full Siddartha still is. He isn't actually empty, just void of happiness. The passage suggests that Siddartha has changed more than he actually has. Siddartha gave his clothes to a poor man, showing the kindness first described by Hesse, but in the matter of a couple of sentences Siddartha seems to have lost all of his old self, showing kindness to no one. What isn't in this passage, but is present throughout the rest of the novel is Siddartha's search for atman. He left the Brahmins in order to find it, and later in the same section he leaves the Samanas because he feels he still can't find it. Hesse does this to show that the loss of kindness is a much smaller character change than the loss of faith or hope in realizing one's goals.
In the beginning of the novel, Herman Hesse writes, “In the shade of the house, in the sunshine on the river bank by the boats, in the shade of the sallow wood and the fig tree, Siddhartha, the handsome Brahmin’s son, grew up with his friend Govinda. The sun browned his slender shoulders on the river bank, while bathing at the holy ablutions, at the holy sacrifices. Shadows passed across his eyes in the mango grove during play, while his mother sang, during his father’s teachings, when with the learned men.” This passage is an example of parallelism. Hesse’s repetitive use of light (from the sunshine) and dark (portrayed by the shade of the trees, browned shoulders, and shadows across his eyes) constitute a flow in the reading. Having parallel structure in his writing creates balance and movement to the story, providing an easier way for the reader to process the storyline.
As the story throughout the novel progresses, it is evident Siddhartha’s wisdom far surpasses his age. Although Siddhartha is seen as a wise and handsome man by others, he was unhappy with the teachings of the elderly and the path he was taking at the time. On page 5, Hesse describes the dissatisfaction Siddhartha experienced as a Brahmin acknowledging light and dark, “Dreams and restless thoughts came flowing to him from the river, from the twinkling stars at night, from the sun’s melting rays.” The mention of day and night produces a sense of restlessness Siddhartha felt as he began to question the life he was pursuing. No matter the time of the day, he did not feel at ease with the idea of Atman and the life-long mission to find the Self. Even as a Samana, Siddhartha continued to question life as an ascetic. It is said, “Although Siddhartha fled from the Self a thousand times, dwelt in nothing, dwelt in animal and stone, the return was inevitable; the hour was inevitable when he would again find himself, in sunshine or in moonlight, in shadow or in rain, and was again Self and Siddhartha, again felt the torment of the onerous life cycle.” (Hesse 16). The vicious cycle of hearing the teachings and not learning was taking a toll in his heart. Light or dark, he was not able to escape the maze of his mission to find true happiness and felt discontent with his progress.
““You’ll get tired, Siddhartha.” “I’ll get tired.” “You’ll fall asleep, Siddhartha.” “I will not fall asleep.” “You’ll die, Siddhartha.” “I will die.” “And would you rather die than obey your father.” “Siddhartha has always obeyed his father.” “So will you give up your idea?” “Siddhartha will do what his father tells him.” The first daylight shone in to the room. The Brahmin saw that Siddhartha’s knees were shaking slightly. But he saw no wavering in Siddhartha’s face. The eyes were fixed on the distance. Then the father realized that Siddhartha was already no longer home with him, that he had left him already” (Hesse 10).
Analysis: In this passage, Siddhartha awaits his father’s permission to begin his journey to adopt the Samana lifestyle. The conversation between the two escalates as Siddhartha remains relentless in altering his decision. Siddhartha feels deeply enough about reinventing his life that he is willing to go against the wishes of his father and leave his religion and home. Hesse implements the strong nature of the protagonist as Siddhartha claims to rather die than to remain within his father’s reins. Ultimately, Siddhartha goes against the norms of his culture to set on a new journey of his own. These same actions reflect a common trait of determination in Siddhartha. Hesse includes this passage to show readers the turning point that Siddhartha will attempt to do whatever it takes to find atman. His willpower to honor his own decision is overwhelmingly tough and is conveyed as Siddhartha puts aside the physical pain of standing all night to convince his father of his commitment. This confrontation is the first of events that separates Siddhartha from a frequent Budda. His thirsty mind guides him to develop a plan to achieve nirvana. His father realizes his son’s stubbornness and accepts the truth as Hesse writes, “…Siddhartha was already no longer home with him, that he had left already” (10). With an ever-growing desire to find a higher purpose in life, Hesse uses this passage to foreshadow later events where Siddhartha is at war with following his loved ones or continuing on with his journey to find a sense of self. Hesse included this confrontation to show readers the level of strength and determination in Siddhartha’s mindset to achieve atman. The exaggeration in his responses creates a sense of mockery to those he speaks to because he feels his decision to search for nirvana is above all other reasoning. This passage addresses one of the overall themes of internal guidance and following one’s beliefs.
Passage: "And so Gotama wandered into the town to obtain alms, and the two Samanas recognized him only by his complete peacefulness of demeanor, by the stillness of his form, in which there was no seeking, no will, no counterfeit, no effort - only line and peace... He [Siddhartha] was not very curious about the teachings. He did not think they would teach him anything new. He, as well as Govinda, had heard the substance of the Buddha's teachings, if only from second and third-hand reports. But he looked attentively at Gotama's head, at his shoulders, at his feet, at his still, downward-hanging hand, and it seemed to him that in every joint of every finger of his hand there was knowledge; they spoke, breathed, radiated truth. The man, this Buddha, was truly a holy man to his fingertips. Never had Siddhartha esteemed a man so much, never had he loved a man so much." (Hesse 28)
Analysis: This passage contains excellent examples of parallelism or use of words that emphasize part of the story. For example, in the first sentence, Hesse writes "...no seeking, no will, no counterfeit, no effort..." acknowledging Buddha's encounter with peace and lack of no longer seeking for the truth, something Siddhartha is longing to discover for himself. In the middle of the passage, it says Siddhartha survey "...at his shoulders, at his feet, at his still, downward-hanging hand..." Siddhartha noticed The Illustrious One's body language and how every part of his body, each fingertip, discovered how to live in harmony with the world and oneself. It was easy to spot Buddha from the crowd of seekers. His outside appearance completely radiated with peace. Siddhartha envied Buddha's exposure to self-enlightenment. Going back on the thought-provoking questions Siddhartha asked himself in the beginning of the novel, all of those were discovered by Gotama himself. In the last sentence, the author stresses Siddhartha's love for Gotama. After years of questioning the Self and finding the Atman, he yearned to become just like the only one who had found true enlightenment at the time.
“With a half smile, with an unshakable brightness and kindliness, Gotama looked the stranger in the eye and dismissed him with a scarcely visible gesture. ‘You are clever, shramana,’ said the Venerable One. ‘You know how to speak cleverly, my friend. Beware of excessive cleverness!’ The Buddha moved on, and his gaze and his half smile remained engraved in Siddhartha’s memory forever. I have never seen anyone with such a gaze, I have never seen anyone smile, sit, and walk in such a way, he thought. In truth that is just the way I would like to be able to gaze, smile, sit, and walk – so free, so worthy, so hidden, so open, so childlike, and so mysterious. Truly only a person who has penetrated to the inmost part of his self gazes and walks like that. I, too, shall surely try to penetrate to the inmost part of my self. I have seen a man, one and only one, Siddhartha thought, before whom I had to lower my gaze. Before no other will I ever lower my gaze, no other. No other teaching will seduce me, since this teaching has not seduced me. The Buddha robbed me, thought Siddhartha, he robbed me, yet he gave me even more. He robbed me of my friend, who believed in me and now believes in him, who was my shadow and is now Gotama’s shadow. But he gave me Siddhartha, he gave me myself” (Hesse 29).
This passage occurs directly after Siddhartha has met Gotama, the Buddha. In this passage, Siddhartha is being enlightened by Gotama, which leaves him stunned. Hesse uses descriptive diction to describe Gotama’s “half smile, with an unshakable brightness and kindliness” which helps to show Gotama’s unwavering peacefulness with himself. There is also frequent mention of Gotama’s gaze. In the novel, it is almost as if one’s gaze is a “shield” that protects him or her from someone else’s ideas or power. Siddhartha also mentions that there has been only one person before for whom he “had to lower [his] gaze” and that “before no other will [he] ever lower [his] gaze, no other.” These quotes show how Gotama made Siddhartha lower his gaze to fall under his teaching. Siddhartha is not accustomed to this feeling because he is used to other people falling before his gaze. In addition, there is also a general shift in tone of the passage. Towards the beginning of the excerpt, Siddhartha is almost awestruck by Gotama’s “gaze” and “half smile”. The use of repetition when Siddhartha describes how he wants to be “so free, so worthy, so hidden, so open, so childlike, and so mysterious” like Gotama helps to show Siddhartha’s flow of thoughts as he contemplates in awe of Gotama’s behavior. However, towards the end of the passage, Siddhartha becomes more skeptical and rejecting of Gotama’s teaching. He says that “no other teaching will seduce me, since this teaching has not seduced me”. Siddhartha starts to deny the fact that he was seduced by Gotama’s teaching, and he even starts to ridicule The Buddha for “robbing [him]” and “robbing [him] of [his] friend”. However, we can still see a hint of realization and reverence of Gotama in Siddhartha with the last line, “But he gave me Siddhartha, he gave me myself.” This line makes it seem as though despite Siddhartha’s disagreement with Gotama’s thoughts, he still accepts that fact that he has been enlightened by Gotama, and he is thankful for this enlightenment.
Slowly walking along, Siddhartha pondered. He realized that he was no youth any more, but had turned into a man. He realized that one thing had left him, as a snake is left by its old skin, that one thing no longer existed in him, which had accompanied him throughout his youth and used to be a part of him: the wish to have teachers and to listen to teachings. He had also left the last teacher who had appeared on his path, even him, the highest and wisest teacher, the most holy one, Buddha, he had left him, had to part with him, was not able to accept his teachings. Slower, he walked along in his thoughts and asked himself: “But what is this, what you have sought to learn from teachings and from teachers, and what they, who have taught you much, were still unable to teach you?” And he found: “It was the self, the purpose and essence of which I sought to learn. It was the self, I wanted to free myself from, which I sought to overcome. But I was not able to overcome it, could only deceive it, could only flee from it, only hide from it. Truly, no thing in this world has kept my thoughts thus busy, as this my very own self, this mystery of me being alive, of me being one and being separated and isolated from all others, of me being Siddhartha! And there is no thing in this world I know less about than about me, about Siddhartha!”
This excerpt from "Awakening" contains the first notions of Siddhartha finding his own path. Continuing on his idea that there is nothing to learn from teachers, Siddhartha realizes that he couldn't learn what the Brahmins, Samanas, and Gotama were teaching because it wasn't what he needs to learn. Siddhartha needs to learn about himself, "And there is no thing in this world I know less about than about me, about Siddhartha!” (Hesse 21). Now that Siddhartha knows what he needs to learn, he can set about on his own path. At the end of "Awakening," Siddhartha once again disobeys his father, "And it was not long until he walked again in long strides, started to proceed swiftly and impatiently, heading no longer for home, no longer to his father, no longer back" (23). Siddhartha finds a new inner form of motivation, a fire burning inside him, just like the one that was there when he left his family behind. He now takes his first strides towards it. The metaphor of the snake, "He realized that one thing had left him, as a snake is left by its old skin, that one thing no longer existed in him," (21), is used as visual imagery to allow the reader to imagine how Siddhartha feels about himself. A snake shedding its old skin is often compared to rebirth, or another chance at life for the snake; new skin means new life. Siddhartha shedding his old skin signifies his new outlook on life, and his revised goal in life. The left behind skin could also be used to represent Govinda. Siddhartha is now going through life without something that he has had since the very beginning, and it is a new feeling to him. He no longer has his shadow to follow him everywhere.
“[Siddhartha] was little interested in the teaching; he doubted it would contain anything new to him, since, like Govinda, he had repeatedly heard the content of the Buddhadharma, even if only second- or thirdhand. But he kept his eye attentively on the Buddha’s head, his shoulders, his feet, on his still, loose hand; and it seemed to him that every joint on every finger of this hand was a teaching, that it spoke truth, breathed truth, smelled of truth, glowed with truth. This man, this Buddha, was in truth who he was even in the movements of his little fingers. This man was holy. Never had Siddhartha so venerated anyone, never had he loved a person as he loved this one.” (Hesse 23)
This passage describes Siddhartha’s first impression of the Buddha. He doesn’t believe the teaching will tell him anything new, but he respects the Buddha because he seems so at peace with himself. The Buddha embodies Siddhartha’s goals, though he arrived at that state through a different method than Siddhartha is planning to take. Hesse uses long sentences to give the impression of the Buddha’s movement: slow, methodical, and accurate. Additionally, the sentence, “This man was holy.” (Hesse 23), stands out because it is so short. It is when Siddhartha realizes that the Buddha is something different. He is sacred and holy, and knows how to achieve enlightenment. The way Hesse describes Siddhartha as keeping “...his eye attentively on the Buddha’s head, his shoulders, his feet, on his still, loose hand...” (Hesse 23) demonstrates that though Siddhartha believes he is above others’ teachings, he still has a thirst for knowledge. Siddhartha loves to learn from others, whether he admits it or not, and when he sees the Buddha, he can’t help but try and learn something from someone so venerable and holy. Every part of the Buddha emanates peace and truth, even his “little fingers”. This point is really hammered home when Hesse uses parallel structure to say, “... [The Buddha] spoke truth, breathed truth, smelled of truth, glowed with truth.” (Hesse 23) The repetition of the word “truth” makes it unforgettable. The Buddha has reached enlightenment, and has seen the truth of the universe. Using parallel structure again, Hesse begins two sentences with the words “this man”. Each sentence contains a matter-of-fact statement, telling the reader the truth about the Buddha: he is holy and he was who he was in every part of his being.
“Out of this moment, in which the world melted away from around him, in which he was alone like a star in the sky--out of his moment of frigidity and dejection, Siddhartha arose more of an ego than ever before, more tightly clenched within. His feeling was: That was the last shudder of awakening, the last pang of birth. And immediately he resumed his journey, walking with haste and impatience, no longer back in the direction of home or father, not back anywhere.” (Hesse 33).
This concluding passage in “Awakening” summarizes Siddhartha’s realization in finding himself and atman. It explains his clarity in the decision to leave Govinda and the Venerable One in order to pursue enlightenment. Siddhartha recognizes that no teacher will be able to express their experience of internal liberation distinctly enough to be understood by others. He must now attain peace in his innermost being by making his own path and experiencing enlightenment for himself. It becomes clear to him that an ego is not something to destroy (like the Shramanas practiced), but something to embrace. Diction such as “awakening”, “birth”, and “journey” cause the reader to feel as if they are reborn into a fresh new world, as Siddhartha feels it is the first time he is observing the world. Solitary imagery is used to isolate Siddhartha and his unique revelation in a godly manner. Examples of this include the metaphor, “the world melted away from around him” (Hesse 33), and the simile, “like a star in the sky” (Hesse 33). These sentences using figurative language begin to distance Siddhartha from the average brahmin or shramana, and behold him as something greater. In addition, words like “immediately”, “haste”, and “impatience” create a tone of urgency towards starting his new path. The syntax consists of long sentences, which continue on after being sewn together with multiple commas. This causes the reader’s mind to flow with Siddhartha’s thinking. Hesse’s audience then feels Siddhartha’s thoughts climax and come to a strong conclusion with his new perspective on life.
“They heard his voice, and that too was perfect, characterized be perfect calmness and peace. Gotama taught the teaching of suffering, the origin of suffering and the path to the cessation of suffering. His quiet discourse flowed calm and clear. Life was suffering, the world was full of suffering, but liberation from suffering had been found. He who followed the path of the Budda attained liberation. With a gentle but firm voice, the Exalted One taught the four main truths and the eightfold path. Patiently he followed the customary course of the teaching, giving the examples and making the repetitions. His voice floated bright and still over the listeners like a light, like a sky full of stars” (Hesse 24).
Analysis: At this point in the book, Siddhartha and Govinda have found the Buddha and have heard him teach. In the first section of this passage, Hesse describes the fundamental beliefs of a Buddha when he says, “Life was suffering, the world was full of suffering, but liberation from suffering had been found” (24). Hesse complies that living the lifestyle of a Buddha will be the ultimate savior from the evil in the world. All around there is suffering, but those who commit themselves to this religion will remain free. This is an ideal theme in the novel as it addresses the faith required to rid oneself of sins and to seek out nirvana. Hesse furthers this point by characterizing the Buddha’s voice as perfect, calm and peace. These descriptions are familiar synonyms to holy, as a Buddha’s lifestyle to be known as righteous in the writings of Hesse, and the story of Siddhartha. In the second part of this passage, the Buddha’s voice was conveyed with a sense of peace. On page twenty four, Hesse writes, “His voice floated bright and still over the listeners like a light, like a sky full of stars”. This description starts with personifying the Buddha’s voice to create a light, airy dynamic in the setting. It becomes clear that the listeners, Siddhartha and Govinda, are compelled by his peaceful words. Hesse then compares his voice to light, a common symbol for things holy and pure, to portray the sincerity of the Buddha’s teachings. It ends with the relation of listeners to a sky full of stars, as if the Buddha was the sun, and all the rest were planets orbiting their way to the light, the light being the Buddha’s way to finding atman.
"Siddhartha learned something new on every step of his path, for the world was transformed, and his heart was enchanted. He saw the sun rising over the mountains with their forests and setting over the distant beach with its palm-trees. At night, he saw the stars in the sky in their fixed positions and the crescent of the moon floating like a boat in the blue. He saw trees, stars, animals, clouds, rainbows, rocks, herbs, flowers, stream and river, the glistening dew in the bushes in the morning, distant height mountains which were blue and pale, birds sang and bees buzzed, wind silvery blew through the rice-field. All of this, a thousand-fold and colorful, had always been there, always the sun and the moon had shone, always rivers had roared and bees had buzzed, but in former times all of this had been nothing more to Siddhartha than a fleeting, deceptive veil before his eyes, looked upon in distrust, destined to be penetrated and destroyed by thought, since it was not the essential existence, since this essence lay beyond, on the other side of, the visible. But now, his liberated eyes stayed on this side, he saw and became aware of the visible, sought to be at home in this world, did not search for the true essence, did not aim at a world beyond. Beautiful was this world, looking at it thus, without searching, thus simply, thus childlike. Beautiful were the moon and the stars, beautiful was the stream and the banks, the forest and the rocks, the goat and the gold-beetle, the flower and the butterfly. Beautiful and lovely it was, thus to walk through the world, thus childlike, thus awoken, thus open to what is near, thus without distrust. Differently the sun burnt the head, differently the shade of the forest cooled him down, differently the stream and the cistern, the pumpkin and the banana tasted. Short were the days, short the nights, every hour sped swiftly away like a sail on the sea, and under the sail was a ship full of treasures, full of joy," (Hesse 25).
There is a difference between the natural and the spiritual realm, and it is outlined in this passage from the beginning of "Kamala." Hesse uses visual and auditory imagery to illustrate the natural world, while using Siddhartha's new outlook on life to explain that the spiritual realm can be used as a way to amplify one's perception of the physical. Hesse uses trance-like and colorful language throughout the passage, "crescent of the moon floating like a boat in the blue," "glistening dew," "birds sang and bees buzzed, wind silverly blew," (Hesse 25). This language serves as visual and auditory imagery; placing the reader next to Siddhartha, re-experiencing nature in all of its beauty for the first time. These parts of nature that everyone experiences as a child are being described with the that same childish joy. This is due to Siddhartha's experience as a Samana. He walked along a purely spiritual path for so long that he learned to take the best of both, "But now, his liberated eyes... a world beyond," (25). What Hesse teaches through this is that living in the natural world could provide just as much happiness and enlightenment as living in the spiritual. It took Siddhartha living on one side for all his life, then on the other for a significant amount of time to realize that he was already close to happiness. One perspective is that it is a "you don't know what you have until it is gone" type of lesson. However, more accurately, the lesson is similar to the one the ferryman teaches, "This too, I have learned from the river: everything returns!" (27). Siddhartha returned to his original realm after experiencing a journey on the other side more enlightened than if he had not crossed his own river.
I definitely agree with you about how Hesse uses different types of imagery to really paint a scene for the reader. However, I would like to add a little more analysis to this passage, specifically around the syntax of the sentences and some use of anaphora. For example, Hesse uses the word “beautiful” at the beginnings of sentences as well as in the middle of sentences like “Beautiful was the world…” and “Beautiful were the moon and the stars, beautiful was the stream and the banks…”. This helps to further emphasize the beauty of nature while still using the trance-like and colorful language that you point out. This is an interesting element that Hesse uses to immerse the reader into the setting.
“Now and then he sensed, deep in his breast, a faint, moribund voice, which faintly warned, softly complained – he could barely hear it. Then one day it came to his mind that he was leading a strange life, that the things he was occupied with were purely a game, that though he was in a cheerful frame of mind and sometimes felt happy, real life was passing him by without touching him. He was playing with his business dealings the way a juggler plays with balls; in the same way he played with the people around him, watched them, was amused by them. But he was not present to all this with his heart, with the wellspring of his being. That spring was running somewhere far away, running on unseen, and had nothing to do with his life anymore. More than once he recoiled from these thoughts, wishing it were possible for him to take part wholeheartedly and enthusiastically in the childish going-on of everyday life, to be able really to live, really to act, really to enjoy life instead of merely being an observer watching it go by” (Hesse 56).
This passage occurs after Siddhartha has experienced a life full of pleasures and luxuries with the help of Kamala and Kamaswami. He starts to believe that the life he was living was not purely a happy one. Hesse uses the word “strange” to describe Siddhartha’s life. The word “strange” can be interpreted as how Siddhartha is neither extremely sad nor extremely happy with his life, but rather unsure and dissatisfied. Siddhartha felt as though “real life was passing him by without touching him” (Hesse 56) which means that although he had moments of happiness, he is not experiencing the life he wanted to live; the life he wanted to live is close, but he is not achieving it. There is also another mention of a “spring” in this passage, similar to the “primordial spring” which is the source of atman, mentioned earlier in the novel. This “spring” is “running somewhere far away, running on unseen, and had nothing to do with his life anymore” (Hesse 56). Siddhartha is beginning to realize that the life he is living is causing his disconnection to the primordial spring and original source of atman. Hesse also uses commas and long syntax to lengthen phrases and make the passage flow well. Every sentence in this passage has at least one comma. This helps to create a string of consciousness of which the reader can experience and relate to as Siddhartha is thinking. Hesse also uses a simile to compare “his business dealings” with “the way a juggler plays with balls” (Hesse 56). This shows the indifference that Siddhartha had towards these activities. He was involved with these dealings and activities, yet he was disconnected because he was not living a satisfactory life. In addition, Siddhartha becomes more and more certain that he is dissatisfied with his current life as the passage continues. The idea that Siddhartha was not living a “real life” started as just “a faint, moribund voice”. However, then he starts to ponder more deeply and to wish to be able to “really enjoy life instead of merely being an observer watching it go by” (Hesse 57).
Passage: “Siddhartha learned something new on every step of his path, for the world was transformed and he was enthralled. He saw the sun rise over forest and mountains set over the distant palm shore. At night he saw the stars in the heavens and the sickle-shaped moon floating like a boat in the blue… All this, colored and in a thousand different forms, had always been there. The sun and moon had always shone; the rivers had always flowed and the bees hummed, but in previous times all this had been nothing to Siddhartha but a fleeting and illusive veil before his eyes, regarded with distrust, condemned to be disregarded, and ostracized from the thoughts, because it was not reality, because reality lay on the other side of the visible. But now his eyes lingered on this side; he saw and recognized the visible and he sought his place in this world. He did not seek reality; his goal was not on any other side. The world was beautiful when he looked at in this way - without any seeking, so simple, so childlike… It was beautiful and pleasant to go through the world like that, so childlike, so awakened, so concerned with the immediate, without any distrust. Elsewhere, the sun burned fiercely, elsewhere there was cool in the forest shade; elsewhere there were pumpkins and bananas. The days and nights were short, every hour passed quickly like a sail on the sea, beneath the sail of a ship of treasures, full of joy.” (Hesse 46)
Analysis: During this part of the novel, Govinda had left his side to follow a new leader, Gotama. Siddhartha is now walking on a new path in his life after this occurrence. He is seeing everything in the world, the trees, the rivers, the sun, as it is, for once, realizing their beauty. It was now made easier to appreciate the world and their correlation with one another. Before this awakening, he had believed everything was an illusion and sought to seek reality. Now, he accepts the world as it is, giving him a new perspective. Herman Hesse uses many different types of imagery in this passage. In the beginning, Hesse points out the sun and moon shining, trees in the forest, mountains to the side, rivers flowing and bees humming. He mentions the stars above, acknowledging the sky as heaven, providing a lightened mood to the story. Using simile, the reflection of the moon on the water is compared to a boat in the blue. All of this is to create an environment in which the reader sees what Siddhartha sees and feel the weight lifted off their shoulders. There is also evidence of parallel structure to put more emphasis on Siddhartha's awakening, such as the repetitiveness of the word "elsewhere" in the second to last sentence. The word "simple" and "childlike" is used to create a feel of Siddhartha living an easier life than before, similar to what a child experiences. The last sentence describes life as a ship sailing with treasures of joy below. Now, he has learned to accept his potential in the world.
“Siddhartha learned something new every step of the way. For the world had been transformed, and his heart was enraptured. He saw the sun rise over the wooded hills and go down over the distant palm-lined shore. At night he saw the stars arrayed across the sky and the crescent moon floating like a boat in the blue. He saw trees, stars, animals, clouds, rainbows, rocks, herbs, flowers, streams and rivers, dew glittering on the brush in the morning, distant lofty peaks blue and pale; birds and bees sang their songs, the wind blew silver in the rice fields. The myriads of colorful things had always been there; the sun and moon had always shone, rivers had always rushed and bees hummed. But in former days all this had been nothing more for Siddhartha than a transitory and beguiling veil before his eyes, viewed with distrust, meant to be punctured by thought and destroyed, since it was not the essence, since the essence lay beyond the visible. But now his unfettered vision dwelt here - he saw and acknowledged the visible, sought his home in this world. He no longer pursued the essence or looked toward the beyond. The world was beautiful when one just looked at it without looking for anything, just simply, as a child.” (Hesse 38)
Analysis:
This passage, at the beginning of the chapter “Kamala”, depicts a turning point in Siddhartha’s journey. Up until this point, he has been searching for a deeper meaning in everything, taking nothing at face value. Now that he has decided to take a different path, he begins to appreciate beautiful things at face value. “The world was beautiful when one just looked at it without looking for anything, just simply, as a child,” Hesse writes, giving the reader the impression that Siddhartha is looking at the world in a whole new way, the way a child does (Hesse 38). The child simile is repeated throughout the book, to describe the Buddha first and then the “child people” that Siddhartha will soon encounter in Kamala’s city. When he refers to something as a child, he believes that he is above it- after all, the reader never meets a young Siddhartha. He is introduced as a young man. Siddhartha likens the Buddha to a child, and then later discredits him. Likewise, when he becomes a merchant, he views everyone else as a child: catering to their own needs and wants and not seeing the “bigger picture” of life. In this passage, he mentions being childlike because it demonstrates how different Siddhartha is in this moment. Hesse writes, “He no longer pursued the essence or looked toward the beyond,” again making apparent to the reader Siddhartha’s new worldview (Hesse 38). Hesse uses long sentences and lists, which have an almost poetic flow to them, to impress upon the reader the multitudes of new things Siddhartha is experiencing, and how beautiful everything is. This passage is fitting at the beginning of Part Two of the book.
I completely agree with your idea of Siddhartha’s new perspective of the world. It was necessary for him to leave his teachers and create his own path in order to find his Atman. This materialistic world seems almost foreign to Siddhartha, as he previously believed it to be beneath him. I really like your analysis of the child simile and how Siddhartha changes with the use of it throughout the novel. It is also interesting how Siddhartha continually credits himself as more respectable and above the “child people”. Even when Siddhartha is working with the merchant, he does not think of Kamaswami as his equal.
“Pride flared up suddenly within him. He was no longer a shramana; it was no longer fitting for him to beg. He gave the rice cake to a dog and did without eating. This worldly life is easy, thought Siddhartha. There is nothing difficult in it. Everything was hard, and in the end, hopeless, when I was a shramana. Now everything is easy, easy like the kissing lesson that Kamala gave me. I needed clothes and money, and that is all. Those are trivial, easily fulfilled goals, nothing worth losing sleep over.” (Hesse 47)
This passage in the chapter “Kamala” portrays a new side of Siddhartha. Siddhartha’s departure from Govinda and the Shramanas has led him to a village of “children”. The people of this town live very materialistic and shallow lives when juxtaposed with Siddhartha’s past. A beautiful woman named Kamala teaches Siddhartha the art of love and convinces him to work with a merchant in order to obtain a high social status. Previously, this would have disgusted Siddhartha, but he is willing to compromise in order to learn from Kamala. Hesse repeatedly uses diction such as “easy” and “trivial” to express Siddhartha’s view of the “regular” world. The bland diction depicts the society as dull and unspiritual. In the introduction of the passage, it is clearly portrayed that Siddhartha thinks of himself as above the ranking of a shramana and beggar. The syntax which Hesse uses creates quicker and simpler thoughts. Siddhartha’s usual complexity is washed away and the audience feels as though he is a new being. At the same time, the reader’s mood changes and almost fears that Siddhartha is going down the wrong path. It seems logical that this path to atman would disregard pride and materialism. Siddhartha’s willingness to leap into this society stems from his “love for Kamala”. It is never explicitly stated it Siddhartha loves Kamala or he loves the art of making love. For example, in a later passage Kamala says, “But in spite of all that, my dear, you have remained a shramana and you do not love me” (Hesse 58). This is quite confusing to the reader as formerly, Siddhartha consumed himself into the “Childish world” in exchange for Kamala’s love.
“Siddhartha learned something new every step of the way. For the world has been transformed, and his heart was enraptured. He saw the sun rise over the wooded hills and go down over the distant palm-lined shore. At night he saw the stars arrayed across the sky and the crescent moon floating like a boat in the blue .He saw trees, stars, animals, clouds, rainbows, rocks, herbs, flowers, streams and rivers, dew glistening on the brush in the morning, distant lofty peaks blue and pale; birds and bees sand their songs, the wind blew silver in the rice fields. These myriads of colorful things had always been there the sun and moon had always shone, rivers had always rushed and bees hummed. But un former days all this had been nothing more fir Siddhartha than a transitory and beguiling veil before his eyes, viewed with distrust, meant to be punctured by thought and destroyed, since it was not the essence, since the essence lay beyond the visible” (Hesse 37).
Analysis: This passage embarks a major turning point in Siddhartha’s mind. Seeing the world for as it is, he begins to recognize the beauty in his surroundings. This is the first time Siddhartha has connected to the world visually. He has broken away from his spiritual confinements which would leave him paralyzed to overlook the life around him. In this passage, Hesse defines in detail the way in which Siddhartha is viewing his surroundings. Positive annotations are created through the use of similes, for example, “…the crescent moon floating like a boat in the blue”. Siddhartha opens his mind to a more humane lifestyle, foreshadowing the acceptance to love which also arise when he meets Kamala. One of the largest changes this passage conveys is the departure from the spiritual world where Siddhartha was isolated to. By recognizing and appreciating the surround scenery, Siddhartha allows himself to learn and be changed by his new mindset, when previously he viewed the physical world as only an illusion. When Hesse writes about how the sun and moon has ‘always shone’, and the rivers ‘always rushed’, he is conveying the idea that Siddhartha had forever known these to be true, but never before looked at them the same. He was taught to view this world with ‘distrust’, and all of its beauty to be overthought because spiritually, it was unimportant. Siddhartha’s coming realization of the world around him draws a major development in his character and journey and he separated his own life form the spiritual one he has been living.
“Did you,” so he asked him at one time, “did you too learn that secret from the river: that there is no time?” Vasudeva’s face was filled with a bright smile. “Yes, Siddhartha,” he spoke. “It is this what you mean, isn’t it: that the river is everywhere at once, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the rapids, in the sea, in the mountains, everywhere at once, and that there is only the present time for it, not the shadow of the past, not the shadow of the future?” “This it is,” said Siddhartha. “And when I had learned it, I looked at my life, and it was also a river, and the boy Siddhartha was only separated from the man Siddhartha and from the old man Siddhartha by a shadow, not by something real. Also, Siddhartha’s previous births were no past, and his death and his return to Brahma were no future. Nothing was, nothing will be; everything is, everything has existence and is present.” Siddhartha spoke with ecstasy; deeply, this enlightenment had delighted him. Oh, was not all suffering time, where not all forms of tormenting oneself and being afraid time, was not everything hard, everything hostile in the world gone and overcome as soon as one had overcome time, as soon as time would have been put out of existence by one’s thoughts? In ecstatic delight, he had spoken, but Vasudeva smiled at him brightly and nodded in confirmation; silently he nodded, brushed his hand over Siddhartha’s shoulder, turned back to his work,” (Hesse 55-56).
To live is to be in the present. When people recall their pasts, they do so in the present. When they think of the future, they do so in the present. What Siddhartha and Vasudeva speak of in this passage is that life is like the river. Past, present, and future are all one; they all occur within existence. It is humans who place the blockades between these realms of life, not anything else. It is the notion of time that creates suffering according to Siddhartha, “Oh, was not all suffering time... existence by one’s thoughts,” (56). Again, the theme of “Existence is suffering” rears its head. This key part of the Four Noble Truths is overcome, signifying that Siddhartha has moved forward on the Eightfold Path, closer to Nirvana than ever before. The smile also reappears in this passage. The motif of the smile appears anytime someone who is enlightened interacts with Siddhartha. The first example of this is with Gotama, the Buddha. Now, Vasudeva “smiled at [Siddhartha,]” (56). Before, the smile was never at someone; those who are enlightened simply smiled. Now, a smile is directed at Siddhartha. This symbolizes the enlightenment of Siddhartha, he is progressing along his path to Nirvana at a rate that Vasudeva can not ignore. He remains silent as he does not want to impede Siddhartha, he would rather let Siddhartha progress on his own than possibly distract him with words. Vasudeva knows that Siddhartha does not take kindly to teachers, so he behaves like an older brother or as Siddhartha’s father; always there to guide him along the river.
“Now Siddhartha also knew why, as a brahmin and an ascetic, his fight against this ego had been futile. Too much knowledge had held him back, too many sacred verses, too many ritual rules, too much denial, too much doing and striving. He had been full of arrogance-always the smartest, always the most industrious, always a step ahead of everybody, always wise and spiritual, always the priest or sage... No teacher could ever have saved him. That is why he had to go into the world and abandon himself to pleasure and power, women and money, why he had had to be a merchant, a dice player, a drinker, a man consumed with greed-until the priest and shramana within him were dead... He had died and a new Siddhartha had awakened from his sleep.” (Hesse 78).
This passage occurs in the end of the chapter “By the River”, where Siddhartha has recently abandoned his materialistic lifestyle in the village. He has come to the realization of how engulfed he had become in their childish world. As Siddhartha lays by the river, he becomes aware of his egotistical self. It is previously seen throughout the novel that Siddhartha believes everyone else to be beneath him. His arrogance got in the way of finding atman and made it so that “no teacher could ever have saved him”. He understands that fighting his ego only made it worse, and that the best option is to embrace himself. Hesse uses repetition to make the reader feel overwhelmed and emphasises the bad aspects of Siddhartha’s old lifestyle. Diction such as “pleasure”, “power”, “women”, “money”, “drinker”, and “greed” create a negative connotation towards the village and world he became consumed in. The metaphor, “He had died and a new Siddhartha had awakened from his sleep”, shows how Siddhartha has been born again as a “child”. This reincarnation leads him to the path of finding his own atman again. Another metaphor which is continually repeated is death, and it represents the parts of the old Siddhartha which have been erased from his current being. Specific details of Siddhartha’s past actions remind Hesse’s audience of his journey. Hesse uses long and complex sentences in order to make the reader feel tired, as Siddhartha feels. In addition, it brings the reader's attention to the quantity of undesirable habits that Siddhartha acquired while learning from the “child people”.
“Tenderly he gazed into the translucent greenness of the flowing water, at the crystalline lines of the mysterious designs it made. He saw pale pearls rising out of the depths and still bubbles floating on the surface with the image of the blue sky in them. The river looked at him with a thousand eyes, green ones, white ones, crystal ones, sky blue ones. How he loved this river, how it charmed him, how grateful he was to it! In his heart he heard the voice speaking, the newly awakened voice, and it said to him: “Love this river! Stay by it! Learn from it!” Oh yes, he wanted to learn from it, to listen to it. Whoever could understand this river and its mysteries, it seemed to him, would also understand many other things, many mysteries, all mysteries. Among the mysteries of the river today, however, he saw only one that gripped his soul. He saw that the river flowed and flowed, flowed ever onward, and yet was always there, was always the same yet every moment new! Oh, if one could grasp that, understand that! He did not understand or grasp it, felt only an inkling stir, a distant memory, divine voices” (Hesse 79).
This passage occurs after Siddhartha finally realizes his path to spiritual enlightenment. He is about to cross the river with the ferryman who he had previously encountered earlier in the novel. This excerpt gives an interesting and detailed description of the river from Siddhartha’s point of view and makes use of a multitude of literary devices to enhance the setting. Hesse uses visual imagery in lines such as “translucent greenness of the flowing water” or “bubbles floating on the surface with the image of the blue sky in them”. These sentences not only help to paint a vivid picture in the reader’s mind, but also to connect the reader to Siddhartha’s fascination with the river. The use of personification through diction with words like “eyes” and “voice” help to give human attributes to a nonliving object. This personification portrays the river as a wise, loving human being with which Siddhartha is extremely infatuated. In the first paragraph of this passage, Siddhartha almost deifies the river as something to learn from and listen to. He also believes that the river is the source of all understanding, and once one can “understand this river and its mysteries”, he or she “would understand many other things, many mysteries, all mysteries” (Hesse 79). In the second paragraph of this passage, Siddhartha continues to ponder the mysteries of the river that he strives to understand. After describing his yearning to understand the river and its mysteries, Siddhartha returns to the present reality and realizes that he has so much more to learn.
When I first read this part of the novel, I never noticed how the river can resemble a "human". This is one of the major turning points of the story because Siddhartha realizes this is how he will be able to be content with what he has in his life. It fascinates me how the beginning of the book mentions him not learning from his teachers because he thought they could only teach him what he already knows. Now, he is willing to "listen to the river" and have it guide him on this new path.
Passage: "During that time he had a dream. Kamala kept a small rare songbird in a small golden cage. It was about this bird that he dreamt. This bird, which usually sang in the morning, became mute, and as this surprised him, he went up to the cage and looked inside. The little bird was dead and lay stiff on the floor. He took it out, held it a moment in his hand and then threw it away on the road, and at the same moment he was horrified and his heart ached as if he had thrown away with this dead bird all that was good and of value in himself." (Hesse 82)
Analysis: At this point of the book, Siddhartha is extremely unhappy with the life he is leading. He was involved with gambling, drinking, and being with many different women, pleasures he refused to be a part of in the beginning of his journey. Before, discontent was driving him to push harder and find the Self. Now, it no longer motivated him to continue on and become the person he wished to be, satisfied and happy with all that he has. As he went to sleep, he had a dream about Kamala's songbird. This bird usually sang during the mornings, but Siddhartha had found it dead and, with no hesitation, tossed it on the side. This passage is a symbolism, the rare bird resembling his past life. The death of the bird and the action of tossing it away symbolizes his values during his spiritual life dying and evolving into a more secular world. Siddhartha did not wish to live out a life full of worldly possessions and he was disappointed it has led on for so long. This dream had made him realize he was turning into Kamaswami, a bitter merchant who becomes frustrated with failed transactions and value money and power. Getting rid of all these materialistic possessions were a part of his ascetic lifestyle in the beginning of the story. At first, Siddhartha refused to let business take over his mind. Year after year of living as a merchant, a drunk, a gambler, and Kamala’s lover, he had woken up from his sleep and became aware of the person he had become, discontent and sick. His soul was trapped in a cage and was slowly dying.
Passage: "Like a veil, like a thin mist, fatigue settled over Siddhartha, slowly, each day a bit thicker, each month a bit drearier, each year a bit heavier. As a new garment gets old with time, loses its vivid color, gets spotted, wrinkled, worn at the seams, and here and there begins to show weak, threadbare spots, in the same way Siddhartha's new life, which he had begun after his separation from Govinda, had grown old with the passing years and lost its color and luster, accumulated spots and wrinkles; and here and there, already poking through in an ugly fashion, waited the disappointment and revulsion that lay hidden beneath. Siddhartha failed to see it. He noticed only that the bright and confident voice of his inner being, which had once been awake within him and which in his times of brilliance had been his constant guide, had gone still." (Hesse 61)
Analysis: This passage describes how Siddhartha felt after living the life of the child people for many years. For most of those years, Siddhartha had lived as an outsider, playing a game in order to learn how the other half lived. He viewed himself as above them, more intelligent, more spiritual, seeing things for what they really were. Siddhartha did not value material wealth the same way Kamaswami did. However, after living a material life for so long, it begins to rub off on him, and he senses his inner light fading. Hesse uses only four sentences in this paragraph, with three of them being incredibly long. One sentence is only five words, which makes it stand out to the reader more, especially because it’s placed right after a whopping eighty-two-word sentence. The long middle sentence compares Siddhartha’s once-new material life to an old garment, describing it as “...spotted, wrinkled, [and] worn at the seams...” and telling that it has “... lost its color and luster, [and] accumulated spots and wrinkles...” (Hesse 61). This kind of diction is used by Hesse to give a feeling of deterioration, to show that Siddhartha’s new life is not holding up for long. Following this sentence is an incredibly short one: “Siddhartha failed to see it.” (Hesse 61). These sentences together show the reader what Siddhartha’s internal struggle is. His life has decayed and he doesn’t notice. He only notices that his inner light is flickering out.
“His face contorted, he stared into the water. He saw the reflection of his face and spat at it. Profoundly weary, he slipped his arm from the tree trunk and turned a little to allow himself to fall straight down, so he could go under at last. He sank, his eyes closed, towards death. Just then, from the remote precincts of his soul, out of one of the pasts of his outworn life, came a sound. It was a word, a syllable, which he began to mumble mindlessly, the old word from the beginning and end of every Brahmanic prayer, the sacred OM, which means something like “perfection” or “fulfillment”. And the moment the sound of OM reached Siddhartha’s ear, suddenly his slumbering mind awakened, and he recognized the foolishness of his action” (Hesse 70-71).
At the beginning of By the River, Hesse conveys the troubling mind of a lost, suicidal Siddhartha by the use of negative connotations and voice. On page 70, he writes, “His face contorted, he started into the water… He sank, eyes closed, towards death”. Throughout this passage there is a dark voice in the writing. Words like ‘contorted’ and ‘profoundly weary’ allow readers a clear visual image of the twisted thoughts which ultimately lead to Siddhartha letting go of the branch to his death. The final description of his fall relates closely to the act itself; suicide is short and quick, and Hesse used three fragmented pieces to display that. This passage also marks a major turning point in Siddhartha’s life, for recently he has been lost in the ascetic lifestyle of a merchant, which leaves him feeling drowned out in the world of a materialistic man. OM, the symbol of all Brahmanic prayer, is what saves Siddhartha from himself and revives his mind. Despite the choices he has made to live the last few years without spiritual guidance, it is evident that Siddhartha is personally connected in such a way to the Samama life that even in his darkest times, his spiritual beliefs will emerge to save him. Siddhartha had always believed in finding atman through Buddhism and his attempted suicide awoke his mind to find hope in continuing his search for enlightenment. Siddhartha rose from the river as a new man and has learned from his mistakes. His past as both an admired Buddha and wealthy merchant shows the contrast between finding happiness in riches and poor. Both experiences have etched their lessons into Siddhartha as he begins to continue on his way. Peace and happiness are not found in a single action, it is a mindset that can be applied to diverse events, and Siddhartha represents and models this theme through the novel.
“Siddhartha made an effort to listen better. The image of his father, his own image, the image of his son merged, Kamala’s image also appeared and was dispersed, and the image of Govinda, and other images, and they merged with each other, turned all into the river, headed all, being the river, for the goal, longing, desiring, suffering, and the river’s voice sounded full of yearning, full of burning woe, full of unsatisfiable desire. For the goal, the river was heading, Siddhartha saw it hurrying, the river, which consisted of him and his loved ones and of all people, he had ever seen, all of these waves and waters were hurrying, suffering, towards goals, many goals, the waterfall, the lake, the rapids, the sea, and all goals were reached, and every goal was followed by a new one, and the water turned into vapour and rose to the sky, turned into rain and poured down from the sky, turned into a source, a stream, a river, headed forward once again, flowed on once again. But the longing voice had changed. It still resounded, full of suffering, searching, but other voices joined it, voices of joy and of suffering, good and bad voices, laughing and sad ones, a hundred voices, a thousand voices. Siddhartha listened. He was now nothing but a listener, completely concentrated on listening, completely empty, he felt, that he had now finished learning to listen. Often before, he had heard all this, these many voices in the river, today it sounded new. Already, he could no longer tell the many voices apart, not the happy ones from the weeping ones, not the ones of children from those of men, they all belonged together, the lamentation of yearning and the laughter of the knowledgeable one, the scream of rage and the moaning of the dying ones, everything was one, everything was intertwined and connected, entangled a thousand times. And everything together, all voices, all goals, all yearning, all suffering, all pleasure, all that was good and evil, all of this together was the world. All of it together was the flow of events, was the music of life. And when Siddhartha was listening attentively to this river, this song of a thousand voices, when he neither listened to the suffering nor the laughter, when he did not tie his soul to any particular voice and submerged himself into it, but when he heard them all, perceived the whole, the oneness, then the great song of the thousand voices consisted of a single word, which was Om: the perfection,” (Hesse 72-73).
The river is eternal. It is a lesson Siddhartha has already learned, but is now relearning. In this passage, Siddhartha is recovering from a broken heart caused by the leaving of his son, much like how he left his own father when he was young. The suffering is just another part of his existence, it is a cycle. He caused his father to suffer, as his son has done to him, as his son’s son will do to him. It is all natural though, as the river reveals. All will suffer as he did, as all have a goal as he does. This is Hesse’s lesson to the audience. Everything and everyone is all the same. Everyone is sad, everyone experiences pain, everyone experiences disappointment, and all this continues with every new goal people set and achieve. They are all in this cycle that can never break. The new lesson Siddhartha learns in this passage is to listen to everything. He takes it all in, much unlike what he learned as a Samana. Because he became a listener, allowing himself to take everything in, he opened himself to what the river could give him, “Then the great song of the thousand voices consisted of a single word, which was Om: the perfection,” (Hesse 73). Again Hesse comes back to something from the beginning of the story. The story itself is a cycle, themes are repeated and motifs are abundant. This is done to help the reader pick up on the meaning of the river. It is one thing to read about a river that represents the universe, always returning to where it came from. It is another to read about a life that repeats itself, to have ideas and parts of youth come back during old age.
Your perspective on the theme that all will suffer is interesting. Although i had never though of this being a major theme of the novel, I agree with your analysis. Siddhartha has learned to accept knowledge from his surrounding. For example, he is learning from the river, an idea that at the beginning of the novel Siddhartha would have overlooked. Containing a motif that life is a cycle and symbolically representing it as water, Hesse conveyed that in life people follow each other in the same way as a current. All are searching in the same direction to find contentment, and all are affected by each other and the decisions they make.
Passage: “Now he looked at people differently than he had before- less cleverly, with less pride, yet more warmly, with more curiosity and caring. When he took travelers of the usual kind across the river, child people- traders, warriors, women- these people no longer seemed alien to him, as they once had. He understood them, he shared their life, a life guided not by ideas and insights but only by impulses and desires. He felt as they did. Although he was nearer to perfection and bore his last wound, it nevertheless seemed to him that these people were his brothers. Their vanities, appetites, and absurd traits had lost their absurdity for him. These traits had become comprehensible, lovable; he even experienced them as worthy of respect. “ (Hesse 100)
Analysis: This passage, at the beginning of the chapter “OM”, is a huge turning point for Siddhartha. After his son leaves him, he realizes what pain is and what sadness other people go through. It makes him more receptive to learning about the “child people”, and he understands them better. Hesse writes simply, “He felt as they did.” (Hesse 100). This brief, succinct sentence sums up this stage in Siddhartha’s life: he has come to understand the child people, and with them, the unity of all life. This passage is mostly constructed of even-length sentences, and they have a nice flow. Hesse does this to give the reader the feeling of contentment, that Siddhartha is finally happy and satisfied. He now respects these people, because he is on the same level as them. He still was “...nearer to perfection and bore his last wound...” but the traits of the child people “...had lost their absurdity for him.... [and] become comprehensible, lovable...” (Hesse 100). The aspects of the child people that he used to despise are now endearing and interesting. Hesse describes the child people’s lives as ruled by “impulses and desires”. Siddhartha now shares this trait, as exhibited when he decides to go to the city to find his son, and the way he keeps his son at the hut with him. These decisions were made on impulse and driven by a desire to keep his son, because he loves his son more than he has ever loved anything. The fact that Siddhartha loves someone this deeply is evidence of a turning point in his life- it has changed his view of other people.
The connection to the new perspective on the "child people" is very interesting. I definitely agree with this view and the point at which Siddhartha is at. However, it would be nice to include an example on how Siddhartha has formed a greater connection and understanding with them. For example, he has now experienced the emotion of blindly loving someone. His unconditional love and patience for his son doesn’t wither when he leaves him. This opens Siddhartha’s eyes, and helps him to realize that all humans are equal. The only thing he believes to separate himself from the “child people” is his awareness in his surroundings.
“Siddhartha made the effort to listen closer. The image of his father, his own image, and the image of his son flowed into one another. Kamala’s image also appeared and dissolved. Govinda’s image and other images appeared and fused with one another, and all became the river, all moved as the river toward their objects, their goals, passionate, hungering, suffering. And the river’s voice was full of longing, ardent with sorrow, full of unquenchable longing. The river strove toward its goal; Siddhartha saw it hurrying on, this river composed of himself and those near him and of all the people he had ever seen. All the waves and currents hurried onward, suffering, toward objects, many goals. The waterfall, the lake, the rapids, the sea, and all the goals were reached; and each was followed by a new one, and the water became vapor and climbed into the sky, became rain and crashed down from the sky, became springs, brooks, became a river, strove onward again, flowed anew. But the passionate voice had changed. It still had the sound of suffering, questing, but other voices were added – voices of joy and suffering, good and evil voices, laughing and lamenting voices, a hundred, a thousand voices” (Hesse 104).
This passage occurs when Vasudeva is consoling Siddhartha who is still suffering from a “burning” wound of his son leaving him. Vasudeva tells Siddhartha to listen closer to the river to find help. This passage represents a significant moment for Siddhartha in which he finally makes sense of his life and all of the experiences that he has encountered. Hesse makes use of a lot of visual imagery in words such as “dissolved”, “fused” and “flowed” which helps to connect Siddhartha’s perception of what’s happening with the reader. The use of smooth and flowing diction with these words allow all of these pictures that Siddhartha is visualizing to be seamlessly connected to the river instead of merely being random ideas in Siddhartha’s mind. Another important idea in this passage is the role that the river plays. The river can be interpreted as life, and all of the images that Siddhartha is seeing are simply moving along through time. In life, one has many ups and downs; it can be “full of longing, ardent with sorrow, full of unquenchable longing”. The passage also mentions how “all the waves and currents hurried onward, suffering, toward objects, many goals”. This sentence serves to represent how life always moves on, despite suffering (in this case, Siddhartha’s pain of his son running away). In this passage, “the passionate voice [of the river] had changed”. This describes the culmination of Siddhartha’s experiences, from living as a shramana to living in luxury, and how his life had changed. Also, the use of antithesis in the last sentence with contrasting ideas like “joy and suffering”, “good and evil”, and “laughing and lamenting” help to show Siddhartha’s wide range of experiences that he has encountered that have both caused him joy and discontent.
Passage: “The picture of his father, his own picture, and the picture of his son all flowed into each other. Kamala’s picture also appeared and flowed on, and the picture of Govinda and other emerged and passed on. They all became part of the river. It was the goal of all of them, yearning, desiring, suffering; and the river’s voice was full of longing, full of smarting woe, full of insatiable desire. The river flowed on towards its goal. Siddhartha saw the river hasten, made up of himself and his relatives and all the people he had ever seen. All the waves and water hastened, suffering, towards goals, many goals, to the waterfall, to the sea, to the current, to the ocean and all goals were reached and each one was succeeded by another. The water changed to vapor and rose, became rain and came down again, became spring, brook and river, changed anew, flowed anew. But the yearning voice had altered. It still echoed sorrowfully, searchingly, but other voices accompanied it, voices of pleasure and sorrow, good and evil voices, laughing and lamenting voices, hundreds of voices, thousands of voices.” (Hesse 135)
Analysis: This passage is taken from the chapter “Om”. At this time, Siddhartha is mourning over the leave of his runaway son. He is envious towards the travellers who stumble upon the river, such as fathers, businessmen, even criminals, who are also accompanied by children. As he watches them come and go, he does not accept the happiness they experience while the only action he can take is to accept the fact his son gone. Siddhartha confesses his thoughts and feelings to Vasudeva. He continues to vent for a while and notices the man Vasudeva has changed into: Vasudeva was one with the world. Afterwards, the ferryman tells him to listen more closely to the river and its countless voices. All of the voices form into a perfect sound of Om.
Herman Hesse uses a clever technique while he explains the voices of the river. The last couple sentences of the passage are run-on sentences. He lists many examples of body of water, the different states of matter for water, and the bountiful voices found all over the world. This structure is written to stress Siddhartha’s thoughts and how his mind is slowly piecing every part of the world together.
The part of the book is one of the major turning points in the novel because, even though Siddhartha listened to the river’s voice for many years, he only listened to one at a time. It never occurred to him that it contained a variety of voices, all originating from every aspect of the human emotion. He was stubborn in terms of accepting his destiny and fighting against what he was created to live for. Water derives from many sources: the rain, the snow on the mountaintop, the small brooks that lead to rivers, the salty and large ocean. But all are connected somehow. Every drop of water come from different backgrounds but all converge into one source eventually. Siddhartha learned this idea after letting the river become his teacher. He is no longer fighting the current of his life, but going alongside the ride.
“The river was laughing, loudly and plainly laughing at the old ferryman. Siddhartha stopped, Over the water to hear better, and in the quietly moving water he saw the reflection of his face. In this reflected face there was something that recalled something forgotten, and as he thought about it he remembered. This face was like another face he had once known and loved and also feared. It resembled the face of his father, the brahmin. And he remembered how, long ago as a youth, he had forced his father to let him go with the ascetics, how he had left him, gone off, and never returned. Had his father not felt the same pain over him that he now felt over his son?” (Hesse 102)
Towards the end of the novel, Siddhartha has a difficulty letting go of his son and liberating him to pursue his own path. Siddhartha has begun to find peace while living on the river and listening to it’s wisdom. This can also be seen as merely a reflection on Siddhartha’s life. Another reflection which the river depicts, is that of his father’s. Hesse uses reflective imagery to create an image of the river as a mirror. Siddhartha now understands how his father felt when he left him to begin his journey as a shramana. Siddhartha’s “wound” of his son leaving continues to burn until this point in the chapter “OM”, when he realizes how similar his son’s actions were to his own. The departure of Siddhartha’s son is repeatedly mentioned as “the wound”, which creates a painful tone for the audience. Hesse uses personification to make the river seem alive and full of knowledge. It acts as a teacher, but one that Siddhartha can learn from by his own experiences. This realization allows Siddhartha to continue his journey to atman and no longer worry about his son. Siddharth understands that the forest will not harm his son, and this is necessary action for him to grow as a child. The title of this chapter is “OM”, and it is fitting due to the fact that Siddhartha is once again closer to being at peace with himself.
I completely agree with your analysis. Hesse's comparison of the river to the mirror shows how Siddhartha used the river to take time to reflect over his past choices. Looking in to the water and watching it flow allowed Siddhartha to realize how life is a continuous stream of similar actions. Like you mentioned how Siddhartha realizes now how his father felt when he left the same way Siddhartha's son had left him, I, too, agree that Siddhartha is starting to feel remorse for his actions and now has a greater understanding of the father-son bond.
“There slowly bloomed and ripened in Siddhartha the realization and knowledge of what wisdom, the object of his long quest, really was. It was nothing more than a readiness of the soul, a mysterious knack: the ability at every moment in the midst of life to think the thought of unity, to feel and breathe unity. Gradually this blossomed in him, shone back to him from the ancient child’s face of Vasudeva- harmony, knowledge of the eternal perfection of the world, unity- a smile” (Hesse 101).
This passage was taken from the chapter “OM” in the novel Siddhartha. At this point in Siddhartha’s life, he has reached a realization that altered his mindset and changed his path to enlightment. There had been many events prior to which Siddhartha had been affected, but this is the most drastic. Having just lost his son, Siddhartha revaluates his ideas of the people around him. Hesse writes, “It was nothing more than the readiness of the soul, a mysterious knack… to feel and breathe unity” (101). Through the duration of Siddhartha’s life, he had put his mind above others. He looked down on the people who lived off the pleasure of materialistic belongings, and viewed love as irrational and unnecessary. Losing his son connected Siddhartha to those same traits he once frowned upon. Before, his mind was set on finding the direct path to atman. Siddhartha now realizes that happiness cannot be found by physical search, rather true enlightment is found in making peace with the surrounding life. Siddhartha opened his eyes to accepting the love for his son, enough to eventually let him free. The world is not perfection, but now Siddhartha sees that to find perfection he must unify himself with the people he meets, and to allowed himself to be changed by them. With each person Siddhartha has done this, Kamala, Vasudeva, his son, his mind has grown fuller with the knowledge of different perspective, something his old Brahmin ways forbid him to do. This turning point marks a dynamic change to Siddhartha’s character. Hesse included this discovery to round out the end of Siddhartha’s evolution. His character has traveled through many lives to complete his journey with an understanding of the world that he has seen through many eyes.
“True, many verses in the holy books – the Upanishads, the Samaveda – spoke of this inmost and ultimate essence. Glorious verses! ‘Your soul is the whole world’, it proclaims in those writings; also that in sleep, deep sleep, a person enters his inmost sanctum and dwells in the atman. These verses contained marvelous wisdom – everything in them is the knowledge of the wisest of the wise formulated in magical words, pure as bee-gathered honey. No, the immensity of knowledge that lay preserved there, gathered by countless generations of wise Brahmins, should not be underestimated. But where were the brahmins, the priests, the sages, or the ascetics who had succeeded not only in knowing this most profound knowledge intellectually but also living it? Where were the adepts who had learned the knack of bringing indwelling in the atman out of the realm of sleep into that of wakefulness, who had made it a part of every aspect of life, both word and deed? Siddhartha was acquainted with many venerable brahmins, his father above all. His father was a pure, a learned, a supremely venerable man, admirable, peaceful and noble in demeanor, pure in his life, wise in his words, refined and elevated in his thought. But even his father, who knew so much – did he live in holy bliss, and had he found contentment? Was he, too, not only a seeker, still thirsting? Did he not have to slake his thirst again and again at the sacred springs – the rites, the books, the discourses of the brahmins? Why did he, blameless as he was, have to wash away his sins each day, perform purifications each day, each day again? Was atman not within him? Did the primordial spring not flow in his own heart? That is what had to be found – the primordial spring within one’s self; one had to become master of that! Anything else was a vain quest, a false direction, a misunderstanding.
ReplyDeleteThese were Siddhartha’s thoughts. This was his thirst and his pain” (Hesse 6).
This passage serves to explain Siddhartha’s inspiration to find the atman, or the innermost essence of oneself, which then leads to his decision to leave his family to become a shramana. Hesse compares the “marvelous wisdom” from the holy books to “bee-gathered honey” to show the purity of the verses, since honey directly from a bee without manipulation is very pure. Siddhartha questions why these people – the brahmins, priests, sages, and ascetics – who have supposedly succeeded in “bringing indwelling in the atman out of the realm of sleep into that of wakefulness” (Hesse 6) haven’t incorporated this into their daily lives. He is confused why there hasn’t been anyone who has “succeeded not only in knowing this most profound knowledge intellectually but also living it” (Hesse 6). This inquisition further invigorates Siddhartha’s desire to find atman.
As the passage continues, the tone becomes more intense, almost accusatory, calling anything less than finding atman a “vain quest, a false direction, a misunderstanding” (Hesse 6), further solidifying his “thirst” to achieve this spiritual enlightenment through finding atman. The increase in tone and culmination of Siddhartha’s thoughts eventually amount to “his pain” that he feels.
Siddhartha’s description of his father also helps to characterize his father as a man who is much admired by Siddhartha. Hesse uses descriptive diction in words such as “venerable”, “admirable”, “refined” and “elevated” in order to describe Siddhartha’s high view of his father. However, he is still confused on why someone so pure in life and wise in words, such as his father, is still seeking atman. The repeated questions that Hesse uses while describing Siddhartha’s father show how Siddhartha is utterly dumbfounded. They also try to make the reader empathize with Siddhartha, leaving the reader yearning for the answers that Siddhartha is looking for. Towards the end of the passage, Siddhartha also suggests that the “primordial spring” does not flow within his father’s heart, which means that his father might lack an original source of atman.
I totally agree. This passage is important because it's when Siddhartha begins to question what he's been taught. His father is such a venerable and elevated brahmin, but so how can he not live in contentment, in atman? These thoughts are what give Siddhartha direction: he has to move toward finding atman. Also, I noticed that the "thirst" for knowledge was a theme that comes up a lot throughout the book. Sometimes it's seen as a good thing, sometimes as bad thing, but whatever it is, it's what keeps Siddhartha moving. Later, when he is with the ascetics, he wonders about the old priests. Have they found contentment? Will they ever find contentment? In chapter two, he says, "[Our eldest] has reached sixty and still has not attained nirvana. He will get to be seventy and eighty; and you and I, too, we will get old, and we will do our practices and fast and meditate. But we will not attain nirvana; neither will he.... We find consolation.... but we are not finding the essential, the path of paths." (Hesse 15) This is what prompts him to move on once again, to go learn from the Buddha.
DeleteI see where you are coming from in the third part of your analysis, but I believe that "admire" is the wrong word to use. I think it would be better described as a deep respect. Govinda admires Siddhartha, that is why he follows Siddhartha even when he does not understand Siddhartha. The same does not go for Siddhartha and his father. Siddhartha respects his father, otherwise he would not have gone to him seeking permission, "With your permission father... Siddhartha will do what his father tells him to," (Hesse 5-6). He respects his father enough to not directly go against his wishes, but like many young men, Siddhartha feels he has grown old enough for his father to show him the same level of respect and let him experience his own path.
DeletePassage:
ReplyDelete“But his friend, the brahmin’s son Govinda, loved him more than any other. He loved Siddhartha’s gaze and his sweet voice, he loved his way of walking and the complete grace of his movements; he loved everything Siddhartha did and said, but most of all, he loved his mind- his elevated, fiery thoughts, his burning will, his lofty inspiration. Govinda knew Siddhartha would never become an ordinary brahmin, a lazy purveyor of rituals, a greedy dealer in charms, a vain mouther of empty phrases, a base and devious priest, nor would he become a mindless good sheep in the common herd. Certainly he would not; and Govinda, too would not become any of those things; he also would not become a brahmin like ten thousand others. His desire was to follow Siddhartha, the beloved, the magnificent. And if Siddhartha ever became a god, if he ever entered the light, then Govinda would follow him- as his friend, as his companion, as his servant, his spear bearer, his shadow.
“Yes, everyone loved Siddhartha. He aroused joy in everyone, he was a delight to all.” (Hesse 4)
Analysis:
In this passage, Hesse describes Govinda’s relationship with Siddhartha, and all the things he loves about him. In doing so, he also describes how everyone sees Siddhartha. After giving the reader the details of Govinda’s view, he writes, “Yes, everyone loved Siddhartha. He aroused joy in everyone, he was a delight to all.” (Hesse 4). He uses words such as, “sweet voice”, “complete grace”, “elevated, fiery thoughts”, “burning will” and “lofty inspiration” to depict Siddhartha as a determined, intelligent, articulate young man. Then, he describes the things Siddhartha will NOT become: “ordinary”, “lazy”, “greedy”, and “vain”. The connotations of these words give the reader a negative, repulsed feeling, and shows how “base and devious” other rich people seem compared to Siddhartha. Govinda puts Siddhartha on a high pedestal, calling him “the beloved, the magnificent”, and describing what he would do if Siddhartha ever became a god, as if it were a possibility. The diction Hesse uses shows the reader how much everyone, especially Govinda, looks up to Siddhartha.
In this passage, Hesse uses long sentences when listing Siddhartha’s traits to make the lists seem longer. However, the sentences do not feel like run-ons, because they are punctuated with commas, semicolons, and dashes, which creates a rhythm for the reader. A steady rhythm helps connect the thoughts, and makes the passage flow more smoothly. When describing a wonderful person like Siddhartha, it only makes sense to make the reader feel comfortable.
This passage is an interesting characterization of Govinda as well. It’s the first time we meet him, and he is described totally through his relationship to Siddhartha. Hesse writes, “His desire was to follow Siddhartha...” (Hesse 4). He even speculates that if Siddhartha became a god, “...then Govinda would follow him- as his friend, as his companion, as his servant, his spear bearer, his shadow.” (Hesse 4). This really emphasises the leader/follower relationship between Siddhartha and Govinda. For what is a shadow, if not a follower? This relationship explains why Govinda follows his friend everywhere, even toward a more difficult lifestyle.
I agree with everything you said. The points you brought up at the end of your analysis are thoughts I had reading a book called "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal." As the title suggests, it is another novel concerning a spiritual symbol. Biff follows Joshua (Christ) around like a shadow. He is almost always at Christ's side. Even though throughout the novel Biff is the more confident one of the duo, much like I see Govinda because Siddhartha can't seem to be content with any path, he follows Joshua in a journey across the Middle East and Southern Asia. Where the difference lies is Govinda leaves Siddhartha to follow others, forever playing the role of the shadow. Biff eventually becomes a leader in Lam. When Christ is crucified, Biff takes it upon himself to spread the word of his best friend
DeleteI 100% agree with your analysis of Govinda's role as Siddhartha's shadow. I thought it was interesting how this creates a sense of a higher power for Siddhartha, making his character the leader of the two's relationship. Even throughout the rest of the story it can be seen that Govinda always finds himself wanting the approval of Siddhartha. After he leaves to continue his life without Siddhartha, fate brought them two together again, only to find Govinda lost and discontent with the life he lived without Siddhartha.
Delete“The ritual ablutions were good, but they were water-they did not wash away sins, they did not heal the mind’s thirst, they did not resolve the heart’s fear. The sacrifices and the invocations of the gods were splendid, but was this all there was? Did sacrifices bring happiness? And what about the gods? Did Prajapati really create the world? Was it not atman- That, the one and only and the all in all? Were the gods not formed things, created like you and me and subject to time, impermanent? So was it good, a meaningful and supreme act to sacrifice to the gods? To what other should one make offerings, what other should one worship besides That, the one and only, atman? And where was the atman to be found, where did it dwell, where did it’s eternal heart beat? Where else but in one's inmost self, the indestructible essence within everyone. But where was this self, this in most essence, the ultimate principle? It was neither flesh nor bone, neither thought nor conscious-so the wise men taught. So where was it then? Was there any worthwhile path other than the one leading to That, the self, the me, atman? But nobody taught this path! No one acknowledged it-his father did not, nor the teachers and wise men, nor the sacred liturgy. They knew it all, the brahmins and their holy books, knew everything! They had covered everything and more-the creation of the world, the origin of speech, nutrition, the in-breath and the out-breath, the ordering of the senses, the deeds of the gods-their knowledge was endless! But what good did it do to know all of these things if one did not know the one and only, the most important thing, the only important thing?” (Hesse 5)
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the novel Siddhartha, it becomes apparent that Siddhartha doubts the ways in which the Brahmins believe they will discover their atman and innermost self. The rituals that Siddhartha performs begin to feel unsatisfying, therefore causing him to question his actions. Siddhartha feels that although his teachers have poured the very best of their knowledge into his soul, there is something more he needs. This is expressed previously before the passage, “[his teachers] had already shared with him the better part of their wisdom; they had already poured their all into his waiting vessel, and the vessel was not full” (Hesse 5). The spiritual diction in the passage above creates a sense of bewilderment for the reader. Hesse’s audience becomes entwined in finding the truth to those beliefs and questions the evidence which supports it. In addition, phrases such as “mind’s thirst” and “heart’s fear” merge the body and spirit when finding one’s atman. As Siddhartha comes to the realization that the path to finding his atman is unpaved, he knows it is his duty to pursue it. Previously, Hesse created a tone of uncertainty through questions, but towards the end of the passage, he replaces it with Siddhartha’s confidence in other’s lack of knowledge. Hesse lists the particular aspects in which the Brahmins have conquered, and emphasizes the most important piece of knowledge which is unknown. This draws the audience’s attention to the undefined path of the atman. Siddhartha’s sole objective is to become one with his inner soul, and he sees that in order to reach this, he must find hope in a new adventure. He is optimistic in finding happiness and nirvana, and recognizes that he must remove himself from the comfort of his home in order to achieve this. Ultimately, Siddhartha’s discontent and frustration drive him to create a new chapter in his life as a Shramana.
I agree. I also think that this questioning is a common theme throughout the book. Siddhartha isn't satisfied until the end that he has found the happy medium, that he has found his atman (or his detachment from atman). Siddhartha also finds that he dislikes teachers, because he believes that what he is trying to find, he must find himself. I like how you pointed out that Hesse replaces Siddhartha's uncertainty with his confidence in other's lack of knowledge. It's another thread that's woven through the book. Siddhartha thinks he knows more than everyone else, until he meets the ferryman for the second time and asks him to teach Siddhartha everything he knows. Once Siddhartha learns from the ferryman and the river, he becomes happy and at peace.
DeleteI agree with your analysis of the tone of uncertainty that Hesse uses in this passage. I also believe that the questions help to create confusion; confusion that Siddhartha is currently feeling about finding his atman. This confusion that Siddhartha experiences helps prompts his journey to find his atman. The long repetition of questions also helps to connect the reader to Siddhartha’s situation by evoking thought in the reader, which not only keeps the reader interested in the plot, but also tries to give the reader a more personal connection with Siddhartha’s desire to find his atman. Also, the repeated use of impassioned exclamatory phrases following his questions further involves the reader in Siddhartha’s thoughts and feelings.
Delete"Siddhartha gave his garments to a poor Brahman in the street. He wore
ReplyDeletenothing more than the loincloth and the earth-coloured, unsown cloak. He
ate only once a day, and never something cooked. He fasted for fifteen
days. He fasted for twenty-eight days. The flesh waned from his thighs
and cheeks. Feverish dreams flickered from his enlarged eyes, long nails
grew slowly on his parched fingers and a dry, shaggy beard grew on his
chin. His glance turned to icy when he encountered women; his mouth
twitched with contempt, when he walked through a city of nicely dressed
people. He saw merchants trading, princes hunting, mourners wailing for
their dead, whores offering themselves, physicians trying to help the sick,
priests determining the most suitable day for seeding, lovers loving, mothers
nursing their children—and all of this was not worthy of one look from
his eye, it all lied, it all stank, it all stank of lies, it all pretended to be meaningful
and joyful and beautiful, and it all was just concealed putrefaction.
The world tasted bitter. Life was torture." (Hesse 7)
Analysis:
In this passage, Siddartha begins his life as a Samana. He lives without any pleasures that he grew accustomed to; food, water, personal hygiene. It appears that Siddhartha grows cold and bitter due to the life, "His glance turned to icy when he encountered women; his mouth twitched with contempt, when he walked through a city of nicely dressed people," (7). To feel contempt is to feel so above someone else, they are worthless in comparison. Hesse paints the picture of a Siddartha void of humanity, filled with nothing that made him the man that he once was, empty. This is the way of the ascetics; to be is to suffer, existing is suffering, The only way to end the suffering is to be enlightened, and to the ascetics, living an empty life would leave room for something greater. However, Hesse uses words like "stank," "illusion," "decay," and "torment" to show just how full Siddartha still is. He isn't actually empty, just void of happiness.
The passage suggests that Siddartha has changed more than he actually has. Siddartha gave his clothes to a poor man, showing the kindness first described by Hesse, but in the matter of a couple of sentences Siddartha seems to have lost all of his old self, showing kindness to no one. What isn't in this passage, but is present throughout the rest of the novel is Siddartha's search for atman. He left the Brahmins in order to find it, and later in the same section he leaves the Samanas because he feels he still can't find it. Hesse does this to show that the loss of kindness is a much smaller character change than the loss of faith or hope in realizing one's goals.
Blog by Sarah Pellicer:
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the novel, Herman Hesse writes, “In the shade of the house, in the sunshine on the river bank by the boats, in the shade of the sallow wood and the fig tree, Siddhartha, the handsome Brahmin’s son, grew up with his friend Govinda. The sun browned his slender shoulders on the river bank, while bathing at the holy ablutions, at the holy sacrifices. Shadows passed across his eyes in the mango grove during play, while his mother sang, during his father’s teachings, when with the learned men.” This passage is an example of parallelism. Hesse’s repetitive use of light (from the sunshine) and dark (portrayed by the shade of the trees, browned shoulders, and shadows across his eyes) constitute a flow in the reading. Having parallel structure in his writing creates balance and movement to the story, providing an easier way for the reader to process the storyline.
As the story throughout the novel progresses, it is evident Siddhartha’s wisdom far surpasses his age. Although Siddhartha is seen as a wise and handsome man by others, he was unhappy with the teachings of the elderly and the path he was taking at the time. On page 5, Hesse describes the dissatisfaction Siddhartha experienced as a Brahmin acknowledging light and dark, “Dreams and restless thoughts came flowing to him from the river, from the twinkling stars at night, from the sun’s melting rays.” The mention of day and night produces a sense of restlessness Siddhartha felt as he began to question the life he was pursuing. No matter the time of the day, he did not feel at ease with the idea of Atman and the life-long mission to find the Self. Even as a Samana, Siddhartha continued to question life as an ascetic. It is said, “Although Siddhartha fled from the Self a thousand times, dwelt in nothing, dwelt in animal and stone, the return was inevitable; the hour was inevitable when he would again find himself, in sunshine or in moonlight, in shadow or in rain, and was again Self and Siddhartha, again felt the torment of the onerous life cycle.” (Hesse 16). The vicious cycle of hearing the teachings and not learning was taking a toll in his heart. Light or dark, he was not able to escape the maze of his mission to find true happiness and felt discontent with his progress.
I apologize for the format of my passages and analysis. :)
Delete““You’ll get tired, Siddhartha.”
ReplyDelete“I’ll get tired.”
“You’ll fall asleep, Siddhartha.”
“I will not fall asleep.”
“You’ll die, Siddhartha.”
“I will die.”
“And would you rather die than obey your father.”
“Siddhartha has always obeyed his father.”
“So will you give up your idea?”
“Siddhartha will do what his father tells him.”
The first daylight shone in to the room. The Brahmin saw that Siddhartha’s knees were shaking slightly. But he saw no wavering in Siddhartha’s face. The eyes were fixed on the distance. Then the father realized that Siddhartha was already no longer home with him, that he had left him already” (Hesse 10).
Analysis:
In this passage, Siddhartha awaits his father’s permission to begin his journey to adopt the Samana lifestyle. The conversation between the two escalates as Siddhartha remains relentless in altering his decision. Siddhartha feels deeply enough about reinventing his life that he is willing to go against the wishes of his father and leave his religion and home. Hesse implements the strong nature of the protagonist as Siddhartha claims to rather die than to remain within his father’s reins. Ultimately, Siddhartha goes against the norms of his culture to set on a new journey of his own. These same actions reflect a common trait of determination in Siddhartha. Hesse includes this passage to show readers the turning point that Siddhartha will attempt to do whatever it takes to find atman. His willpower to honor his own decision is overwhelmingly tough and is conveyed as Siddhartha puts aside the physical pain of standing all night to convince his father of his commitment. This confrontation is the first of events that separates Siddhartha from a frequent Budda. His thirsty mind guides him to develop a plan to achieve nirvana. His father realizes his son’s stubbornness and accepts the truth as Hesse writes, “…Siddhartha was already no longer home with him, that he had left already” (10). With an ever-growing desire to find a higher purpose in life, Hesse uses this passage to foreshadow later events where Siddhartha is at war with following his loved ones or continuing on with his journey to find a sense of self. Hesse included this confrontation to show readers the level of strength and determination in Siddhartha’s mindset to achieve atman. The exaggeration in his responses creates a sense of mockery to those he speaks to because he feels his decision to search for nirvana is above all other reasoning. This passage addresses one of the overall themes of internal guidance and following one’s beliefs.
Passage: "And so Gotama wandered into the town to obtain alms, and the two Samanas recognized him only by his complete peacefulness of demeanor, by the stillness of his form, in which there was no seeking, no will, no counterfeit, no effort - only line and peace... He [Siddhartha] was not very curious about the teachings. He did not think they would teach him anything new. He, as well as Govinda, had heard the substance of the Buddha's teachings, if only from second and third-hand reports. But he looked attentively at Gotama's head, at his shoulders, at his feet, at his still, downward-hanging hand, and it seemed to him that in every joint of every finger of his hand there was knowledge; they spoke, breathed, radiated truth. The man, this Buddha, was truly a holy man to his fingertips. Never had Siddhartha esteemed a man so much, never had he loved a man so much." (Hesse 28)
ReplyDeleteAnalysis: This passage contains excellent examples of parallelism or use of words that emphasize part of the story. For example, in the first sentence, Hesse writes "...no seeking, no will, no counterfeit, no effort..." acknowledging Buddha's encounter with peace and lack of no longer seeking for the truth, something Siddhartha is longing to discover for himself. In the middle of the passage, it says Siddhartha survey "...at his shoulders, at his feet, at his still, downward-hanging hand..." Siddhartha noticed The Illustrious One's body language and how every part of his body, each fingertip, discovered how to live in harmony with the world and oneself. It was easy to spot Buddha from the crowd of seekers. His outside appearance completely radiated with peace. Siddhartha envied Buddha's exposure to self-enlightenment. Going back on the thought-provoking questions Siddhartha asked himself in the beginning of the novel, all of those were discovered by Gotama himself. In the last sentence, the author stresses Siddhartha's love for Gotama. After years of questioning the Self and finding the Atman, he yearned to become just like the only one who had found true enlightenment at the time.
“With a half smile, with an unshakable brightness and kindliness, Gotama looked the stranger in the eye and dismissed him with a scarcely visible gesture.
ReplyDelete‘You are clever, shramana,’ said the Venerable One. ‘You know how to speak cleverly, my friend. Beware of excessive cleverness!’
The Buddha moved on, and his gaze and his half smile remained engraved in Siddhartha’s memory forever.
I have never seen anyone with such a gaze, I have never seen anyone smile, sit, and walk in such a way, he thought. In truth that is just the way I would like to be able to gaze, smile, sit, and walk – so free, so worthy, so hidden, so open, so childlike, and so mysterious. Truly only a person who has penetrated to the inmost part of his self gazes and walks like that. I, too, shall surely try to penetrate to the inmost part of my self.
I have seen a man, one and only one, Siddhartha thought, before whom I had to lower my gaze. Before no other will I ever lower my gaze, no other. No other teaching will seduce me, since this teaching has not seduced me.
The Buddha robbed me, thought Siddhartha, he robbed me, yet he gave me even more. He robbed me of my friend, who believed in me and now believes in him, who was my shadow and is now Gotama’s shadow. But he gave me Siddhartha, he gave me myself” (Hesse 29).
This passage occurs directly after Siddhartha has met Gotama, the Buddha. In this passage, Siddhartha is being enlightened by Gotama, which leaves him stunned. Hesse uses descriptive diction to describe Gotama’s “half smile, with an unshakable brightness and kindliness” which helps to show Gotama’s unwavering peacefulness with himself.
There is also frequent mention of Gotama’s gaze. In the novel, it is almost as if one’s gaze is a “shield” that protects him or her from someone else’s ideas or power. Siddhartha also mentions that there has been only one person before for whom he “had to lower [his] gaze” and that “before no other will [he] ever lower [his] gaze, no other.” These quotes show how Gotama made Siddhartha lower his gaze to fall under his teaching. Siddhartha is not accustomed to this feeling because he is used to other people falling before his gaze.
In addition, there is also a general shift in tone of the passage. Towards the beginning of the excerpt, Siddhartha is almost awestruck by Gotama’s “gaze” and “half smile”. The use of repetition when Siddhartha describes how he wants to be “so free, so worthy, so hidden, so open, so childlike, and so mysterious” like Gotama helps to show Siddhartha’s flow of thoughts as he contemplates in awe of Gotama’s behavior. However, towards the end of the passage, Siddhartha becomes more skeptical and rejecting of Gotama’s teaching. He says that “no other teaching will seduce me, since this teaching has not seduced me”. Siddhartha starts to deny the fact that he was seduced by Gotama’s teaching, and he even starts to ridicule The Buddha for “robbing [him]” and “robbing [him] of [his] friend”. However, we can still see a hint of realization and reverence of Gotama in Siddhartha with the last line, “But he gave me Siddhartha, he gave me myself.” This line makes it seem as though despite Siddhartha’s disagreement with Gotama’s thoughts, he still accepts that fact that he has been enlightened by Gotama, and he is thankful for this enlightenment.
Slowly walking along, Siddhartha pondered. He realized that he was no youth any more, but had turned into a man. He realized that one thing had left him, as a snake is left by its old skin, that one thing no longer existed in him, which had accompanied him throughout his youth and used to be a part of him: the wish to have teachers and to listen to teachings. He had also left the last teacher who had appeared on his path, even him, the highest and wisest teacher, the most holy one, Buddha, he had left him, had to part with him, was not able to accept his teachings. Slower, he walked along in his thoughts and asked himself: “But what is this, what you have sought to learn from teachings and from teachers, and what they, who have taught you much, were still unable to teach you?” And he found: “It was the self, the purpose and essence of which I sought to learn. It was the self, I wanted to free myself from, which I sought to overcome. But I was not able to overcome it, could only deceive it, could only flee from it, only hide from it. Truly, no thing in this world has kept my thoughts thus busy, as this my very own self, this mystery of me being alive, of me being one and being separated and isolated from all others, of me being Siddhartha! And there is no thing in this world I know less about than about me, about Siddhartha!”
ReplyDeleteThis excerpt from "Awakening" contains the first notions of Siddhartha finding his own path. Continuing on his idea that there is nothing to learn from teachers, Siddhartha realizes that he couldn't learn what the Brahmins, Samanas, and Gotama were teaching because it wasn't what he needs to learn. Siddhartha needs to learn about himself, "And there is no thing in this world I know less about than about me, about Siddhartha!” (Hesse 21). Now that Siddhartha knows what he needs to learn, he can set about on his own path. At the end of "Awakening," Siddhartha once again disobeys his father, "And it was not long until he walked again in long strides, started to proceed swiftly and impatiently, heading no longer for home, no longer to his father, no longer back" (23). Siddhartha finds a new inner form of motivation, a fire burning inside him, just like the one that was there when he left his family behind. He now takes his first strides towards it.
The metaphor of the snake, "He realized that one thing had
left him, as a snake is left by its old skin, that one thing no longer existed
in him," (21), is used as visual imagery to allow the reader to imagine how Siddhartha feels about himself. A snake shedding its old skin is often compared to rebirth, or another chance at life for the snake; new skin means new life. Siddhartha shedding his old skin signifies his new outlook on life, and his revised goal in life. The left behind skin could also be used to represent Govinda. Siddhartha is now going through life without something that he has had since the very beginning, and it is a new feeling to him. He no longer has his shadow to follow him everywhere.
“[Siddhartha] was little interested in the teaching; he doubted it would contain anything new to him, since, like Govinda, he had repeatedly heard the content of the Buddhadharma, even if only second- or thirdhand. But he kept his eye attentively on the Buddha’s head, his shoulders, his feet, on his still, loose hand; and it seemed to him that every joint on every finger of this hand was a teaching, that it spoke truth, breathed truth, smelled of truth, glowed with truth. This man, this Buddha, was in truth who he was even in the movements of his little fingers. This man was holy. Never had Siddhartha so venerated anyone, never had he loved a person as he loved this one.” (Hesse 23)
ReplyDeleteThis passage describes Siddhartha’s first impression of the Buddha. He doesn’t believe the teaching will tell him anything new, but he respects the Buddha because he seems so at peace with himself. The Buddha embodies Siddhartha’s goals, though he arrived at that state through a different method than Siddhartha is planning to take. Hesse uses long sentences to give the impression of the Buddha’s movement: slow, methodical, and accurate. Additionally, the sentence, “This man was holy.” (Hesse 23), stands out because it is so short. It is when Siddhartha realizes that the Buddha is something different. He is sacred and holy, and knows how to achieve enlightenment. The way Hesse describes Siddhartha as keeping “...his eye attentively on the Buddha’s head, his shoulders, his feet, on his still, loose hand...” (Hesse 23) demonstrates that though Siddhartha believes he is above others’ teachings, he still has a thirst for knowledge. Siddhartha loves to learn from others, whether he admits it or not, and when he sees the Buddha, he can’t help but try and learn something from someone so venerable and holy. Every part of the Buddha emanates peace and truth, even his “little fingers”. This point is really hammered home when Hesse uses parallel structure to say, “... [The Buddha] spoke truth, breathed truth, smelled of truth, glowed with truth.” (Hesse 23) The repetition of the word “truth” makes it unforgettable. The Buddha has reached enlightenment, and has seen the truth of the universe. Using parallel structure again, Hesse begins two sentences with the words “this man”. Each sentence contains a matter-of-fact statement, telling the reader the truth about the Buddha: he is holy and he was who he was in every part of his being.
“Out of this moment, in which the world melted away from around him, in which he was alone like a star in the sky--out of his moment of frigidity and dejection, Siddhartha arose more of an ego than ever before, more tightly clenched within. His feeling was: That was the last shudder of awakening, the last pang of birth. And immediately he resumed his journey, walking with haste and impatience, no longer back in the direction of home or father, not back anywhere.” (Hesse 33).
ReplyDeleteThis concluding passage in “Awakening” summarizes Siddhartha’s realization in finding himself and atman. It explains his clarity in the decision to leave Govinda and the Venerable One in order to pursue enlightenment. Siddhartha recognizes that no teacher will be able to express their experience of internal liberation distinctly enough to be understood by others. He must now attain peace in his innermost being by making his own path and experiencing enlightenment for himself. It becomes clear to him that an ego is not something to destroy (like the Shramanas practiced), but something to embrace. Diction such as “awakening”, “birth”, and “journey” cause the reader to feel as if they are reborn into a fresh new world, as Siddhartha feels it is the first time he is observing the world. Solitary imagery is used to isolate Siddhartha and his unique revelation in a godly manner. Examples of this include the metaphor, “the world melted away from around him” (Hesse 33), and the simile, “like a star in the sky” (Hesse 33). These sentences using figurative language begin to distance Siddhartha from the average brahmin or shramana, and behold him as something greater. In addition, words like “immediately”, “haste”, and “impatience” create a tone of urgency towards starting his new path. The syntax consists of long sentences, which continue on after being sewn together with multiple commas. This causes the reader’s mind to flow with Siddhartha’s thinking. Hesse’s audience then feels Siddhartha’s thoughts climax and come to a strong conclusion with his new perspective on life.
“They heard his voice, and that too was perfect, characterized be perfect calmness and peace. Gotama taught the teaching of suffering, the origin of suffering and the path to the cessation of suffering. His quiet discourse flowed calm and clear. Life was suffering, the world was full of suffering, but liberation from suffering had been found. He who followed the path of the Budda attained liberation.
ReplyDeleteWith a gentle but firm voice, the Exalted One taught the four main truths and the eightfold path. Patiently he followed the customary course of the teaching, giving the examples and making the repetitions. His voice floated bright and still over the listeners like a light, like a sky full of stars” (Hesse 24).
Analysis:
At this point in the book, Siddhartha and Govinda have found the Buddha and have heard him teach. In the first section of this passage, Hesse describes the fundamental beliefs of a Buddha when he says, “Life was suffering, the world was full of suffering, but liberation from suffering had been found” (24). Hesse complies that living the lifestyle of a Buddha will be the ultimate savior from the evil in the world. All around there is suffering, but those who commit themselves to this religion will remain free. This is an ideal theme in the novel as it addresses the faith required to rid oneself of sins and to seek out nirvana. Hesse furthers this point by characterizing the Buddha’s voice as perfect, calm and peace. These descriptions are familiar synonyms to holy, as a Buddha’s lifestyle to be known as righteous in the writings of Hesse, and the story of Siddhartha. In the second part of this passage, the Buddha’s voice was conveyed with a sense of peace. On page twenty four, Hesse writes, “His voice floated bright and still over the listeners like a light, like a sky full of stars”. This description starts with personifying the Buddha’s voice to create a light, airy dynamic in the setting. It becomes clear that the listeners, Siddhartha and Govinda, are compelled by his peaceful words. Hesse then compares his voice to light, a common symbol for things holy and pure, to portray the sincerity of the Buddha’s teachings. It ends with the relation of listeners to a sky full of stars, as if the Buddha was the sun, and all the rest were planets orbiting their way to the light, the light being the Buddha’s way to finding atman.
"Siddhartha learned something new on every step of his path, for the world was transformed, and his heart was enchanted. He saw the sun rising over the mountains with their forests and setting over the distant beach with its palm-trees. At night, he saw the stars in the sky in their fixed positions and the crescent of the moon floating like a boat in the blue. He saw trees, stars, animals, clouds, rainbows, rocks, herbs, flowers, stream and river, the glistening dew in the bushes in the morning, distant height mountains which were blue and pale, birds sang and bees buzzed, wind silvery blew through the rice-field. All of this, a thousand-fold and colorful, had always been there, always the sun and the moon had shone, always rivers had roared and bees had buzzed, but in former times all of this had been nothing more to Siddhartha than a fleeting, deceptive veil before his eyes, looked upon in distrust, destined to be penetrated and destroyed by thought, since it was not the essential existence, since this essence lay beyond, on the other side of, the visible. But now, his liberated eyes stayed on this side, he saw and became aware of the visible, sought to be at home in this world, did not search for the true essence, did not aim at a world beyond. Beautiful was this world, looking at it thus, without searching, thus simply, thus childlike. Beautiful were the moon and the stars, beautiful was the stream and the banks, the forest and the rocks, the goat and the gold-beetle, the flower and the butterfly. Beautiful and lovely it was, thus to walk through the world, thus childlike, thus awoken, thus open to what is near, thus
ReplyDeletewithout distrust. Differently the sun burnt the head, differently the shade of the forest cooled him down, differently the stream and the cistern, the pumpkin and the banana tasted. Short were the days, short the nights, every hour sped swiftly away like a sail on the sea, and under the sail was a ship full of treasures, full of joy," (Hesse 25).
There is a difference between the natural and the spiritual realm, and it is outlined in this passage from the beginning of "Kamala." Hesse uses visual and auditory imagery to illustrate the natural world, while using Siddhartha's new outlook on life to explain that the spiritual realm can be used as a way to amplify one's perception of the physical. Hesse uses trance-like and colorful language throughout the passage, "crescent of the moon floating like a boat in the blue," "glistening dew," "birds sang and bees buzzed, wind silverly blew," (Hesse 25). This language serves as visual and auditory imagery; placing the reader next to Siddhartha, re-experiencing nature in all of its beauty for the first time. These parts of nature that everyone experiences as a child are being described with the that same childish joy. This is due to Siddhartha's experience as a Samana. He walked along a purely spiritual path for so long that he learned to take the best of both, "But now, his liberated eyes... a world beyond," (25). What Hesse teaches through this is that living in the natural world could provide just as much happiness and enlightenment as living in the spiritual. It took Siddhartha living on one side for all his life, then on the other for a significant amount of time to realize that he was already close to happiness. One perspective is that it is a "you don't know what you have until it is gone" type of lesson. However, more accurately, the lesson is similar to the one the ferryman teaches, "This too, I have learned from the river: everything returns!" (27). Siddhartha returned to his original realm after experiencing a journey on the other side more enlightened than if he had not crossed his own river.
I definitely agree with you about how Hesse uses different types of imagery to really paint a scene for the reader. However, I would like to add a little more analysis to this passage, specifically around the syntax of the sentences and some use of anaphora. For example, Hesse uses the word “beautiful” at the beginnings of sentences as well as in the middle of sentences like “Beautiful was the world…” and “Beautiful were the moon and the stars, beautiful was the stream and the banks…”. This helps to further emphasize the beauty of nature while still using the trance-like and colorful language that you point out. This is an interesting element that Hesse uses to immerse the reader into the setting.
Delete“Now and then he sensed, deep in his breast, a faint, moribund voice, which faintly warned, softly complained – he could barely hear it. Then one day it came to his mind that he was leading a strange life, that the things he was occupied with were purely a game, that though he was in a cheerful frame of mind and sometimes felt happy, real life was passing him by without touching him. He was playing with his business dealings the way a juggler plays with balls; in the same way he played with the people around him, watched them, was amused by them. But he was not present to all this with his heart, with the wellspring of his being. That spring was running somewhere far away, running on unseen, and had nothing to do with his life anymore. More than once he recoiled from these thoughts, wishing it were possible for him to take part wholeheartedly and enthusiastically in the childish going-on of everyday life, to be able really to live, really to act, really to enjoy life instead of merely being an observer watching it go by” (Hesse 56).
ReplyDeleteThis passage occurs after Siddhartha has experienced a life full of pleasures and luxuries with the help of Kamala and Kamaswami. He starts to believe that the life he was living was not purely a happy one. Hesse uses the word “strange” to describe Siddhartha’s life. The word “strange” can be interpreted as how Siddhartha is neither extremely sad nor extremely happy with his life, but rather unsure and dissatisfied. Siddhartha felt as though “real life was passing him by without touching him” (Hesse 56) which means that although he had moments of happiness, he is not experiencing the life he wanted to live; the life he wanted to live is close, but he is not achieving it. There is also another mention of a “spring” in this passage, similar to the “primordial spring” which is the source of atman, mentioned earlier in the novel. This “spring” is “running somewhere far away, running on unseen, and had nothing to do with his life anymore” (Hesse 56). Siddhartha is beginning to realize that the life he is living is causing his disconnection to the primordial spring and original source of atman.
Hesse also uses commas and long syntax to lengthen phrases and make the passage flow well. Every sentence in this passage has at least one comma. This helps to create a string of consciousness of which the reader can experience and relate to as Siddhartha is thinking. Hesse also uses a simile to compare “his business dealings” with “the way a juggler plays with balls” (Hesse 56). This shows the indifference that Siddhartha had towards these activities. He was involved with these dealings and activities, yet he was disconnected because he was not living a satisfactory life. In addition, Siddhartha becomes more and more certain that he is dissatisfied with his current life as the passage continues. The idea that Siddhartha was not living a “real life” started as just “a faint, moribund voice”. However, then he starts to ponder more deeply and to wish to be able to “really enjoy life instead of merely being an observer watching it go by” (Hesse 57).
Passage: “Siddhartha learned something new on every step of his path, for the world was transformed and he was enthralled. He saw the sun rise over forest and mountains set over the distant palm shore. At night he saw the stars in the heavens and the sickle-shaped moon floating like a boat in the blue… All this, colored and in a thousand different forms, had always been there. The sun and moon had always shone; the rivers had always flowed and the bees hummed, but in previous times all this had been nothing to Siddhartha but a fleeting and illusive veil before his eyes, regarded with distrust, condemned to be disregarded, and ostracized from the thoughts, because it was not reality, because reality lay on the other side of the visible. But now his eyes lingered on this side; he saw and recognized the visible and he sought his place in this world. He did not seek reality; his goal was not on any other side. The world was beautiful when he looked at in this way - without any seeking, so simple, so childlike… It was beautiful and pleasant to go through the world like that, so childlike, so awakened, so concerned with the immediate, without any distrust. Elsewhere, the sun burned fiercely, elsewhere there was cool in the forest shade; elsewhere there were pumpkins and bananas. The days and nights were short, every hour passed quickly like a sail on the sea, beneath the sail of a ship of treasures, full of joy.” (Hesse 46)
ReplyDeleteAnalysis: During this part of the novel, Govinda had left his side to follow a new leader, Gotama. Siddhartha is now walking on a new path in his life after this occurrence. He is seeing everything in the world, the trees, the rivers, the sun, as it is, for once, realizing their beauty. It was now made easier to appreciate the world and their correlation with one another. Before this awakening, he had believed everything was an illusion and sought to seek reality. Now, he accepts the world as it is, giving him a new perspective.
Herman Hesse uses many different types of imagery in this passage. In the beginning, Hesse points out the sun and moon shining, trees in the forest, mountains to the side, rivers flowing and bees humming. He mentions the stars above, acknowledging the sky as heaven, providing a lightened mood to the story. Using simile, the reflection of the moon on the water is compared to a boat in the blue. All of this is to create an environment in which the reader sees what Siddhartha sees and feel the weight lifted off their shoulders. There is also evidence of parallel structure to put more emphasis on Siddhartha's awakening, such as the repetitiveness of the word "elsewhere" in the second to last sentence. The word "simple" and "childlike" is used to create a feel of Siddhartha living an easier life than before, similar to what a child experiences. The last sentence describes life as a ship sailing with treasures of joy below. Now, he has learned to accept his potential in the world.
Passage:
ReplyDelete“Siddhartha learned something new every step of the way. For the world had been transformed, and his heart was enraptured. He saw the sun rise over the wooded hills and go down over the distant palm-lined shore. At night he saw the stars arrayed across the sky and the crescent moon floating like a boat in the blue. He saw trees, stars, animals, clouds, rainbows, rocks, herbs, flowers, streams and rivers, dew glittering on the brush in the morning, distant lofty peaks blue and pale; birds and bees sang their songs, the wind blew silver in the rice fields. The myriads of colorful things had always been there; the sun and moon had always shone, rivers had always rushed and bees hummed. But in former days all this had been nothing more for Siddhartha than a transitory and beguiling veil before his eyes, viewed with distrust, meant to be punctured by thought and destroyed, since it was not the essence, since the essence lay beyond the visible. But now his unfettered vision dwelt here - he saw and acknowledged the visible, sought his home in this world. He no longer pursued the essence or looked toward the beyond. The world was beautiful when one just looked at it without looking for anything, just simply, as a child.” (Hesse 38)
Analysis:
This passage, at the beginning of the chapter “Kamala”, depicts a turning point in Siddhartha’s journey. Up until this point, he has been searching for a deeper meaning in everything, taking nothing at face value. Now that he has decided to take a different path, he begins to appreciate beautiful things at face value. “The world was beautiful when one just looked at it without looking for anything, just simply, as a child,” Hesse writes, giving the reader the impression that Siddhartha is looking at the world in a whole new way, the way a child does (Hesse 38). The child simile is repeated throughout the book, to describe the Buddha first and then the “child people” that Siddhartha will soon encounter in Kamala’s city. When he refers to something as a child, he believes that he is above it- after all, the reader never meets a young Siddhartha. He is introduced as a young man. Siddhartha likens the Buddha to a child, and then later discredits him. Likewise, when he becomes a merchant, he views everyone else as a child: catering to their own needs and wants and not seeing the “bigger picture” of life. In this passage, he mentions being childlike because it demonstrates how different Siddhartha is in this moment. Hesse writes, “He no longer pursued the essence or looked toward the beyond,” again making apparent to the reader Siddhartha’s new worldview (Hesse 38). Hesse uses long sentences and lists, which have an almost poetic flow to them, to impress upon the reader the multitudes of new things Siddhartha is experiencing, and how beautiful everything is. This passage is fitting at the beginning of Part Two of the book.
I completely agree with your idea of Siddhartha’s new perspective of the world. It was necessary for him to leave his teachers and create his own path in order to find his Atman. This materialistic world seems almost foreign to Siddhartha, as he previously believed it to be beneath him. I really like your analysis of the child simile and how Siddhartha changes with the use of it throughout the novel. It is also interesting how Siddhartha continually credits himself as more respectable and above the “child people”. Even when Siddhartha is working with the merchant, he does not think of Kamaswami as his equal.
Delete“Pride flared up suddenly within him. He was no longer a shramana; it was no longer fitting for him to beg. He gave the rice cake to a dog and did without eating. This worldly life is easy, thought Siddhartha. There is nothing difficult in it. Everything was hard, and in the end, hopeless, when I was a shramana. Now everything is easy, easy like the kissing lesson that Kamala gave me. I needed clothes and money, and that is all. Those are trivial, easily fulfilled goals, nothing worth losing sleep over.” (Hesse 47)
ReplyDeleteThis passage in the chapter “Kamala” portrays a new side of Siddhartha. Siddhartha’s departure from Govinda and the Shramanas has led him to a village of “children”. The people of this town live very materialistic and shallow lives when juxtaposed with Siddhartha’s past. A beautiful woman named Kamala teaches Siddhartha the art of love and convinces him to work with a merchant in order to obtain a high social status. Previously, this would have disgusted Siddhartha, but he is willing to compromise in order to learn from Kamala. Hesse repeatedly uses diction such as “easy” and “trivial” to express Siddhartha’s view of the “regular” world. The bland diction depicts the society as dull and unspiritual. In the introduction of the passage, it is clearly portrayed that Siddhartha thinks of himself as above the ranking of a shramana and beggar. The syntax which Hesse uses creates quicker and simpler thoughts. Siddhartha’s usual complexity is washed away and the audience feels as though he is a new being. At the same time, the reader’s mood changes and almost fears that Siddhartha is going down the wrong path. It seems logical that this path to atman would disregard pride and materialism. Siddhartha’s willingness to leap into this society stems from his “love for Kamala”. It is never explicitly stated it Siddhartha loves Kamala or he loves the art of making love. For example, in a later passage Kamala says, “But in spite of all that, my dear, you have remained a shramana and you do not love me” (Hesse 58). This is quite confusing to the reader as formerly, Siddhartha consumed himself into the “Childish world” in exchange for Kamala’s love.
“Siddhartha learned something new every step of the way. For the world has been transformed, and his heart was enraptured. He saw the sun rise over the wooded hills and go down over the distant palm-lined shore. At night he saw the stars arrayed across the sky and the crescent moon floating like a boat in the blue .He saw trees, stars, animals, clouds, rainbows, rocks, herbs, flowers, streams and rivers, dew glistening on the brush in the morning, distant lofty peaks blue and pale; birds and bees sand their songs, the wind blew silver in the rice fields. These myriads of colorful things had always been there the sun and moon had always shone, rivers had always rushed and bees hummed. But un former days all this had been nothing more fir Siddhartha than a transitory and beguiling veil before his eyes, viewed with distrust, meant to be punctured by thought and destroyed, since it was not the essence, since the essence lay beyond the visible” (Hesse 37).
ReplyDeleteAnalysis: This passage embarks a major turning point in Siddhartha’s mind. Seeing the world for as it is, he begins to recognize the beauty in his surroundings. This is the first time Siddhartha has connected to the world visually. He has broken away from his spiritual confinements which would leave him paralyzed to overlook the life around him. In this passage, Hesse defines in detail the way in which Siddhartha is viewing his surroundings. Positive annotations are created through the use of similes, for example, “…the crescent moon floating like a boat in the blue”. Siddhartha opens his mind to a more humane lifestyle, foreshadowing the acceptance to love which also arise when he meets Kamala. One of the largest changes this passage conveys is the departure from the spiritual world where Siddhartha was isolated to. By recognizing and appreciating the surround scenery, Siddhartha allows himself to learn and be changed by his new mindset, when previously he viewed the physical world as only an illusion. When Hesse writes about how the sun and moon has ‘always shone’, and the rivers ‘always rushed’, he is conveying the idea that Siddhartha had forever known these to be true, but never before looked at them the same. He was taught to view this world with ‘distrust’, and all of its beauty to be overthought because spiritually, it was unimportant. Siddhartha’s coming realization of the world around him draws a major development in his character and journey and he separated his own life form the spiritual one he has been living.
“Did you,” so he asked him at one time, “did you too learn that secret from the river: that there is no time?” Vasudeva’s face was filled with a bright smile. “Yes, Siddhartha,” he spoke. “It is this what you mean, isn’t it: that the river is everywhere at once, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the rapids, in the sea, in the mountains, everywhere at once, and that there is only the present time for it, not the shadow of the past, not the shadow of the future?” “This it is,” said Siddhartha. “And when I had learned it, I looked at my life, and it was also a river, and the boy Siddhartha was only separated from the man Siddhartha and from the old man Siddhartha by a shadow, not by something real. Also, Siddhartha’s previous births were no past, and his death and his return to Brahma were no future. Nothing was, nothing will be; everything is, everything has existence and is present.” Siddhartha spoke with ecstasy; deeply, this enlightenment had delighted him. Oh, was not all suffering time, where not all forms of tormenting oneself and being afraid time, was not everything hard, everything hostile in the world gone and overcome as soon as one had overcome time, as soon as time would have been put out of existence by one’s thoughts? In ecstatic delight, he had spoken, but Vasudeva smiled at him brightly and nodded in confirmation; silently he nodded, brushed his hand over Siddhartha’s shoulder, turned back to his work,” (Hesse 55-56).
ReplyDeleteTo live is to be in the present. When people recall their pasts, they do so in the present. When they think of the future, they do so in the present. What Siddhartha and Vasudeva speak of in this passage is that life is like the river. Past, present, and future are all one; they all occur within existence. It is humans who place the blockades between these realms of life, not anything else. It is the notion of time that creates suffering according to Siddhartha, “Oh, was not all suffering time... existence by one’s thoughts,” (56). Again, the theme of “Existence is suffering” rears its head. This key part of the Four Noble Truths is overcome, signifying that Siddhartha has moved forward on the Eightfold Path, closer to Nirvana than ever before.
The smile also reappears in this passage. The motif of the smile appears anytime someone who is enlightened interacts with Siddhartha. The first example of this is with Gotama, the Buddha. Now, Vasudeva “smiled at [Siddhartha,]” (56). Before, the smile was never at someone; those who are enlightened simply smiled. Now, a smile is directed at Siddhartha. This symbolizes the enlightenment of Siddhartha, he is progressing along his path to Nirvana at a rate that Vasudeva can not ignore. He remains silent as he does not want to impede Siddhartha, he would rather let Siddhartha progress on his own than possibly distract him with words. Vasudeva knows that Siddhartha does not take kindly to teachers, so he behaves like an older brother or as Siddhartha’s father; always there to guide him along the river.
“Now Siddhartha also knew why, as a brahmin and an ascetic, his fight against this ego had been futile. Too much knowledge had held him back, too many sacred verses, too many ritual rules, too much denial, too much doing and striving. He had been full of arrogance-always the smartest, always the most industrious, always a step ahead of everybody, always wise and spiritual, always the priest or sage... No teacher could ever have saved him. That is why he had to go into the world and abandon himself to pleasure and power, women and money, why he had had to be a merchant, a dice player, a drinker, a man consumed with greed-until the priest and shramana within him were dead... He had died and a new Siddhartha had awakened from his sleep.” (Hesse 78).
ReplyDeleteThis passage occurs in the end of the chapter “By the River”, where Siddhartha has recently abandoned his materialistic lifestyle in the village. He has come to the realization of how engulfed he had become in their childish world. As Siddhartha lays by the river, he becomes aware of his egotistical self. It is previously seen throughout the novel that Siddhartha believes everyone else to be beneath him. His arrogance got in the way of finding atman and made it so that “no teacher could ever have saved him”. He understands that fighting his ego only made it worse, and that the best option is to embrace himself. Hesse uses repetition to make the reader feel overwhelmed and emphasises the bad aspects of Siddhartha’s old lifestyle. Diction such as “pleasure”, “power”, “women”, “money”, “drinker”, and “greed” create a negative connotation towards the village and world he became consumed in. The metaphor, “He had died and a new Siddhartha had awakened from his sleep”, shows how Siddhartha has been born again as a “child”. This reincarnation leads him to the path of finding his own atman again. Another metaphor which is continually repeated is death, and it represents the parts of the old Siddhartha which have been erased from his current being. Specific details of Siddhartha’s past actions remind Hesse’s audience of his journey. Hesse uses long and complex sentences in order to make the reader feel tired, as Siddhartha feels. In addition, it brings the reader's attention to the quantity of undesirable habits that Siddhartha acquired while learning from the “child people”.
“Tenderly he gazed into the translucent greenness of the flowing water, at the crystalline lines of the mysterious designs it made. He saw pale pearls rising out of the depths and still bubbles floating on the surface with the image of the blue sky in them. The river looked at him with a thousand eyes, green ones, white ones, crystal ones, sky blue ones. How he loved this river, how it charmed him, how grateful he was to it! In his heart he heard the voice speaking, the newly awakened voice, and it said to him: “Love this river! Stay by it! Learn from it!” Oh yes, he wanted to learn from it, to listen to it. Whoever could understand this river and its mysteries, it seemed to him, would also understand many other things, many mysteries, all mysteries.
ReplyDeleteAmong the mysteries of the river today, however, he saw only one that gripped his soul. He saw that the river flowed and flowed, flowed ever onward, and yet was always there, was always the same yet every moment new! Oh, if one could grasp that, understand that! He did not understand or grasp it, felt only an inkling stir, a distant memory, divine voices” (Hesse 79).
This passage occurs after Siddhartha finally realizes his path to spiritual enlightenment. He is about to cross the river with the ferryman who he had previously encountered earlier in the novel. This excerpt gives an interesting and detailed description of the river from Siddhartha’s point of view and makes use of a multitude of literary devices to enhance the setting. Hesse uses visual imagery in lines such as “translucent greenness of the flowing water” or “bubbles floating on the surface with the image of the blue sky in them”. These sentences not only help to paint a vivid picture in the reader’s mind, but also to connect the reader to Siddhartha’s fascination with the river. The use of personification through diction with words like “eyes” and “voice” help to give human attributes to a nonliving object. This personification portrays the river as a wise, loving human being with which Siddhartha is extremely infatuated. In the first paragraph of this passage, Siddhartha almost deifies the river as something to learn from and listen to. He also believes that the river is the source of all understanding, and once one can “understand this river and its mysteries”, he or she “would understand many other things, many mysteries, all mysteries” (Hesse 79). In the second paragraph of this passage, Siddhartha continues to ponder the mysteries of the river that he strives to understand. After describing his yearning to understand the river and its mysteries, Siddhartha returns to the present reality and realizes that he has so much more to learn.
When I first read this part of the novel, I never noticed how the river can resemble a "human". This is one of the major turning points of the story because Siddhartha realizes this is how he will be able to be content with what he has in his life. It fascinates me how the beginning of the book mentions him not learning from his teachers because he thought they could only teach him what he already knows. Now, he is willing to "listen to the river" and have it guide him on this new path.
DeletePassage:
ReplyDelete"During that time he had a dream. Kamala kept a small rare songbird in a small golden cage. It was about this bird that he dreamt. This bird, which usually sang in the morning, became mute, and as this surprised him, he went up to the cage and looked inside. The little bird was dead and lay stiff on the floor. He took it out, held it a moment in his hand and then threw it away on the road, and at the same moment he was horrified and his heart ached as if he had thrown away with this dead bird all that was good and of value in himself." (Hesse 82)
Analysis:
At this point of the book, Siddhartha is extremely unhappy with the life he is leading. He was involved with gambling, drinking, and being with many different women, pleasures he refused to be a part of in the beginning of his journey. Before, discontent was driving him to push harder and find the Self. Now, it no longer motivated him to continue on and become the person he wished to be, satisfied and happy with all that he has. As he went to sleep, he had a dream about Kamala's songbird. This bird usually sang during the mornings, but Siddhartha had found it dead and, with no hesitation, tossed it on the side. This passage is a symbolism, the rare bird resembling his past life. The death of the bird and the action of tossing it away symbolizes his values during his spiritual life dying and evolving into a more secular world. Siddhartha did not wish to live out a life full of worldly possessions and he was disappointed it has led on for so long. This dream had made him realize he was turning into Kamaswami, a bitter merchant who becomes frustrated with failed transactions and value money and power. Getting rid of all these materialistic possessions were a part of his ascetic lifestyle in the beginning of the story. At first, Siddhartha refused to let business take over his mind. Year after year of living as a merchant, a drunk, a gambler, and Kamala’s lover, he had woken up from his sleep and became aware of the person he had become, discontent and sick. His soul was trapped in a cage and was slowly dying.
Passage:
ReplyDelete"Like a veil, like a thin mist, fatigue settled over Siddhartha, slowly, each day a bit thicker, each month a bit drearier, each year a bit heavier. As a new garment gets old with time, loses its vivid color, gets spotted, wrinkled, worn at the seams, and here and there begins to show weak, threadbare spots, in the same way Siddhartha's new life, which he had begun after his separation from Govinda, had grown old with the passing years and lost its color and luster, accumulated spots and wrinkles; and here and there, already poking through in an ugly fashion, waited the disappointment and revulsion that lay hidden beneath. Siddhartha failed to see it. He noticed only that the bright and confident voice of his inner being, which had once been awake within him and which in his times of brilliance had been his constant guide, had gone still."
(Hesse 61)
Analysis:
This passage describes how Siddhartha felt after living the life of the child people for many years. For most of those years, Siddhartha had lived as an outsider, playing a game in order to learn how the other half lived. He viewed himself as above them, more intelligent, more spiritual, seeing things for what they really were. Siddhartha did not value material wealth the same way Kamaswami did. However, after living a material life for so long, it begins to rub off on him, and he senses his inner light fading. Hesse uses only four sentences in this paragraph, with three of them being incredibly long. One sentence is only five words, which makes it stand out to the reader more, especially because it’s placed right after a whopping eighty-two-word sentence. The long middle sentence compares Siddhartha’s once-new material life to an old garment, describing it as “...spotted, wrinkled, [and] worn at the seams...” and telling that it has “... lost its color and luster, [and] accumulated spots and wrinkles...” (Hesse 61). This kind of diction is used by Hesse to give a feeling of deterioration, to show that Siddhartha’s new life is not holding up for long. Following this sentence is an incredibly short one: “Siddhartha failed to see it.” (Hesse 61). These sentences together show the reader what Siddhartha’s internal struggle is. His life has decayed and he doesn’t notice. He only notices that his inner light is flickering out.
“His face contorted, he stared into the water. He saw the reflection of his face and spat at it. Profoundly weary, he slipped his arm from the tree trunk and turned a little to allow himself to fall straight down, so he could go under at last. He sank, his eyes closed, towards death.
ReplyDeleteJust then, from the remote precincts of his soul, out of one of the pasts of his outworn life, came a sound. It was a word, a syllable, which he began to mumble mindlessly, the old word from the beginning and end of every Brahmanic prayer, the sacred OM, which means something like “perfection” or “fulfillment”. And the moment the sound of OM reached Siddhartha’s ear, suddenly his slumbering mind awakened, and he recognized the foolishness of his action” (Hesse 70-71).
At the beginning of By the River, Hesse conveys the troubling mind of a lost, suicidal Siddhartha by the use of negative connotations and voice. On page 70, he writes, “His face contorted, he started into the water… He sank, eyes closed, towards death”. Throughout this passage there is a dark voice in the writing. Words like ‘contorted’ and ‘profoundly weary’ allow readers a clear visual image of the twisted thoughts which ultimately lead to Siddhartha letting go of the branch to his death. The final description of his fall relates closely to the act itself; suicide is short and quick, and Hesse used three fragmented pieces to display that. This passage also marks a major turning point in Siddhartha’s life, for recently he has been lost in the ascetic lifestyle of a merchant, which leaves him feeling drowned out in the world of a materialistic man. OM, the symbol of all Brahmanic prayer, is what saves Siddhartha from himself and revives his mind. Despite the choices he has made to live the last few years without spiritual guidance, it is evident that Siddhartha is personally connected in such a way to the Samama life that even in his darkest times, his spiritual beliefs will emerge to save him. Siddhartha had always believed in finding atman through Buddhism and his attempted suicide awoke his mind to find hope in continuing his search for enlightenment. Siddhartha rose from the river as a new man and has learned from his mistakes. His past as both an admired Buddha and wealthy merchant shows the contrast between finding happiness in riches and poor. Both experiences have etched their lessons into Siddhartha as he begins to continue on his way. Peace and happiness are not found in a single action, it is a mindset that can be applied to diverse events, and Siddhartha represents and models this theme through the novel.
“Siddhartha made an effort to listen better. The image of his father, his own image, the image of his son merged, Kamala’s image also appeared and was dispersed, and the image of Govinda, and other images, and they merged with each other, turned all into the river, headed all, being the river, for the goal, longing, desiring, suffering, and the river’s voice sounded full of yearning, full of burning woe, full of unsatisfiable desire. For the goal, the river was heading, Siddhartha saw it hurrying, the river, which consisted of him and his loved ones and of all people, he had ever seen, all of these waves and waters were hurrying, suffering, towards goals, many goals, the waterfall, the lake, the rapids, the sea, and all goals were reached, and every goal was followed by a new one, and the water turned into vapour and rose to the sky, turned into rain and poured down from the sky, turned into a source, a stream, a river, headed forward once again, flowed on once again. But the longing voice had changed. It still resounded, full of suffering, searching, but other voices joined it, voices of joy and of suffering, good and bad voices, laughing and sad ones, a hundred voices, a thousand voices. Siddhartha listened. He was now nothing but a listener, completely concentrated on listening, completely empty, he felt, that he had now finished learning to listen. Often before, he had heard all this, these many voices in the river, today it sounded new. Already, he could no longer tell the many voices apart, not the happy ones from the weeping ones, not the ones of children from those of men, they all belonged together, the lamentation of yearning and the laughter of the knowledgeable one, the scream of rage and the moaning of the dying ones, everything was one, everything was intertwined and connected, entangled a thousand times. And everything together, all voices, all goals, all yearning, all suffering, all pleasure, all that was good and evil, all of this together was the world. All of it together was the flow of events, was the music of life. And when Siddhartha was listening attentively to this river, this song of a thousand voices, when he neither listened to the suffering nor the laughter, when he did not tie his soul to any particular voice and submerged himself into it, but when he heard them all, perceived the whole, the oneness, then the great song of the thousand voices consisted of a single word, which was Om: the perfection,” (Hesse 72-73).
ReplyDeleteThe river is eternal. It is a lesson Siddhartha has already learned, but is now relearning. In this passage, Siddhartha is recovering from a broken heart caused by the leaving of his son, much like how he left his own father when he was young. The suffering is just another part of his existence, it is a cycle. He caused his father to suffer, as his son has done to him, as his son’s son will do to him. It is all natural though, as the river reveals. All will suffer as he did, as all have a goal as he does. This is Hesse’s lesson to the audience. Everything and everyone is all the same. Everyone is sad, everyone experiences pain, everyone experiences disappointment, and all this continues with every new goal people set and achieve. They are all in this cycle that can never break.
The new lesson Siddhartha learns in this passage is to listen to everything. He takes it all in, much unlike what he learned as a Samana. Because he became a listener, allowing himself to take everything in, he opened himself to what the river could give him, “Then the great song of the thousand voices consisted of a single word, which was Om: the perfection,” (Hesse 73). Again Hesse comes back to something from the beginning of the story. The story itself is a cycle, themes are repeated and motifs are abundant. This is done to help the reader pick up on the meaning of the river. It is one thing to read about a river that represents the universe, always returning to where it came from. It is another to read about a life that repeats itself, to have ideas and parts of youth come back during old age.
Your perspective on the theme that all will suffer is interesting. Although i had never though of this being a major theme of the novel, I agree with your analysis. Siddhartha has learned to accept knowledge from his surrounding. For example, he is learning from the river, an idea that at the beginning of the novel Siddhartha would have overlooked. Containing a motif that life is a cycle and symbolically representing it as water, Hesse conveyed that in life people follow each other in the same way as a current. All are searching in the same direction to find contentment, and all are affected by each other and the decisions they make.
DeletePassage:
ReplyDelete“Now he looked at people differently than he had before- less cleverly, with less pride, yet more warmly, with more curiosity and caring. When he took travelers of the usual kind across the river, child people- traders, warriors, women- these people no longer seemed alien to him, as they once had. He understood them, he shared their life, a life guided not by ideas and insights but only by impulses and desires. He felt as they did. Although he was nearer to perfection and bore his last wound, it nevertheless seemed to him that these people were his brothers. Their vanities, appetites, and absurd traits had lost their absurdity for him. These traits had become comprehensible, lovable; he even experienced them as worthy of respect. “ (Hesse 100)
Analysis:
This passage, at the beginning of the chapter “OM”, is a huge turning point for Siddhartha. After his son leaves him, he realizes what pain is and what sadness other people go through. It makes him more receptive to learning about the “child people”, and he understands them better. Hesse writes simply, “He felt as they did.” (Hesse 100). This brief, succinct sentence sums up this stage in Siddhartha’s life: he has come to understand the child people, and with them, the unity of all life. This passage is mostly constructed of even-length sentences, and they have a nice flow. Hesse does this to give the reader the feeling of contentment, that Siddhartha is finally happy and satisfied. He now respects these people, because he is on the same level as them. He still was “...nearer to perfection and bore his last wound...” but the traits of the child people “...had lost their absurdity for him.... [and] become comprehensible, lovable...” (Hesse 100). The aspects of the child people that he used to despise are now endearing and interesting. Hesse describes the child people’s lives as ruled by “impulses and desires”. Siddhartha now shares this trait, as exhibited when he decides to go to the city to find his son, and the way he keeps his son at the hut with him. These decisions were made on impulse and driven by a desire to keep his son, because he loves his son more than he has ever loved anything. The fact that Siddhartha loves someone this deeply is evidence of a turning point in his life- it has changed his view of other people.
The connection to the new perspective on the "child people" is very interesting. I definitely agree with this view and the point at which Siddhartha is at. However, it would be nice to include an example on how Siddhartha has formed a greater connection and understanding with them. For example, he has now experienced the emotion of blindly loving someone. His unconditional love and patience for his son doesn’t wither when he leaves him. This opens Siddhartha’s eyes, and helps him to realize that all humans are equal. The only thing he believes to separate himself from the “child people” is his awareness in his surroundings.
Delete“Siddhartha made the effort to listen closer. The image of his father, his own image, and the image of his son flowed into one another. Kamala’s image also appeared and dissolved. Govinda’s image and other images appeared and fused with one another, and all became the river, all moved as the river toward their objects, their goals, passionate, hungering, suffering. And the river’s voice was full of longing, ardent with sorrow, full of unquenchable longing. The river strove toward its goal; Siddhartha saw it hurrying on, this river composed of himself and those near him and of all the people he had ever seen. All the waves and currents hurried onward, suffering, toward objects, many goals. The waterfall, the lake, the rapids, the sea, and all the goals were reached; and each was followed by a new one, and the water became vapor and climbed into the sky, became rain and crashed down from the sky, became springs, brooks, became a river, strove onward again, flowed anew. But the passionate voice had changed. It still had the sound of suffering, questing, but other voices were added – voices of joy and suffering, good and evil voices, laughing and lamenting voices, a hundred, a thousand voices” (Hesse 104).
ReplyDeleteThis passage occurs when Vasudeva is consoling Siddhartha who is still suffering from a “burning” wound of his son leaving him. Vasudeva tells Siddhartha to listen closer to the river to find help. This passage represents a significant moment for Siddhartha in which he finally makes sense of his life and all of the experiences that he has encountered. Hesse makes use of a lot of visual imagery in words such as “dissolved”, “fused” and “flowed” which helps to connect Siddhartha’s perception of what’s happening with the reader. The use of smooth and flowing diction with these words allow all of these pictures that Siddhartha is visualizing to be seamlessly connected to the river instead of merely being random ideas in Siddhartha’s mind.
Another important idea in this passage is the role that the river plays. The river can be interpreted as life, and all of the images that Siddhartha is seeing are simply moving along through time. In life, one has many ups and downs; it can be “full of longing, ardent with sorrow, full of unquenchable longing”. The passage also mentions how “all the waves and currents hurried onward, suffering, toward objects, many goals”. This sentence serves to represent how life always moves on, despite suffering (in this case, Siddhartha’s pain of his son running away).
In this passage, “the passionate voice [of the river] had changed”. This describes the culmination of Siddhartha’s experiences, from living as a shramana to living in luxury, and how his life had changed. Also, the use of antithesis in the last sentence with contrasting ideas like “joy and suffering”, “good and evil”, and “laughing and lamenting” help to show Siddhartha’s wide range of experiences that he has encountered that have both caused him joy and discontent.
Passage:
ReplyDelete“The picture of his father, his own picture, and the picture of his son all flowed into each other. Kamala’s picture also appeared and flowed on, and the picture of Govinda and other emerged and passed on. They all became part of the river. It was the goal of all of them, yearning, desiring, suffering; and the river’s voice was full of longing, full of smarting woe, full of insatiable desire. The river flowed on towards its goal. Siddhartha saw the river hasten, made up of himself and his relatives and all the people he had ever seen. All the waves and water hastened, suffering, towards goals, many goals, to the waterfall, to the sea, to the current, to the ocean and all goals were reached and each one was succeeded by another. The water changed to vapor and rose, became rain and came down again, became spring, brook and river, changed anew, flowed anew. But the yearning voice had altered. It still echoed sorrowfully, searchingly, but other voices accompanied it, voices of pleasure and sorrow, good and evil voices, laughing and lamenting voices, hundreds of voices, thousands of voices.” (Hesse 135)
Analysis:
This passage is taken from the chapter “Om”. At this time, Siddhartha is mourning over the leave of his runaway son. He is envious towards the travellers who stumble upon the river, such as fathers, businessmen, even criminals, who are also accompanied by children. As he watches them come and go, he does not accept the happiness they experience while the only action he can take is to accept the fact his son gone. Siddhartha confesses his thoughts and feelings to Vasudeva. He continues to vent for a while and notices the man Vasudeva has changed into: Vasudeva was one with the world. Afterwards, the ferryman tells him to listen more closely to the river and its countless voices. All of the voices form into a perfect sound of Om.
Herman Hesse uses a clever technique while he explains the voices of the river. The last couple sentences of the passage are run-on sentences. He lists many examples of body of water, the different states of matter for water, and the bountiful voices found all over the world. This structure is written to stress Siddhartha’s thoughts and how his mind is slowly piecing every part of the world together.
The part of the book is one of the major turning points in the novel because, even though Siddhartha listened to the river’s voice for many years, he only listened to one at a time. It never occurred to him that it contained a variety of voices, all originating from every aspect of the human emotion. He was stubborn in terms of accepting his destiny and fighting against what he was created to live for. Water derives from many sources: the rain, the snow on the mountaintop, the small brooks that lead to rivers, the salty and large ocean. But all are connected somehow. Every drop of water come from different backgrounds but all converge into one source eventually. Siddhartha learned this idea after letting the river become his teacher. He is no longer fighting the current of his life, but going alongside the ride.
“The river was laughing, loudly and plainly laughing at the old ferryman. Siddhartha stopped, Over the water to hear better, and in the quietly moving water he saw the reflection of his face. In this reflected face there was something that recalled something forgotten, and as he thought about it he remembered. This face was like another face he had once known and loved and also feared. It resembled the face of his father, the brahmin. And he remembered how, long ago as a youth, he had forced his father to let him go with the ascetics, how he had left him, gone off, and never returned. Had his father not felt the same pain over him that he now felt over his son?” (Hesse 102)
ReplyDeleteTowards the end of the novel, Siddhartha has a difficulty letting go of his son and liberating him to pursue his own path. Siddhartha has begun to find peace while living on the river and listening to it’s wisdom. This can also be seen as merely a reflection on Siddhartha’s life. Another reflection which the river depicts, is that of his father’s. Hesse uses reflective imagery to create an image of the river as a mirror. Siddhartha now understands how his father felt when he left him to begin his journey as a shramana. Siddhartha’s “wound” of his son leaving continues to burn until this point in the chapter “OM”, when he realizes how similar his son’s actions were to his own. The departure of Siddhartha’s son is repeatedly mentioned as “the wound”, which creates a painful tone for the audience. Hesse uses personification to make the river seem alive and full of knowledge. It acts as a teacher, but one that Siddhartha can learn from by his own experiences. This realization allows Siddhartha to continue his journey to atman and no longer worry about his son. Siddharth understands that the forest will not harm his son, and this is necessary action for him to grow as a child. The title of this chapter is “OM”, and it is fitting due to the fact that Siddhartha is once again closer to being at peace with himself.
I completely agree with your analysis. Hesse's comparison of the river to the mirror shows how Siddhartha used the river to take time to reflect over his past choices. Looking in to the water and watching it flow allowed Siddhartha to realize how life is a continuous stream of similar actions. Like you mentioned how Siddhartha realizes now how his father felt when he left the same way Siddhartha's son had left him, I, too, agree that Siddhartha is starting to feel remorse for his actions and now has a greater understanding of the father-son bond.
Delete“There slowly bloomed and ripened in Siddhartha the realization and knowledge of what wisdom, the object of his long quest, really was. It was nothing more than a readiness of the soul, a mysterious knack: the ability at every moment in the midst of life to think the thought of unity, to feel and breathe unity. Gradually this blossomed in him, shone back to him from the ancient child’s face of Vasudeva- harmony, knowledge of the eternal perfection of the world, unity- a smile” (Hesse 101).
ReplyDeleteThis passage was taken from the chapter “OM” in the novel Siddhartha. At this point in Siddhartha’s life, he has reached a realization that altered his mindset and changed his path to enlightment. There had been many events prior to which Siddhartha had been affected, but this is the most drastic. Having just lost his son, Siddhartha revaluates his ideas of the people around him. Hesse writes, “It was nothing more than the readiness of the soul, a mysterious knack… to feel and breathe unity” (101). Through the duration of Siddhartha’s life, he had put his mind above others. He looked down on the people who lived off the pleasure of materialistic belongings, and viewed love as irrational and unnecessary. Losing his son connected Siddhartha to those same traits he once frowned upon. Before, his mind was set on finding the direct path to atman. Siddhartha now realizes that happiness cannot be found by physical search, rather true enlightment is found in making peace with the surrounding life. Siddhartha opened his eyes to accepting the love for his son, enough to eventually let him free. The world is not perfection, but now Siddhartha sees that to find perfection he must unify himself with the people he meets, and to allowed himself to be changed by them. With each person Siddhartha has done this, Kamala, Vasudeva, his son, his mind has grown fuller with the knowledge of different perspective, something his old Brahmin ways forbid him to do. This turning point marks a dynamic change to Siddhartha’s character. Hesse included this discovery to round out the end of Siddhartha’s evolution. His character has traveled through many lives to complete his journey with an understanding of the world that he has seen through many eyes.
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