“But more than by all of these, he was loved by Govinda his friend, the Brahman’s son. He loved Siddhartha’s eyes and pleasant voice, he loved his gait and the perfect propriety of his movements, he loved everything Siddhartha did and said; and, above all, he loved his intelligence, his lofty and fiery thoughts, his burning will, his vocation. Govinda knew: this man will not become an ordinary Brahman, no lazy functionary at sacrifices, no avaricious merchant of magic charms, no vain, empty speechmaker, no malicious, crafty priest, but also no kindly, stupid sheep in the flock of the multitude. No, and he, too, Govinda, did not wish to become one of those, a Brahman like ten thousand other. He wanted to follow Siddhartha, the loved one, the splendid one. And is Siddhartha should ever become a god, if he should ever enter the company of the Radiant Ones, then Govinda wish to follow him, as his friend, as his companion, as his servant, as his spear bearer, his shadow. (Hesse 2)
Throughout this passage Govinda’s devotion to Siddhartha is first seen and his love for Siddhartha is an element of what motivates him. The use of the word “shadow” by Hesse is foreshadowing that Govinda at this stage has not found himself but still needs to be guided by others on what paths to take and does not have his own path yet. Govinda follows Siddhartha to become a samana and although his devotion is undeniable Govinda does not have the ability though to find his nirvana independently. Later they separate Govinda becoming a monk, coming back together again years later Siddhartha has found nirvana and Govinda finally reaches nirvana with help of Siddhartha but of also finding his own direction.
“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 good act, to sacrifice the gods? To what other should one make offerings, what other should one worship besides That, the one and only, atman? And where was atman to be found, where did it dwell, where did its eternal heart beat? Where else but in one’s own inmost self, the indestructible essence within everyone.” (Hesse 5)
A main theme that I found within the first two chapters was the theme of dissatisfaction. Specifically, in the above passage Hesse expresses Siddhartha’s feelings of dismay. The fact that Siddhartha is questioning so many ideas and beliefs shows his dissatisfaction with his life style and practices. Not only is he dissatisfied with his life style, but also he is curious as to what extent are the beliefs of so many true. Even though everyone loves Siddhartha, he is still dissatisfied with himself. He believes that all of his elders have taught him everything that they know, but he feels that he has yet to find the truth. This dissatisfaction stems from him not being able to feel enlightened. When Hesse writes, “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,” it explains how Siddhartha believes that the rituals he practices don’t “work.” More symbolically, this quote is explaining Siddhartha’s feelings towards his life and that he doesn’t feel fulfilled with his religious practices. His life is plain like “water” and hasn’t allowed him to reach enlightenment yet. Siddhartha thinks his practices are “splendid” but wants to know if a different life would have more to offer. Because of his dissatisfaction, this passage from the novel foreshadows that he will seek enlightenment in the near future. He knows that there is more to life and longs to reach enlightenment by finding that nirvana that so many desire.
Your analysis is really interesting. It made me think about a film I watched a few years ago called The Secret Life of Walter Mitty because the main theme of the film is dissatisfaction. Walter is always dreaming of a world where he can have all these amazing adventures and being portrayed as hero due to the fact that he is actually just an employee at LIFE magazine with the same mundane routine every day. I know that part is not really anything like Siddhartha but Siddhartha is dissatisfied with his lifestyle as you said in your post the same way Walter Mitty is dissatisfied with his life and both are wanting a change in their lives.
“And in the night’s last hour, before the day began, he returned, stepped into the room, saw the young man standing there, who seemed tall and like a stranger to him. ‘Siddhartha,’ he spoke, ‘what are you waiting for?’ ‘You know what.’ ‘Will you always stand that way and wait, until it’ll becomes morning, noon, and evening?’ ‘I will stand and wait.’ ‘You will become tired, Siddhartha.’ ‘I will become tired.’ ‘You will fall asleep, Siddhartha.’ ‘I will not fall asleep.’ ‘You will die, Siddhartha.’ ‘I will die.’ ‘And would you rather die, than obey your father?’ ‘Siddhartha has always obeyed his father.’ ‘So will you abandon your plan?’ ‘Siddhartha will do what his father will tell him to do.’ The first light of day shone into the room. The Brahman saw that Siddhartha was trembling softly in his knees. In Siddhartha’s face he saw no trembling, his eyes were fixed on a distant spot. Then his father realized that even now Siddhartha no longer dwelt with him in his home, that he had already left him.” (Hesse 12)
This passage is a major part of Siddhartha’s characterization. As his father had expressed discontent at his wanting to join the Samanas, Siddhartha did not give up on his plan, or openly disobey his father. His waiting an entire night for his father to allow him to leave shows that he has great respect for him, and great patience, even as the Brahman was keeping him from starting on his journey to finding knowledge and spirituality; he states that he has always obeyed his father and will continue to do so. In this same action, Siddhartha’s devotion to this spirituality is clear - he would remain standing in that spot until his father permitted him to join the Samanas, even if he would die doing so. At the end of the passage, Siddhartha’s father realizes that his son “had already left him” - that he had been set on leaving the village from the beginning, to pursue his thirst for wisdom and teachings, that he was no longer the same Siddhartha that he had known.
“Then Siddhartha laughed in his particular way, in which his voice took on a shade of sadness, and said: ‘Well said, Govinda, you have spoken well and remembered rightly. But kindly also remember the other thing you heard from me - that I have become distrustful of doctrines and learning and tired of them - I have little faith in words that come to us from teachers. But very well, my friend, I am willing to hear that teaching, even though in my heart I believe we have already tasted the best of its fruits.’ Govinda said: ‘Your willingness brings joy to my heart. but tell me, how is it possible? How could the best fruits of Gotama’s teaching already have been revealed to us before we have even heard it?’ Siddhartha said: ‘Let us savor this fruit for now and let any others wait, Govinda. For the fruit for which we can already thank Gotama is this: He is summoning us away from the shramanas! Whether he has something more and better to offer us, my friend, let us patiently wait and see.’” (Hesse 19)
In this passage nearing the end of the second chapter, Govinda pleads Siddhartha to follow him in listening to the words of wisdom of the great Buddha, Gotama. Throughout the passage, the reader can tell, by analysing the way of speech Hesse uses for Siddhartha and Govinda, that their relationship is merely one sided. Govinda looks up to Siddhartha as his admirer and Siddhartha recognizes that. This later becomes important due to their separation and Govinda fearing that he might not recognize a solution when a problem erupts. Nevertheless, these series of quotes by Siddhartha are still crucial to the time of its appearance in the book because of his enhanced consciousness. This passage allows the reader to realize that Siddhartha, at the time in the book, doubts that the teachings will give him answers to pure nirvana. This is supported by a quote within this passage; “I have become distrustful of doctrines and learning and tired of them - I have little faith in words that come to us from teachers.” The Shramanas’ teachings, that Siddhartha and Govinda followed, aim to enable the seeker of knowledge an escape from the physical world, but Siddhartha fathoms that true enlightenment cannot be achieved by ignoring the world around him. Siddhartha recognizes that even though he continually escapes the body, the Shramanas are trapped on a path that offers temporary escape from suffering but does not lead to enlightenment. The fact that Siddhartha no longer wants to be a part of the Shramanas is clearly stated as he implies that the thing Gotama has already done good for them is “summoning” them away from the Shramanas.
Good passage selection. It captures one of the turning points in Siddharthas life as he chooses a different path to attain his goal. However, I disagree with your statement about the relationship between Siddhartha and Govinda. I don't believe their relationship is one sided. Govinda may rely on Siddhartha for guidance but Siddhartha relies on him to help him determine whether or not he is on the right path. Also, it is not that Siddhartha believes the Shramanas are necessarily "trapped" but that the teachings they practice may not lead them to his goal of attaining enlightenment. Other than that, I enjoyed and admired the rest of your analysis.
Thank you Kaylee for your critical opinions and views of Govinda and Siddhartha's relationship, as they made me to think differently. However, I am still confident in my claim of their relationship being heavily one-sided. I stand by this due to, after reading the book, seeing that Govinda wouldn't have ever reached true enlightenment without Siddhartha. I disagree with your statement that Siddhartha relied on Govinda for a determination whether he was on the right path because I believed that Siddhartha was never actually on the "right path" until after he became affiliated with Vasudeva. Yes, Siddhartha learned the ways of the Brahmins and the Shramana's with his best friend Govinda, but if we're discussing his actual successful path to true enlightenment, Govinda barely aided Siddhartha due to his absence with Gotama. Nevertheless, thank you for the reply.
“But Siddartha was no joy to himself; he brought no pleasure to himself. Walking on the rosy paths of the fig garden, sitting in the bluish shadows of the meditation grove, washing his limbs in his daily baths of purification, performing sacrifices in the deep shade of the mango wood, perfect in the grace of his gestures, he was beloved of everyone, a joy to all-but still there was no joy in his heart. Dreams came to him in and restless thoughts. They flowed into him from the water of the river, glittered from the nights stars, melted out of the rays of the sun. Dreams came and a restless mind, rising in the smoke of the offerings, wafting from the verses of Rigveda, seeping into him of the teachings of the old Brahmins” (Hesse 4-5).
Hermann Hesse characterizes protagonist Siddhartha, as an ideal follower of Hinduism who is idolized by all who know him. However, he faces an internal conflict as he struggles to understand the discrepancies between the teachings of Hinduism and what he encounters in his real life. This causes him to question the validity of the Hindu teachings. Hesse states that Siddhartha is “walking on the rosy paths of a fig garden…” (4) where he follows the teachings of Hinduism with the intention of helping him seek out the truth. Siddhartha views his father (a Brahmin) as being the ideal follower of Hinduism as he exemplifies all that which the teachings proscribe. As he continues to follow these practices it causes him to question the validity of the rituals and teachings of Hinduism. Hesse later writes that Siddhartha was “perfect in his grace of his gestures, beloved of everyone, a joy to all—but still there was no joy in his heart…” (4) Siddhartha becomes discontent with his life as he is not receiving the answers he desires to know. The Brahmins learned from holy books and practiced many rituals. However, Siddhartha did not believe he would achieve full enlightment through the readings. He then proposes the idea to leave to the forest with his friend Govinda in order to learn the practices of the Shramana. Like the Buddha, Siddhartha strives to absorb knowledge without the desire to understand. Siddhartha’s goal of obtaining enlightment and achieving his own happiness involves acquiring true knowledge without longing to understand.
I found the analysis that you did on this passage to be very insightful and accurate. I agree with you entirely that, at this point in the story, Siddhartha is extremely conflicted, desperately torn between two sides. On one hand, Siddhartha does not seek to cause his father angst (seen when he refuses to leave without his father's consent) and aims to please his family. But, on the other hand, Siddhartha yearns for the truth. He seeks to learn as much as he can and reach his spiritual potential. The decision to follow his heart must have been a very stressful one for him to make, yet he knows within himself that it was the correct choice. Once again, great analysis! It was very interesting to see your views on this section of the book!
Nathan Maisonville (P7 Murai) “He removed his hand from his son’s shoulder and went out.
Siddhartha reeled when he tried to walk. He subdued his limbs, bowed to his father, and went to his mother to do as his father had said.” (Hesse 11)
In this passage, Siddhartha’s father has realized his son’s insatiable hunger for enlightenment and has just given Siddhartha his blessing to embark on his spiritual quest and join the Samanas. As Siddhartha’s father grants Siddhartha this permission, he removes his hand from his son’s shoulder. This simple gesture is brimming with symbolic meaning and is a key moment in Siddhartha’s journey. The removal of the hand represents the father reluctantly releasing his beloved son to become his own person and to seek his own path. However, the action also symbolizes the exit of the traditions and rituals Siddhartha had been raised with and had relentlessly performed throughout his whole childhood. The actions of both characters in this passage demonstrate the sheer amount of respect and love they share for each other and truly encapsulate their bond as father and son. Although it is against what he wants for him, Siddhartha’s father genuinely respects his son by allowing him to do as he wishes. Siddhartha expresses his intense gratitude for his father’s kindness by practically falling to his knees and bowing, returning the respect he was given. This passage also helps characterize Siddhartha and allows readers to gain more of an insight as to who he is. His unremitting persistence in gaining his father’s approval helps to portray Siddhartha as a stubborn, yet strong-willed person who will go to all ends to get what he desires. He also seems to be quite opportunistic and eager to learn, as he is quick to take a chance and seek enlightenment with the nomadic Samanas.
“But he, Siddhartha, where did he belong to? With whom would he share his life? Whose language would he speak? Out of this moment, when the world melted away all around him, when he stood alone like a star in the sky, out of this moment of a cold and despair, Siddhartha emerged, more a self than before, more firmly concentrated.” (Hesse 41)
This passage and chapter in general marks a major transition in Siddhartha’s story: no longer is he seeking the teachings of others to gain wisdom towards enlightenment, but he proceeds to find his sense of self that he had lost while searching for that as a Brahman and a Samana. It also foreshadows Siddhartha’s journey - at the beginning of the passage, when he questions where he would belong and who he would associate with, it hints that throughout the story he will never stay with any one group of people or in one place for very long - with his father, with the Samanas, with Govinda, in the city. The simile comparing Siddhartha to a star, besides providing imagery for the cold, despairing loneliness he was feeling, could connect to his enlightenment at the end of the book, when he was aglow with his wisdom and holiness. At the end of the passage, the mention of his emergence as “more of a self than before” possibly shows that this has only been the first step of his journey, and that he has a long ways to go before he finds himself.
“You have found liberation from death. This came to you as a result of your own seeking on your own path, through thought, through meditation, through realization, through enlightenment. It did not come to you through teaching! And that is my idea, O Exalted One–nobody attains enlightenment through a teaching.” (Hesse 27-28)
This passage is from when Siddhartha is talking to Buddha after he departs his dear friend, Govinda. It is at this point in the story where Siddhartha makes a life-changing realization. He comes to the conclusion that enlightenment cannot be taught by a teacher and must come from within himself. After years of teaching and being unsatisfied, he has finally realized the key to enlightenment. He must begin his own adventure to find enlightenment not by finding new teachers but by finding it on his own. Because Siddhartha wasn’t enlightened by Buddha, the best teacher he has had, he knew that no other teacher could give him enough wisdom to allow him to feel enlightened and that he himself must pursue his own path. Siddhartha wants so badly to become just as happy and enlightened as Buddha and knows the only way to get there is alone. I would also like to point out a specific part of Hesse’s writing style in this particular passage that I have also seen in other passages throughout the story. He repeats the word “through” four times in the same sentence. This use of repetition creates the effect that Siddhartha is out of breath when talking to Buddha because of his excitement of his realization. He could have listed the words “meditation, realization and enlightenment” alone, but instead he uses the word “through” each time. This technique helped by contributing to the idea that this is a huge and important step in Siddhartha’s life.
“‘Today we shall hear the teaching from his lips,’ said Govinda. Siddhartha did not reply. He 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 this 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 on 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)
In this passage, Hesse once again states the independency Siddhartha thinks he has. Much like the previous passage, this one begins with Siddhartha letting Govinda and the readers know his doubt of Gotama’s teachings and the little interest he has in it. However, as the passage progresses, Siddhartha notices Gotama’s every little move and things he did, realizing that everything he did, and in every way he did it in, resembled the truth. First, Hesse physically described Gotama and the way his body language is being observed by Siddhartha. Then, Hesse uses the technique of repetition and parallel structure for a more effective description of the truth Gotama is sharing. He repeatedly used verbs before the word truth to have that listing effect, making the line more realistic and descriptive. This also creates imagery. It helps emphasize the image in the reader’s head that is already there due to the previous line where Hesse physically described Gotama. The small introduction Hesse uses in the next line really shows his strong and effective writing style; “This man, this Buddha.” I make this claim because here Hesse identifies that Gotama is more than just a man. Hesse wants the reader to realize that this Buddha is not just another useless teacher Siddhartha categorized him as before. Hesse says it himself when he described Gotama in this quote: “This man was holy.” Lastly, this passage concludes with Siddhartha’s love with this man. Similar to the reader, he realizes that this man’s wisdom and influence he has on the ones who follow him have a much greater impact compared to the teachings from the elderly of the Shramana’s.
“Today we shall hear the teaching from his lips, said Govinda. Siddhartha did not reply. He was interesting in the teaching; he doubted it would contain anything new to him, since, like Govinda, he had repeatedly heard the content of this 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 join on every finger of his hand was a teaching, that it spoke truth, breathed truth smelled truth, glowed 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 takes place prior to the awakening of Siddhartha. Through the text, Hesse is able to further characterize and develop Siddhartha as a dynamic character as his love and desire for knowledge results in the continuance of his quest towards enlightenment. Throughout the novel, Siddhartha repeatedly finds the wrongs in all of the teachings. This differs from Govinda as he states to Siddhartha “today we shall hear the teachings from his lips…” (23) Siddhartha did not believe enlightenment could be reached through readings and teachings. Instead he believed he had to attain the knowledge himself without having to learn it from anyone else. This shows how he is more open to growing where as he strives to attain enlightenment whereas Govinda’s arrogance is what leaves him behind. Govinda is much more reliant on others, and differs from Siddhartha as he is afraid to stand alone. This concept is depicted through the way he addresses and speaks of the teachings. Govinda displays his admiration and reliance on his teachers as he talks with Siddhartha. Siddhartha also admires the Buddha, but unlike Govinda, is self reliant and believes that in order to reach true enlightenment he must reach it on his own. Hesse writes “his feet, on his still, loose hand; and it seemed to him that every join on every finger of his hand was a teaching, that it spoke truth, breathed truth smelled truth, glowed truth… This man was holy” (23). The positive diction Siddhartha uses with the phrases “glowed truly” and “this man was holy” describe how he does in fact hold much admiration for the Buddha. However unlike Govinda, Siddhartha believes self reliance is key. The Buddha was an inspiration for Siddhartha as he made many sacrifices in order to reach peace and nirvana.
“This man, this Buddha, was filled with truth down to the least movement of his smallest finger. This man was holy. Never had Siddhartha revered any person, never had he loved any person, as he did this man.” (Hesse 16)
Reading this passage is like seeing a change in Siddhartha's attitude or perception of what he is witnessing. Siddhartha does not believe in the doctrine anymore for how many times he has repeatedly heard and believes that nirvana is found in a personal quest. Though when he meets Buddha there still a change in Siddhartha's perception where he shows this new character a immense amount of respect. The way Hesse wrote the passage has an effect on the audience where one can feel through Hesse's words the importance of this new character and how holy this character is the way he is described by Hesse. Hesse used repetition in this passage continually using the word “man” describing Buddha which is emphasizing that men can reach nirvana and men have the ability to be holy, not only spiritual beings. The imagery Hesse uses in this passage is subtle but also quite powerful “filled with truth down to the least movement of his smallest finger” is describing to a scale of Buddha’s holiness. The audience with this passage is now questioning. Why is this the first person Siddhartha has ever loved? What makes Siddhartha love Buddha? These questions are answered as the story continues but still Siddhartha wants to stay on his own path of an individual quest where then after meeting Buddha, Govinda chooses to stay and takes refuge in his words. Which is when Govinda and Siddhartha part ways to find their own nirvana.
Your perspective of the passage resonated with me. I agree completely with your viewpoint on how Hesse was intending to show that a man can reach a divine state and be put on a pedestal similarly to a god. Until reading your analysis, I hadn't noticed the imagery you mentioned, but now that I have, I realize that the example you provided is actually very crucial in the characterization of Siddhartha. It shows that, although he is very bold, Siddhartha possesses quite a bit of humility and is able to identify when there is true knowledge in his presence worthy of recognition.
“Siddhartha placed his hand on Govinda’s shoulder: ‘You have not really heard my benediction, O Govinda. Let me repeat it: May you walk this path to its end! May you find deliverance!’ At that instant, Govinda realized that his friend was leaving him, and he began to weep. ‘Siddhartha!’ he exclaimed, lamenting.” (Hesse 29)
In this passage, Siddhartha has realized Govinda’s strong desire to learn from the Buddha and has told his companion to follow his own path, rather than to continue at his side. Although it is only a couple lines of dialogue, it is a crucial piece of the young boys’ journey and shows a major change in the plot. Up until the point taking place in the passage, Govinda and Siddhartha have been a package deal, seeking enlightenment as a team. However, when Govinda and Siddhartha have conflicting inclinations, they decide to separate. Govinda’s transition to independence not only signifies the bitter-sweet ending of their friendship, but also the beginning of two whole new paths. With the two going their separate ways, Siddhartha is then allowed to truly take the next step in his quest for enlightenment. This passage assists in further developing the characters and informing the readers about the traits they hold onto too. Based on his reaction to Siddhartha’s decision to depart from his life, it is quite easy to infer that Govinda is a quite sentimental type of person. In this moment of the story, it could also be said that Govinda isn’t purely seeking enlightenment, but could also be looking for adventure with his best friend. On the other hand, Siddhartha’s reaction to Govinda wanting to stay helps portray him as well. Siddhartha’s support on Govinda’s wish to stay shows that he truly means well for his friend, wanting him to do what he believes will enlighten him. At the same time, his reaction shows that Siddhartha is truly and completely devoted to his spiritual expedition, willing to sacrifice his heritage, family, and now even his best friend in order to reach enlightenment.
“Most people, Kamala, are like fallen leaves that blow and whirl about in the air, then dip and fall to earth. But others, only a few, are like stars, which move on a fixed course where no wind reaches them; they have their law and their course within them.” (Hesse 57)
This short passage is from when Siddhartha is talking to Kamala at the end of chapter 5: Kamala. In this quote, Siddhartha uses two different similes to compare two different types of people: the first type of person being who he thought he was and the second being who he believes he is now at this point in the story. Only a few select people are “stars” while the majority of people are like “fallen leaves.” The simile that refers a large group of people to “fallen leaves” is talking about the people who follow others and settle with being taught as their enlightenment. These people “blow and whirl about in the air,” meaning they don’t have a set path to enlightenment, they just “fall” where the wind takes them. In other words, they simply do not have the knowledge inside themselves to reach enlightenment on their own. On the other hand, Siddhartha refers to a small group of people as being “stars” that “move on a fixed course.” When he says this he is referring to the few people who don’t need to be taught to be enlightened and rather contain the teaching within themselves. The ones who teach like Gotama, are the stars while the ones that listen are the fallen leaves. Both similes involve some sort of path; in the first simile the path isn’t clear and teachings take one to where he/she belongs, while in the second simile the path is very clear and “fixed” meaning that they know what to do because it is within them. Whatever enlightenment means to someone, it will involve a journey to reach it.
This passage was an extremely great choice to analyze. Your analysis on the symbolism in this passage was very insightful and thought-provoking. This passage struck a chord with me as well, because I too noticed the symbolic value it held. In addition to what you have already stated, I believe that the wind that is blowing the leaves is also meant to represent the push of society, as the wind is ultimately determining where the leaves (people) go and only allowing them where it wants to, limiting their horizons immensely. Also, I feel like Hesse's description of the stars following a "fixed course" is meant to symbolize those who are far above the influence of society and are firmly rooted in their own set paths. Seeing someone else’s outlook on this excerpt was very compelling and helped me see the passage through new eyes.
“And there were many who came to him, many to do business with him, many to cheat him, many to draw some secret out of him, many to appeal to his sympathy, many to get his advice. He gave advice, he pitied, he made gifts, he let them cheat him a bit, and this entire game and the passion with which all people played this game occupied his thoughts just as much as the gods and Brahmans used to occupy them.” (Hesse 66)
The significance of this passage comes from foreshadowing and comparison to other parts of Siddhartha’s journey. The degree to which the game of a life centered around material goods began to occupy his mind foreshadows that he is eventually no longer a spectator anymore as he was when doing these things for his own amusement and not caring much about the business, unlike the merchant Kamaswami, but becoming enmired in greed and material wealth and worldly possessions. The comparison of his thoughts of the game to his thoughts of spirituality that he used to have is the main source of the foreshadowing, as well as to illustrate the dynamic change he has undergone - his life had revolved around spirituality and seeking wisdom and enlightenment, but he drew away from it after entering the city and became more occupied with the game - and in this essence he had made a self-fulfilling wish later in the chapter, where he wished he could be a participant in life like the childlike people instead of remaining a spectator.
“The ferryman took him across the river on his bamboo raft. The sun shone ruddy on the broad waters in the morning light. "That's a beautiful river," Siddhartha said to his companion. "Yes," said the ferryman, "a very beautiful river. I love It more than anything. I have often listened I it speak, often looked it in the eye, and I have always learned from it. One can learn a lot from a river" (Hesse 40)
In this passage Hesse uses symbolism and personification while describing the river. When referring to the Ferryman, Hesse writes, "I have always learned from it. One can learn a lot from a river" (40). The river symbolizes life and the path to enlightenment as it can be long and choppy. Hesse also gives the characteristics of which relate to human actions as it cannot physically teach. This personification adds significance to Siddhartha's life as he is on a strenuous journey towards attaining enlightenment. The “broad waters” Hesse refers to in the beginning of this passage represents the long path towards enlightenment and how much time and commitment it takes to attain it. The Ferryman, Vasudeva symbolizes the path towards enlightenment. He never tells Siddhartha how to reach enlightenment but instead introduces him to the river. Vasudeva exemplifies a father figure for Siddhartha as he advocates to get him on the right path. When Siddhartha decided to leave to the forest with the Shramanas in the beginning, he rejected his father's love and refused to love back. He believed he is incapable of practicing or feeling love as it would draw him away from his quest towards enlightenment. However, the statement of growing further from enlightenment is false. The Ferryman had already successfully reached his point of contentment states to Siddhartha “a very beautiful river. I love it more than anything (40)”. This personification demonstrates how love can still be felt, and that enlightenment will not hold an individual back if they are to love. The river is also described as “beautiful” which is a feminine characteristic, adding to the personification used by the Ferryman. Throughout this passage Hesse introduces a major symbol to the reader in the novel, yet does this in a very creative way using the personification and metaphorical language.
My idea is similar to your idea. For example, in my analysis from September 27th, I also discussed the river being a symbol in this book. I mentioned how the river was long and choppy just like Siddhartha’s journey as well. I believe that the river symbolizes Siddhartha’s quest to find enlightenment just like you do, but I believe it goes even deeper than that. The river symbolizes Siddhartha’s journey, the obstacles he encountered, the teachings, and his change from being materialistic to more of a down-to-earth man. The river provides advice for Siddhartha; rather than having a human teach him, he is able to find himself through the river.
I read through your analysis as well and I agree with your theory on the river. It does not only symbolize Siddharthas quest to attain enlightenment, but his life as a whole. However, I do not believe the river provides advice for Siddhartha. Instead, the river leads him to realize that the only way for him to truly attain his goal is through his own self teaching.
“He was open to everything that these people came to him with. He welcomed the merchant who had linen on offer, the debtor who was looking for a loan, the beggar who spent an hour recounting the story of his poverty and who was not half as poor as any shramana. Rich foreign merchants he treated no differently that the servant who shaved him or the street vendor whom he allowed to cheat him out of a few small coins when he bought bananas. When Kamaswami came to him to complain about his troubles or to take him to task over some business deal, he would listen with good humor and interest, marveling over him, trying to understand him. He would allow him to think he was right to the extent that he seemed to require and then would move on to the next person who sought his attention. And many people came to him. Many came to do business with him, to cheat him; many came to question him; many came to make a claim on his compassion, many to get his advice. He gave advice, sympathized with people, gave gifts, he let himself be cheated a little, and the whole game - and the passion with which people played the game - occupied his thoughts just as much as the gods and Brahman once had.” (Hesse 56)
In this passage nearing the end of chapter 6 (Among The Child People), Hesse explains Siddhartha’s natural behavior in everyday life during his stay in the city. Part of Siddhartha’s religious background and teachings absorbed from his past is represented in his decisions and lifestyle as he lives as a merchant. He shows this by not allowing greed and hatred caused by the ones who cheated off of him affect his attitude and fill his emotions with melancholy. Siddhartha’s decision to exploit the senses, instead of denying them, draws him into the world of time and average people. He reflects from his religious core, and teaches the reader a life lesson as he displays equality throughout every single customer or businessman, and treats all of them with respect and reverence. Hesse uses these everyday life people to represent materialism in everyday life, whom only care about the business and the money. Similarly, Hesse also uses both Kamala and Kamaswami to represent the value of desires in life. From both these people, Siddhartha learns much that is useful in the world of time, as well as how to use the present to yield a desired consequence in the future. For instance, from Kamaswami, Siddhartha learns the concept of “right aspiration,” which means that working for an immediate gain produces no real profit. Kamaswami actually symbolizes the opposite of this concept, and his failure enables Siddhartha to realize that only a voluntary investment can give a worthwhile return. The understanding of the value of desires taught by both Kamala and Kamaswami helps Siddhartha further achieve true enlightenment and pure nirvana due to all this being first hand life lessons shown to Siddhartha himself.
“Into her shadowy grove came beautiful Kamala, At the entrance stood the brown samana. Deeply, upon sighting the lotus blossom, He bowed. Smiling, Kamala thanked him. Lovelier, thought the youth, than sacrificing to the gods Lovelier is sacrificing to beautiful Kamala.” (Hesse 53)
This poem is recited by Siddhartha in exchange for a kiss from Kamala, with whom he has recently fallen for. The notability of the passage is quite substantial, as it captures the development of the young boy and provides further evidence towards Siddhartha being a dynamic character. Because of his constant changes throughout the entirety of the story, it is clear that Siddhartha is, in fact, a dynamic character. One example to confirm this is his shift from spirituality to the more materialistic, conforming lifestyle that he is beginning to take on at the point in the story where the passage is sourced. When analyzed, Siddhartha’s poem can also show some foreshadowing and allegory, giving it even more substance. In the poem, Kamala’s grove is described as “shadowy”. This portrayal of the grove seems to warn the readers of Siddhartha’s imminent moral downfall and can also represent his transition from seeking spiritual enlightenment (the light) to yearning for worldly experiences and goods (the “shadowy” dark). This poem also symbolizes Siddhartha turning his back on religion, which is shown when he says that he’d rather sacrifice to Kamala than the gods. An interesting theory I had that I thought could be possible is that the poem is an allegory for the “Adam and Eve” biblical story. In this story, Eve (Siddhartha) is charmed by a snake-like serpent (Kamala) in the Garden of Eden (the grove) and coaxed into taking a bite of a cursed apple (temptation/desire).
Also, in Buddhism a lotus flower can be suggestive of desire, so the lotus blossom in the grove could represent Siddhartha's own desire. This detail adds a lot more meaning to the poem, because immediately after seeing the blossom, Siddhartha bows. This could symbolize Siddhartha giving in, or "bowing", to his desires.
Your analysis is really interesting, I never really saw the poem and the symbols within it as a passage of such significance. One thing I have to add to this is that as the poem foreshadows Siddhartha's shift or transition from spirituality to materialistic, it also signifies that it was Siddhartha's desire for Kamala that led him to become a wealthy merchant and succumb to sansara - also, if he had not seen Kamala, he would likely not have fallen into the world of the childlike people and not undergone the rebirth that he would have needed to find his path to enlightenment.
“I only know how to listen and how to be respectful. I have not learned anything else. If I could express that and teach it, perhaps I would be a wise man. But as it is, I am only a ferryman, and my task is to take people across the river. I have taken many across, thousands, and for all of them my river has been nothing but an obstacle on their journey. They were traveling for money and business, to weddings, on pilgrimages, and the river was in their way. The ferryman was there to take them quickly past the obstacle. For a few among the thousands—very few, four or five of them—the river stopped being an obstacle. They heard its voice, they listened to it, and the river became sacred to them as it has to me” (Hesse 83).
Throughout Siddhartha, the river has been referenced frequently. The river symbolizes a huge part of this story; it shows the path in which Siddhartha has taken to reach enlightenment. In this passage, Vasudeva, the ferryman, explains what the river means to him and how he has interpreted what it means to others. When Siddhartha started his quest to reach enlightenment, he had just set sail for a lengthy journey up river. The river is long and choppy with twists and turns like Siddhartha’s adventure. Just like how thousands of people have had to cross the river and it be an obstacle in their way, on Siddhartha’s journey, he had to overcome many hardships. The river was like a guide, showing him where he needed to stop along the way in order to eventually reach enlightenment. Finally, after Siddhartha underwent his journey and found enlightenment, he anchored down and got off the boat. Because of his long treacherous journey, he viewed the river as a sacred and very important part of his life. He was close to committing suicide in it when he heard the “om” and realized that life is worth living. Siddhartha was a new person after that experience and began to realize what was important in his life. As Siddhartha traveled down the path to enlightenment, he experienced things that were necessary to experience in order for him to finally become enlightened by the river itself. Siddhartha realized that wealth and possessions did not make him happy and he instead found his peace within the river. Just like Vasudeva and few others, Siddhartha is closely connected to the river, and it teaches him what people cannot. Even though Siddhartha has reached the “end of the river,” this flowing body of water still teaches Siddhartha valuable things.
Your analysis is really interesting, especially the use of the river as a specific metaphor or symbol for the stages in Siddhartha's journey instead of the continuum of time and oneness mentioned in the book. One thing I disagree with is that the river was his guide through his whole journey - it did help guide him at the end of the book, but before that, he had to go out on his own and make mistakes such as falling into Sansara to learn from them and move towards enlightenment - on page 109, Vasudeva says that possibly nothing could have kept Siddhartha safe from it, just as he cannot save his own son from it, no matter how hard he tried.
“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 was no future. Nothing was, nothing will be; everything is, everything has existence and is present.’” (Hesse 97-98)
In this passage, Siddhartha has the realization that the river is similar to the flow of time and existence - that the river never stops flowing and is everywhere at once, and so is time, which is always in the present. This could mean that while Siddhartha has changed greatly from the beginning of his journey, he also carries his former selves and the things they have learned with him always, and that past and future are just as important as the present because they would not exist without one another, just as Siddhartha would not be where he is at this point in the story without having lived previously and gone through the suffering that he did. This revelation brings him closer to his enlightenment at the end of the story, part of which is that past, present and future are one and all exist.
Your analysis is really interesting and it made be think about a old Christmas story which everyone knows called A Christmas Carol where the past, present and future are apart of it. As you were saying about the past and future in the story A Christmas Carol this old scrooge who literally hates Christmas and is told by Marley that he will be seen by three ghosts all showing him part of other people's Christmases. After his experience with the ghosts he awakens with love and joy in his heart and hopes to rekindle all the relationships he lost over his years of misery. The only reason he comes to this conclusion though is because he saw all three perspectives form the three ghosts who were all crucial not only to Ebenezer but also their effectiveness.
“She opened the door of the cage, took the bird out, and let it fly away. She looked after the flying bird for a long time” (Hesse 67)
“SIDDHARTHA WANDERED IN THE FOREST. He was already far from the city. He knew only one thing—that he could not go back, that the life he had led for many years was over and gone. He had sucked it and drained it to the point of revulsion. The songbird of his dream was dead. The bird in his heart was dead. He was profoundly enmeshed in samsara. He had sucked nausea and death into himself from every side, as a sponge sucks up water until it is full. He was bloated with excess, with misery, with death. There was nothing left in the world that could attract him, nothing that could bring him pleasure or console him” (Hesse 68)
In this passage Siddhartha realizes that he has reached the end of another stage in his life. He states that he can “not go back” because he feels that there is nothing left for him to learn. However, this is not the first time he’s felt this way during a stage of his life. During his time as a Shramana, Siddhartha realizes that he cannot continue to apply the teachings of Gotama the Buddha to his life. Leaving Govinda and the Buddha behind, Siddhartha realizes that the path to enlightmentent is one that an individual must find for the themselves. He states “the songbird of his dream was dead. The bird in his heart was dead” (68). Siddhartha goes from living a poor life with the Shramanas to a wealthy one as Kamaswami gives him a job as a merchant. The songbird is a symbol for the life of Siddhartha. He feels parts of him are dying as he changes as a person and struggles to find happiness in his life. Siddhartha learns to let go of parts of himself throughout the book to show his determination towards attaining enlightenment. He becomes “bloated with excess, with misery, with death. There was nothing left in the world that could attract him” (68). This quote demonstrates irony as he believes nothing left in the world can please him. Siddhartha feels parts of him are dying as he changes as a person and struggles to find happiness in his life as Kamala was the only one who truly provide it for him. He no longer feels the world is capable of pleasing him. However, shortly after he finds himself working alongside the Ferryman Vasudeva and attains enlightenment.
“And from one occasion to the next, his (Siddhartha) smile came more and more to resemble the ferryman’s. It became nearly as radiant, nearly as aglow with happiness, shone in the same way out of a thousand little wrinkles, was just as much like a child’s and just as much like an old man’s. Many travelers, seeing the two ferrymen, took them for brothers. Often the two sat in the evening on the tree trunk on the bank and listened in silence to the river, which for them was not a river but the voice of life, the voice of what is, eternal becoming. And occasionally it happened that while listening to the river both men would think of the same thing - a conversation from the day before yesterday, one of their passengers whose face and fortune had caught their interest =, of death, of their childhood; and then at the same moment, when the river had said something good to them, they would look at each other, both thinking exactly the same thing, both gladdened by the same answer to the same question.” (Hesse 85)
Throughout this book, Siddhartha has undergone a very intricate journey from following teachings to not obliging the elder Buddha’s to the materialistic state he was in during his stay in the city. He continually states that teachings and teachers will never allow him to reach true enlightenment due to him not being one with himself and restricting his view of the world. After the chapter “The Ferryman,” the reader can identify that Hesse uses situational irony here. This is the case because after Siddhartha partners with Vasudeva, he realizes that the key to true enlightenment is him, Vasudeva. Vasudeva lives a life of calm fulfillment and wisdom and helps Siddhartha guide him through his path to enlightenment. He is the ideal teacher for Siddhartha, but he simply does not teach, as he admits it himself: “If I could express that and teach it, perhaps I would be a wise man. But as it is, I am only a ferryman, and my task it to take people across the river” (83). Vasudeva understands Siddhartha, inspires him to listen to the river, affirms Siddhartha’s spiritual progress, and encourages him to continue searching. He, most importantly, introduces the way of the river which then teaches him the lesson that time does not exist, and that the present is all that matters. Siddhartha learns this and can now see that all life is unified. With the help of the river and Vasudeva, Siddhartha is finally able to learn the last elements necessary to achieve enlightenment. Without the fear of time, worry about the fleetingness of life, or the weight of boredom, Siddhartha can finally reach true enlightenment.
“Siddhartha sat up, whereupon he saw someone sitting opposite him, a stranger, a monk in a yellow robe, with a shaved head, in the pose of contemplation. He observed the man, who had neither hair on his head nor a beard; but he had not been observing him very long when he recognized in that monk Govinda, the friend of his youth, Govinda, who had taken refuge in the sublime Buddha.” (Hesse 48-49)
This passage is significant to the novel because near the beginning of Siddhartha's journey Govinda and him separate needing to find enlightenment on their own. As readers we don’t really know what happened to Govinda when Siddhartha leaves him he has just chosen to stay with the Buddha and try to find his nirvana with the assistance of him. Hesse uses visual imagery impeccably in this passage describing what Govinda now looks like having to be in about his forties. The way Hesse describes Govinda is so easily substantial that Siddhartha does not immediately recognize him which is making the passage ever more realistic where of course Siddhartha wouldn't immediately recognize a man whom he hadn't see 20 years and counting! The reader is also questioning what will happen now? Has Govinda found nirvana or not? Will Govinda recognize Siddhartha? Hesse brings up these questions literally forcing the reader to continue the story to find these answers.
Your analysis is really interesting. It made me think about an experience I had last year. When Siddhartha barely recognized Govinda it was like when I barely recognized a childhood friend that I had once been so close to. It is an odd feeling to realize after so many years, how different someone can be and how you, yourself have changed over the years. Also, it was strange to think about how I was so close to this childhood friend and yet all we did when we saw each other was say a friendly “hello” and ask a few questions then move on. This is probably how Siddhartha and Govinda felt about their encounter after so many years.
“Looking at him, she said: ‘Now I see that your eyes have also changed. They are quite different now. So by what do I still recognize you as Siddhartha? You are Siddhartha and are not.’ Siddhartha said nothing; his eyes gazed silently into hers. ‘You have attained it?’ she asked. ‘You have found peace?’ He smiled and placed his hand on hers.” (Hesse 100)
In this passage, Kamala has rested her eyes fondly upon the face of her old lover, Siddhartha, for the first time in what seems like an eternity. As she lay dying in the hut, she realizes that Siddhartha has become the person he has sought to be and has, at last, found spiritual enlightenment. This passage is a very strong, emotional period in the story, as it is here that we, as readers, truly get to see Siddhartha satisfied for an instant. In this passage, Hesse uses personification to help convey the magnitude of the emotion Siddhartha is feeling. When saying “his eyes gazed silently”, Hermann Hesse is assigning human characteristics to Siddhartha’s eyes and speaking figuratively, as he is implying that it is abnormal for his eyes to gaze “silently” as they are here. This word choice causes the readers to sense that Siddhartha is longingly staring at Kamala and slightly reminiscing their past together. As Siddhartha places his hand in the palm of the dying Kamala, it represents a moment of complete understanding between the two, as if there was a mental connection between them. Kamala’s uncertainty of how to recognize Siddhartha also shows that he is a new, completely changed man, much different than he was when the two were in love. This change of physical appearance seems to be a reoccurring theme in the story, as every time Siddhartha adopts a new lifestyle, his appearance changes and correlates with it.
I really enjoyed your analysis of this passage and found it greatly interesting. While reading through the book, this scene totally went off the top of my head and I had no idea how significant it really is. I am most fond of the little details you analyzed in this passage, for example, how you recognized that the hand in the palm represented "a moment of complete understanding between the two." Also, what really intrigued me was how you connected the appearance change to the lifestyle of Siddhartha and analyzed it as an reoccurring theme in the book. Overall, great job!
“Govinda remained bent over Siddhartha’s still face—which he had just finished kissing, which had just been the scene of all form, all becoming, all being—for a little while longer. That countenance was unchanged, its surface having reclosed over the depths of thousandfold multiplicity. Siddhartha smiled quietly, smiled mildly and gently, perhaps with kindness, perhaps quite disdainfully, precisely as the Exalted One had smiled” (Hesse 116).
This passage is one of the most important sections of Siddhartha. Govinda had come to the Ferryman’s house in search of some advice, finding Siddhartha there to teach him his ways. At this point in the novel it is apparent that Siddhartha has entirely reached his lifelong goal: nirvana. The fact that Govinda saw hundreds of other faces in Siddhartha’s face proves that Siddhartha was true about how everyone and everything is unified and everything means something in this world. Govinda saw “each one transformed...continually born anew,”(Hesse 116) when he saw the instantaneous faces in Siddhartha’s face. This also brings about the idea of reincarnation: the idea that all living things die and then are reborn in a new form. When Hesse wrote, “Siddhartha smiled quietly...precisely as the Exalted One had smiled” it shows how Siddhartha smiled like someone who was completely enlightened and therefore he, himself has reached enlightenment just like Gotama had. Also, when Siddhartha told Govinda to kiss him, Govinda did so. Why would Govinda kiss Siddhartha’s forehead if he did not feel that Siddhartha was powerful? Not only is Siddhartha completely enlightened, but Govinda has seemed to reach enlightenment just by kissing Siddhartha’s forehead. Govinda’s reaction to the kiss was very similar to Siddhartha’s reaction when he saw all the faces in the river that Vasudeva had showed him. It seems that Siddhartha is to Govinda as Vasudeva was to Siddhartha in this novel: a guider to enlightenment. This shows how Siddhartha is so powerful and content with his words that he ultimately enlightened himself and someone else.
“Siddhartha stopped, he bent over the water, in order to hear even better, and he saw his face reflected in the quietly moving waters, and in this reflected face there was something, which reminded him, something he had forgotten, and as he thought about it, he found it: this face resembled another face, which he used to know and love and also fear. It resembled his father’s face, the Brahman. And he remembered how he, a long time ago, as a young man, had forced his father to let him go to the penitents, how he had bid his farewell to him, how he had gone and never come back. Had his father not also suffered the same pain for him, which he now suffered for his son? Did he not have to expect the same fate for himself? Was it not a comedy, a strange and stupid matter, this repetition, this running around in a fateful circle?” (Hesse 118)
In this passage, Siddhartha’s story is brought almost full circle with his realization that the situation he is in is very similar to what his father went through years ago. He had been unsatisfied with the life that his father wanted for him, and so he left and joined the Samanas without a second thought, just as his son hated living with him in a hut by the river when he was used to being rich and having servants, and so ran away from his father, who loved him and had all the best intentions for him, and went back to the city. This revelation comes when Siddhartha is listening to the river, previously established as a metaphor for the eternal simultaneousness of time and the oneness of the world and all of life, and adds to the idea that fate had brought him in a circle, a sort of repetition. The pain and love Siddhartha feels for his son is the same that his father must have felt when his son left him to find his own way to enlightenment, and earlier in the chapter it is mentioned that this foolish yet prevailing love, which Siddhartha used to look down upon as a behaviour of the childlike people, was what he now found worthy of admiration in the people that he ferried across the river, bringing him ever closer to enlightenment.
"When someone seeks," said Siddhartha, "it can easily happen that his eyes only see the thing he is seeking and that he is capable of finding anything in, because he is always only thinking about what he is seeking, because he has an object, a goal, because he is possessed by this goal. Seeking means having a goal, but finding means being free, open, having no goal. Perhaps you, venerable on, are indeed a seeker, for in striving after your goal, there is much you fail to see that us right before your eyes" (108)
This passage explains the journey of Siddhartha and the lessons that he learns through attaining his own enlightenment. Hermann Hesse utilizes parallel structure to imbed the thematic message of the passage. He writes "because he has an object, a goal, because he is possessed by this goal. Seeking means having a goal, but finding means being free, open, having no goal" (Hesse 108). This shows how Siddhartha is a dynamic character because of his changing views of the world. In the beginning of the novel, Siddhartha has his mind set on what he plans on accomplishing. However, as his quest towards enlightenment continues his goals begin to change. He learns that instead of having a set goal and planned out path, he must find his own way. Siddhartha begins to appreciate the things around him more as his views on life shift. When Siddhartha is speaking to Govinda, Hesse writes, "...for in striving after your goal, there is much you fail to see that is right before your eyes" (108). This quote is significant because Siddhartha teaches Govinda a lesson that he himself does not figure out until the end of the novel. He explains how it is not about focusing on one particular thing, but instead looking at the bigger picture. Throughout this passage the word "goal" is stressed to demonstrate how goals lead individuals to act or do something for a particular reason. Siddhartha’s main goal to attain enlightenment controlled him. His actions were based on what he believed would bring him closer to achieving his goal. However, throughout the course of the novel Siddhartha comes to the realization that his thirst for knowledge and enlightenment lead to both the discontent and happiness in his life.
Gradually there blossomed, gradually there ripened within Siddhartha the realization, the knowledge, of what wisdom really was, what the goal of his long quest was. It was nothing but a preparedness of the soul, a capability, a secret art of conceiving the idea of oneness at every moment: the ability to feel and absorb oneness. (Hesse 70)
This passage is important to Siddhartha's whole story and has the effect of realization where before Siddhartha was unhappy, and this disconnected person whom had contempt for so many different things. Believing in his mind that what others were doing were all lies that they had not yet opened their eyes too. Now Siddhartha seems happier because he's now finally letting go about what happened to his son and has begun to stop obsessing over it but still not forgetting about it either. Just allowing his pain to be there but also to nurture love and tenderness. He knows that not everything in life can be controlled but the movement through what happens is crucial to living. Everything Siddhartha has gone through has led him to have this ability to feel oneness now that although it was gradual with all of the missteps he made still led him up the stairs of nirvana, and preparing of his soul.
“Bright shone Vasudeva’s smile; it hovered, glowing, in all the wrinkles of his aged countenance, just as the om hovered over all the voices of the river. Bright shone his smile as he gazed at his friend, and now the same smile shone brightly in Siddhartha’s face. His wound blossomed, his suffering was radiant, his ego had dissolved into the unity. At this moment Siddhartha ceased to struggle with fate, ceased to suffer. On his face bloomed the cheerfulness of wisdom that is no longer opposed by will, that knows perfection, that is in harmony with the river of what is, with the current of life, full of compassion, full of empathic joy, surrendered to the flow, part of the unity. As Vasudeva rose from the seat on the riverbank, as he looked into Siddhartha’s eyes and saw the cheerfulness of wisdom radiant there, he touched his shoulder lightly with his hand in his considerate and tender way and said: “I have waited for this moment, dear friend. Now that it has come, let me go. I have long awaited this moment. I have long been the ferryman Vasudeva. Now it is enough. Farewell hut, farewell river, farewell Siddhartha!” (Hesse 106)
Throughout the entirety of this book, Siddhartha has struggled time and time again of reaching his goal in life; true enlightenment. Nearing the end of the chapter “Om,” in which this passage is located, Siddhartha finally reaches this goal. With the help of Vasudeva and the guidance of the river, Siddhartha has realized that the last part of him reaching true enlightenment was the stage of overcoming love. In this passage, Siddhartha has finally become one with himself and surpassed every stage of difficulty enlightenment had to offer. Here the reader acknowledges this by Hesse’s uses of imagery and multiple literary devices. As for one example, Hesse uses imagery in the line, “On his face bloomed the cheerfulness of wisdom that is no longer opposed by will” (Hesse 106), to captivate the reader what the discovery of wisdom Siddhartha has gained. In spite of that, this passage also indicates a very important symbolic meaning of being a “ferryman.” Vasudeva’s profession as a ferryman, one who guides a person from one side of the river to the other, fits well with his status as a spiritual guide. In this case, one side of the river represents enlightenment, and the other side represents life before enlightenment. However, people must first reach the river of their own accord and know that they seek to reach a side of enlightenment. He does not tell people where they must go but helps those who are ready to complete the journey. When Siddhartha finally reaches true enlightenment, as being Vasudeva’s pupil, Vasudeva realizes he no longers needs to be the one conveying people to their final destination, thus stepping down from his position for Siddhartha to take over, and to continue teaching others, just as how Vasudeva did.
“’The world, my friend, Govinda, is not imperfect or developing slowly toward perfection. No, the world is perfect at every moment, all sin already contains grace, all youngsters already contain oldsters, all babies contain death, all the dying contain eternal life.’” (Hesse 125)
This passage really made quite a large impact on me. It is a quote by Siddhartha, speaking to Govinda, towards the end of the story. In this quote, Siddhartha explains to Govinda that the world is in perfect harmony, and it always will be. He vividly describes the balance of the universe, and how for every push, there is a pull to even it out. He states that “all sin already contains grace”, meaning that for every evil in the world, there is always a counteracting goodness. Siddhartha then goes on to say “all babies contain death”. This quote carried a lot of significance in my eyes, because it had a certain depth to it that simply evoked emotion. What this quote basically means is that we are born to die. Although somewhat depressing, there is a certain beauty to it, as it yet again demonstrates the sheer balance of the world. The last piece of the quote is possibly the most powerful of Siddhartha’s examples. Siddhartha states, “all the dying contain eternal life”. When I analyzed this quote, I took it as Siddhartha having an optimistic outlook on death. His statement puts off an aura of peace, giving reassurance that, to balance out the death in the world, there is rebirth in a more divine, eternal form.
“But more than by all of these, he was loved by Govinda his friend, the Brahman’s son. He loved Siddhartha’s eyes and pleasant voice, he loved his gait and the perfect propriety of his movements, he loved everything Siddhartha did and said; and, above all, he loved his intelligence, his lofty and fiery thoughts, his burning will, his vocation. Govinda knew: this man will not become an ordinary Brahman, no lazy functionary at sacrifices, no avaricious merchant of magic charms, no vain, empty speechmaker, no malicious, crafty priest, but also no kindly, stupid sheep in the flock of the multitude. No, and he, too, Govinda, did not wish to become one of those, a Brahman like ten thousand other. He wanted to follow Siddhartha, the loved one, the splendid one. And is Siddhartha should ever become a god, if he should ever enter the company of the Radiant Ones, then Govinda wish to follow him, as his friend, as his companion, as his servant, as his spear bearer, his shadow. (Hesse 2)
ReplyDeleteThroughout this passage Govinda’s devotion to Siddhartha is first seen and his love for Siddhartha is an element of what motivates him. The use of the word “shadow” by Hesse is foreshadowing that Govinda at this stage has not found himself but still needs to be guided by others on what paths to take and does not have his own path yet. Govinda follows Siddhartha to become a samana and although his devotion is undeniable Govinda does not have the ability though to find his nirvana independently. Later they separate Govinda becoming a monk, coming back together again years later Siddhartha has found nirvana and Govinda finally reaches nirvana with help of Siddhartha but of also finding his own direction.
“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 good act, to sacrifice the gods? To what other should one make offerings, what other should one worship besides That, the one and only, atman? And where was atman to be found, where did it dwell, where did its eternal heart beat? Where else but in one’s own inmost self, the indestructible essence within everyone.” (Hesse 5)
ReplyDeleteA main theme that I found within the first two chapters was the theme of dissatisfaction. Specifically, in the above passage Hesse expresses Siddhartha’s feelings of dismay. The fact that Siddhartha is questioning so many ideas and beliefs shows his dissatisfaction with his life style and practices. Not only is he dissatisfied with his life style, but also he is curious as to what extent are the beliefs of so many true. Even though everyone loves Siddhartha, he is still dissatisfied with himself. He believes that all of his elders have taught him everything that they know, but he feels that he has yet to find the truth. This dissatisfaction stems from him not being able to feel enlightened. When Hesse writes, “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,” it explains how Siddhartha believes that the rituals he practices don’t “work.” More symbolically, this quote is explaining Siddhartha’s feelings towards his life and that he doesn’t feel fulfilled with his religious practices. His life is plain like “water” and hasn’t allowed him to reach enlightenment yet. Siddhartha thinks his practices are “splendid” but wants to know if a different life would have more to offer. Because of his dissatisfaction, this passage from the novel foreshadows that he will seek enlightenment in the near future. He knows that there is more to life and longs to reach enlightenment by finding that nirvana that so many desire.
Your analysis is really interesting. It made me think about a film I watched a few years ago called The Secret Life of Walter Mitty because the main theme of the film is dissatisfaction. Walter is always dreaming of a world where he can have all these amazing adventures and being portrayed as hero due to the fact that he is actually just an employee at LIFE magazine with the same mundane routine every day. I know that part is not really anything like Siddhartha but Siddhartha is dissatisfied with his lifestyle as you said in your post the same way Walter Mitty is dissatisfied with his life and both are wanting a change in their lives.
DeleteAmber Mao
ReplyDelete(I can't get google accounts to work)
“And in the night’s last hour, before the day began, he returned, stepped into the room, saw the young man standing there, who seemed tall and like a stranger to him.
‘Siddhartha,’ he spoke, ‘what are you waiting for?’
‘You know what.’
‘Will you always stand that way and wait, until it’ll becomes morning, noon, and evening?’
‘I will stand and wait.’
‘You will become tired, Siddhartha.’
‘I will become tired.’
‘You will fall asleep, Siddhartha.’
‘I will not fall asleep.’
‘You will die, Siddhartha.’
‘I will die.’
‘And would you rather die, than obey your father?’
‘Siddhartha has always obeyed his father.’
‘So will you abandon your plan?’
‘Siddhartha will do what his father will tell him to do.’
The first light of day shone into the room. The Brahman saw that Siddhartha was trembling softly in his knees. In Siddhartha’s face he saw no trembling, his eyes were fixed on a distant spot. Then his father realized that even now Siddhartha no longer dwelt with him in his home, that he had already left him.” (Hesse 12)
This passage is a major part of Siddhartha’s characterization. As his father had expressed discontent at his wanting to join the Samanas, Siddhartha did not give up on his plan, or openly disobey his father. His waiting an entire night for his father to allow him to leave shows that he has great respect for him, and great patience, even as the Brahman was keeping him from starting on his journey to finding knowledge and spirituality; he states that he has always obeyed his father and will continue to do so. In this same action, Siddhartha’s devotion to this spirituality is clear - he would remain standing in that spot until his father permitted him to join the Samanas, even if he would die doing so. At the end of the passage, Siddhartha’s father realizes that his son “had already left him” - that he had been set on leaving the village from the beginning, to pursue his thirst for wisdom and teachings, that he was no longer the same Siddhartha that he had known.
“Then Siddhartha laughed in his particular way, in which his voice took on a shade of sadness, and said: ‘Well said, Govinda, you have spoken well and remembered rightly. But kindly also remember the other thing you heard from me - that I have become distrustful of doctrines and learning and tired of them - I have little faith in words that come to us from teachers. But very well, my friend, I am willing to hear that teaching, even though in my heart I believe we have already tasted the best of its fruits.’
ReplyDeleteGovinda said: ‘Your willingness brings joy to my heart. but tell me, how is it possible? How could the best fruits of Gotama’s teaching already have been revealed to us before we have even heard it?’
Siddhartha said: ‘Let us savor this fruit for now and let any others wait, Govinda. For the fruit for which we can already thank Gotama is this: He is summoning us away from the shramanas! Whether he has something more and better to offer us, my friend, let us patiently wait and see.’” (Hesse 19)
In this passage nearing the end of the second chapter, Govinda pleads Siddhartha to follow him in listening to the words of wisdom of the great Buddha, Gotama. Throughout the passage, the reader can tell, by analysing the way of speech Hesse uses for Siddhartha and Govinda, that their relationship is merely one sided. Govinda looks up to Siddhartha as his admirer and Siddhartha recognizes that. This later becomes important due to their separation and Govinda fearing that he might not recognize a solution when a problem erupts. Nevertheless, these series of quotes by Siddhartha are still crucial to the time of its appearance in the book because of his enhanced consciousness. This passage allows the reader to realize that Siddhartha, at the time in the book, doubts that the teachings will give him answers to pure nirvana. This is supported by a quote within this passage; “I have become distrustful of doctrines and learning and tired of them - I have little faith in words that come to us from teachers.” The Shramanas’ teachings, that Siddhartha and Govinda followed, aim to enable the seeker of knowledge an escape from the physical world, but Siddhartha fathoms that true enlightenment cannot be achieved by ignoring the world around him. Siddhartha recognizes that even though he continually escapes the body, the Shramanas are trapped on a path that offers temporary escape from suffering but does not lead to enlightenment. The fact that Siddhartha no longer wants to be a part of the Shramanas is clearly stated as he implies that the thing Gotama has already done good for them is “summoning” them away from the Shramanas.
Good passage selection. It captures one of the turning points in Siddharthas life as he chooses a different path to attain his goal. However, I disagree with your statement about the relationship between Siddhartha and Govinda. I don't believe their relationship is one sided. Govinda may rely on Siddhartha for guidance but Siddhartha relies on him to help him determine whether or not he is on the right path. Also, it is not that Siddhartha believes the Shramanas are necessarily "trapped" but that the teachings they practice may not lead them to his goal of attaining enlightenment. Other than that, I enjoyed and admired the rest of your analysis.
DeleteThank you Kaylee for your critical opinions and views of Govinda and Siddhartha's relationship, as they made me to think differently. However, I am still confident in my claim of their relationship being heavily one-sided. I stand by this due to, after reading the book, seeing that Govinda wouldn't have ever reached true enlightenment without Siddhartha. I disagree with your statement that Siddhartha relied on Govinda for a determination whether he was on the right path because I believed that Siddhartha was never actually on the "right path" until after he became affiliated with Vasudeva. Yes, Siddhartha learned the ways of the Brahmins and the Shramana's with his best friend Govinda, but if we're discussing his actual successful path to true enlightenment, Govinda barely aided Siddhartha due to his absence with Gotama. Nevertheless, thank you for the reply.
Delete“But Siddartha was no joy to himself; he brought no pleasure to himself. Walking on the rosy paths of the fig garden, sitting in the bluish shadows of the meditation grove, washing his limbs in his daily baths of purification, performing sacrifices in the deep shade of the mango wood, perfect in the grace of his gestures, he was beloved of everyone, a joy to all-but still there was no joy in his heart. Dreams came to him in and restless thoughts. They flowed into him from the water of the river, glittered from the nights stars, melted out of the rays of the sun. Dreams came and a restless mind, rising in the smoke of the offerings, wafting from the verses of Rigveda, seeping into him of the teachings of the old Brahmins” (Hesse 4-5).
ReplyDeleteHermann Hesse characterizes protagonist Siddhartha, as an ideal follower of Hinduism who is idolized by all who know him. However, he faces an internal conflict as he struggles to understand the discrepancies between the teachings of Hinduism and what he encounters in his real life. This causes him to question the validity of the Hindu teachings. Hesse states that Siddhartha is “walking on the rosy paths of a fig garden…” (4) where he follows the teachings of Hinduism with the intention of helping him seek out the truth. Siddhartha views his father (a Brahmin) as being the ideal follower of Hinduism as he exemplifies all that which the teachings proscribe. As he continues to follow these practices it causes him to question the validity of the rituals and teachings of Hinduism. Hesse later writes that Siddhartha was “perfect in his grace of his gestures, beloved of everyone, a joy to all—but still there was no joy in his heart…” (4) Siddhartha becomes discontent with his life as he is not receiving the answers he desires to know. The Brahmins learned from holy books and practiced many rituals. However, Siddhartha did not believe he would achieve full enlightment through the readings. He then proposes the idea to leave to the forest with his friend Govinda in order to learn the practices of the Shramana. Like the Buddha, Siddhartha strives to absorb knowledge without the desire to understand. Siddhartha’s goal of obtaining enlightment and achieving his own happiness involves acquiring true knowledge without longing to understand.
I found the analysis that you did on this passage to be very insightful and accurate. I agree with you entirely that, at this point in the story, Siddhartha is extremely conflicted, desperately torn between two sides. On one hand, Siddhartha does not seek to cause his father angst (seen when he refuses to leave without his father's consent) and aims to please his family. But, on the other hand, Siddhartha yearns for the truth. He seeks to learn as much as he can and reach his spiritual potential. The decision to follow his heart must have been a very stressful one for him to make, yet he knows within himself that it was the correct choice. Once again, great analysis! It was very interesting to see your views on this section of the book!
DeleteNathan Maisonville (P7 Murai)
ReplyDelete“He removed his hand from his son’s shoulder and went out.
Siddhartha reeled when he tried to walk. He subdued his limbs, bowed to his father, and went to his mother to do as his father had said.” (Hesse 11)
In this passage, Siddhartha’s father has realized his son’s insatiable hunger for enlightenment and has just given Siddhartha his blessing to embark on his spiritual quest and join the Samanas. As Siddhartha’s father grants Siddhartha this permission, he removes his hand from his son’s shoulder. This simple gesture is brimming with symbolic meaning and is a key moment in Siddhartha’s journey. The removal of the hand represents the father reluctantly releasing his beloved son to become his own person and to seek his own path. However, the action also symbolizes the exit of the traditions and rituals Siddhartha had been raised with and had relentlessly performed throughout his whole childhood. The actions of both characters in this passage demonstrate the sheer amount of respect and love they share for each other and truly encapsulate their bond as father and son. Although it is against what he wants for him, Siddhartha’s father genuinely respects his son by allowing him to do as he wishes. Siddhartha expresses his intense gratitude for his father’s kindness by practically falling to his knees and bowing, returning the respect he was given. This passage also helps characterize Siddhartha and allows readers to gain more of an insight as to who he is. His unremitting persistence in gaining his father’s approval helps to portray Siddhartha as a stubborn, yet strong-willed person who will go to all ends to get what he desires. He also seems to be quite opportunistic and eager to learn, as he is quick to take a chance and seek enlightenment with the nomadic Samanas.
Amber Mao
ReplyDelete“But he, Siddhartha, where did he belong to? With whom would he share his life? Whose language would he speak? Out of this moment, when the world melted away all around him, when he stood alone like a star in the sky, out of this moment of a cold and despair, Siddhartha emerged, more a self than before, more firmly concentrated.” (Hesse 41)
This passage and chapter in general marks a major transition in Siddhartha’s story: no longer is he seeking the teachings of others to gain wisdom towards enlightenment, but he proceeds to find his sense of self that he had lost while searching for that as a Brahman and a Samana. It also foreshadows Siddhartha’s journey - at the beginning of the passage, when he questions where he would belong and who he would associate with, it hints that throughout the story he will never stay with any one group of people or in one place for very long - with his father, with the Samanas, with Govinda, in the city. The simile comparing Siddhartha to a star, besides providing imagery for the cold, despairing loneliness he was feeling, could connect to his enlightenment at the end of the book, when he was aglow with his wisdom and holiness. At the end of the passage, the mention of his emergence as “more of a self than before” possibly shows that this has only been the first step of his journey, and that he has a long ways to go before he finds himself.
“You have found liberation from death. This came to you as a result of your own seeking on your own path, through thought, through meditation, through realization, through enlightenment. It did not come to you through teaching! And that is my idea, O Exalted One–nobody attains enlightenment through a teaching.” (Hesse 27-28)
ReplyDeleteThis passage is from when Siddhartha is talking to Buddha after he departs his dear friend, Govinda. It is at this point in the story where Siddhartha makes a life-changing realization. He comes to the conclusion that enlightenment cannot be taught by a teacher and must come from within himself. After years of teaching and being unsatisfied, he has finally realized the key to enlightenment. He must begin his own adventure to find enlightenment not by finding new teachers but by finding it on his own. Because Siddhartha wasn’t enlightened by Buddha, the best teacher he has had, he knew that no other teacher could give him enough wisdom to allow him to feel enlightened and that he himself must pursue his own path. Siddhartha wants so badly to become just as happy and enlightened as Buddha and knows the only way to get there is alone. I would also like to point out a specific part of Hesse’s writing style in this particular passage that I have also seen in other passages throughout the story. He repeats the word “through” four times in the same sentence. This use of repetition creates the effect that Siddhartha is out of breath when talking to Buddha because of his excitement of his realization. He could have listed the words “meditation, realization and enlightenment” alone, but instead he uses the word “through” each time. This technique helped by contributing to the idea that this is a huge and important step in Siddhartha’s life.
“‘Today we shall hear the teaching from his lips,’ said Govinda.
ReplyDeleteSiddhartha did not reply. He 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 this 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 on 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)
In this passage, Hesse once again states the independency Siddhartha thinks he has. Much like the previous passage, this one begins with Siddhartha letting Govinda and the readers know his doubt of Gotama’s teachings and the little interest he has in it. However, as the passage progresses, Siddhartha notices Gotama’s every little move and things he did, realizing that everything he did, and in every way he did it in, resembled the truth. First, Hesse physically described Gotama and the way his body language is being observed by Siddhartha. Then, Hesse uses the technique of repetition and parallel structure for a more effective description of the truth Gotama is sharing. He repeatedly used verbs before the word truth to have that listing effect, making the line more realistic and descriptive. This also creates imagery. It helps emphasize the image in the reader’s head that is already there due to the previous line where Hesse physically described Gotama. The small introduction Hesse uses in the next line really shows his strong and effective writing style; “This man, this Buddha.” I make this claim because here Hesse identifies that Gotama is more than just a man. Hesse wants the reader to realize that this Buddha is not just another useless teacher Siddhartha categorized him as before. Hesse says it himself when he described Gotama in this quote: “This man was holy.” Lastly, this passage concludes with Siddhartha’s love with this man. Similar to the reader, he realizes that this man’s wisdom and influence he has on the ones who follow him have a much greater impact compared to the teachings from the elderly of the Shramana’s.
“Today we shall hear the teaching from his lips, said Govinda. Siddhartha did not reply. He was interesting in the teaching; he doubted it would contain anything new to him, since, like Govinda, he had repeatedly heard the content of this 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 join on every finger of his hand was a teaching, that it spoke truth, breathed truth smelled truth, glowed 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 takes place prior to the awakening of Siddhartha. Through the text, Hesse is able to further characterize and develop Siddhartha as a dynamic character as his love and desire for knowledge results in the continuance of his quest towards enlightenment. Throughout the novel, Siddhartha repeatedly finds the wrongs in all of the teachings. This differs from Govinda as he states to Siddhartha “today we shall hear the teachings from his lips…” (23) Siddhartha did not believe enlightenment could be reached through readings and teachings. Instead he believed he had to attain the knowledge himself without having to learn it from anyone else. This shows how he is more open to growing where as he strives to attain enlightenment whereas Govinda’s arrogance is what leaves him behind. Govinda is much more reliant on others, and differs from Siddhartha as he is afraid to stand alone. This concept is depicted through the way he addresses and speaks of the teachings. Govinda displays his admiration and reliance on his teachers as he talks with Siddhartha. Siddhartha also admires the Buddha, but unlike Govinda, is self reliant and believes that in order to reach true enlightenment he must reach it on his own. Hesse writes “his feet, on his still, loose hand; and it seemed to him that every join on every finger of his hand was a teaching, that it spoke truth, breathed truth smelled truth, glowed truth… This man was holy” (23). The positive diction Siddhartha uses with the phrases “glowed truly” and “this man was holy” describe how he does in fact hold much admiration for the Buddha. However unlike Govinda, Siddhartha believes self reliance is key. The Buddha was an inspiration for Siddhartha as he made many sacrifices in order to reach peace and nirvana.
“This man, this Buddha, was filled with truth down to the least movement of his smallest finger. This man was holy. Never had Siddhartha revered any person, never had he loved any person, as he did this man.” (Hesse 16)
ReplyDeleteReading this passage is like seeing a change in Siddhartha's attitude or perception of what he is witnessing. Siddhartha does not believe in the doctrine anymore for how many times he has repeatedly heard and believes that nirvana is found in a personal quest. Though when he meets Buddha there still a change in Siddhartha's perception where he shows this new character a immense amount of respect. The way Hesse wrote the passage has an effect on the audience where one can feel through Hesse's words the importance of this new character and how holy this character is the way he is described by Hesse. Hesse used repetition in this passage continually using the word “man” describing Buddha which is emphasizing that men can reach nirvana and men have the ability to be holy, not only spiritual beings. The imagery Hesse uses in this passage is subtle but also quite powerful “filled with truth down to the least movement of his smallest finger” is describing to a scale of Buddha’s holiness. The audience with this passage is now questioning. Why is this the first person Siddhartha has ever loved? What makes Siddhartha love Buddha? These questions are answered as the story continues but still Siddhartha wants to stay on his own path of an individual quest where then after meeting Buddha, Govinda chooses to stay and takes refuge in his words. Which is when Govinda and Siddhartha part ways to find their own nirvana.
Your perspective of the passage resonated with me. I agree completely with your viewpoint on how Hesse was intending to show that a man can reach a divine state and be put on a pedestal similarly to a god. Until reading your analysis, I hadn't noticed the imagery you mentioned, but now that I have, I realize that the example you provided is actually very crucial in the characterization of Siddhartha. It shows that, although he is very bold, Siddhartha possesses quite a bit of humility and is able to identify when there is true knowledge in his presence worthy of recognition.
DeleteNathan Maisonville (P7)
ReplyDelete“Siddhartha placed his hand on Govinda’s shoulder: ‘You have not really heard my benediction, O Govinda. Let me repeat it: May you walk this path to its end! May you find deliverance!’
At that instant, Govinda realized that his friend was leaving him, and he began to weep.
‘Siddhartha!’ he exclaimed, lamenting.” (Hesse 29)
In this passage, Siddhartha has realized Govinda’s strong desire to learn from the Buddha and has told his companion to follow his own path, rather than to continue at his side. Although it is only a couple lines of dialogue, it is a crucial piece of the young boys’ journey and shows a major change in the plot. Up until the point taking place in the passage, Govinda and Siddhartha have been a package deal, seeking enlightenment as a team. However, when Govinda and Siddhartha have conflicting inclinations, they decide to separate. Govinda’s transition to independence not only signifies the bitter-sweet ending of their friendship, but also the beginning of two whole new paths. With the two going their separate ways, Siddhartha is then allowed to truly take the next step in his quest for enlightenment. This passage assists in further developing the characters and informing the readers about the traits they hold onto too. Based on his reaction to Siddhartha’s decision to depart from his life, it is quite easy to infer that Govinda is a quite sentimental type of person. In this moment of the story, it could also be said that Govinda isn’t purely seeking enlightenment, but could also be looking for adventure with his best friend. On the other hand, Siddhartha’s reaction to Govinda wanting to stay helps portray him as well. Siddhartha’s support on Govinda’s wish to stay shows that he truly means well for his friend, wanting him to do what he believes will enlighten him. At the same time, his reaction shows that Siddhartha is truly and completely devoted to his spiritual expedition, willing to sacrifice his heritage, family, and now even his best friend in order to reach enlightenment.
“Most people, Kamala, are like fallen leaves that blow and whirl about in the air, then dip and fall to earth. But others, only a few, are like stars, which move on a fixed course where no wind reaches them; they have their law and their course within them.” (Hesse 57)
ReplyDeleteThis short passage is from when Siddhartha is talking to Kamala at the end of chapter 5: Kamala. In this quote, Siddhartha uses two different similes to compare two different types of people: the first type of person being who he thought he was and the second being who he believes he is now at this point in the story. Only a few select people are “stars” while the majority of people are like “fallen leaves.” The simile that refers a large group of people to “fallen leaves” is talking about the people who follow others and settle with being taught as their enlightenment. These people “blow and whirl about in the air,” meaning they don’t have a set path to enlightenment, they just “fall” where the wind takes them. In other words, they simply do not have the knowledge inside themselves to reach enlightenment on their own. On the other hand, Siddhartha refers to a small group of people as being “stars” that “move on a fixed course.” When he says this he is referring to the few people who don’t need to be taught to be enlightened and rather contain the teaching within themselves. The ones who teach like Gotama, are the stars while the ones that listen are the fallen leaves. Both similes involve some sort of path; in the first simile the path isn’t clear and teachings take one to where he/she belongs, while in the second simile the path is very clear and “fixed” meaning that they know what to do because it is within them. Whatever enlightenment means to someone, it will involve a journey to reach it.
This passage was an extremely great choice to analyze. Your analysis on the symbolism in this passage was very insightful and thought-provoking. This passage struck a chord with me as well, because I too noticed the symbolic value it held. In addition to what you have already stated, I believe that the wind that is blowing the leaves is also meant to represent the push of society, as the wind is ultimately determining where the leaves (people) go and only allowing them where it wants to, limiting their horizons immensely. Also, I feel like Hesse's description of the stars following a "fixed course" is meant to symbolize those who are far above the influence of society and are firmly rooted in their own set paths. Seeing someone else’s outlook on this excerpt was very compelling and helped me see the passage through new eyes.
DeleteAmber Mao
ReplyDelete“And there were many who came to him, many to do business with him, many to cheat him, many to draw some secret out of him, many to appeal to his sympathy, many to get his advice. He gave advice, he pitied, he made gifts, he let them cheat him a bit, and this entire game and the passion with which all people played this game occupied his thoughts just as much as the gods and Brahmans used to occupy them.” (Hesse 66)
The significance of this passage comes from foreshadowing and comparison to other parts of Siddhartha’s journey. The degree to which the game of a life centered around material goods began to occupy his mind foreshadows that he is eventually no longer a spectator anymore as he was when doing these things for his own amusement and not caring much about the business, unlike the merchant Kamaswami, but becoming enmired in greed and material wealth and worldly possessions. The comparison of his thoughts of the game to his thoughts of spirituality that he used to have is the main source of the foreshadowing, as well as to illustrate the dynamic change he has undergone - his life had revolved around spirituality and seeking wisdom and enlightenment, but he drew away from it after entering the city and became more occupied with the game - and in this essence he had made a self-fulfilling wish later in the chapter, where he wished he could be a participant in life like the childlike people instead of remaining a spectator.
“The ferryman took him across the river on his bamboo raft. The sun shone ruddy on the broad waters in the morning light.
ReplyDelete"That's a beautiful river," Siddhartha said to his companion.
"Yes," said the ferryman, "a very beautiful river. I love It more than anything. I have often listened I it speak, often looked it in the eye, and I have always learned from it. One can learn a lot from a river" (Hesse 40)
In this passage Hesse uses symbolism and personification while describing the river. When referring to the Ferryman, Hesse writes, "I have always learned from it. One can learn a lot from a river" (40). The river symbolizes life and the path to enlightenment as it can be long and choppy. Hesse also gives the characteristics of which relate to human actions as it cannot physically teach. This personification adds significance to Siddhartha's life as he is on a strenuous journey towards attaining enlightenment. The “broad waters” Hesse refers to in the beginning of this passage represents the long path towards enlightenment and how much time and commitment it takes to attain it. The Ferryman, Vasudeva symbolizes the path towards enlightenment. He never tells Siddhartha how to reach enlightenment but instead introduces him to the river. Vasudeva exemplifies a father figure for Siddhartha as he advocates to get him on the right path. When Siddhartha decided to leave to the forest with the Shramanas in the beginning, he rejected his father's love and refused to love back. He believed he is incapable of practicing or feeling love as it would draw him away from his quest towards enlightenment. However, the statement of growing further from enlightenment is false. The Ferryman had already successfully reached his point of contentment states to Siddhartha “a very beautiful river. I love it more than anything (40)”. This personification demonstrates how love can still be felt, and that enlightenment will not hold an individual back if they are to love. The river is also described as “beautiful” which is a feminine characteristic, adding to the personification used by the Ferryman. Throughout this passage Hesse introduces a major symbol to the reader in the novel, yet does this in a very creative way using the personification and metaphorical language.
My idea is similar to your idea. For example, in my analysis from September 27th, I also discussed the river being a symbol in this book. I mentioned how the river was long and choppy just like Siddhartha’s journey as well. I believe that the river symbolizes Siddhartha’s quest to find enlightenment just like you do, but I believe it goes even deeper than that. The river symbolizes Siddhartha’s journey, the obstacles he encountered, the teachings, and his change from being materialistic to more of a down-to-earth man. The river provides advice for Siddhartha; rather than having a human teach him, he is able to find himself through the river.
DeleteI read through your analysis as well and I agree with your theory on the river. It does not only symbolize Siddharthas quest to attain enlightenment, but his life as a whole. However, I do not believe the river provides advice for Siddhartha. Instead, the river leads him to realize that the only way for him to truly attain his goal is through his own self teaching.
Delete“He was open to everything that these people came to him with. He welcomed the merchant who had linen on offer, the debtor who was looking for a loan, the beggar who spent an hour recounting the story of his poverty and who was not half as poor as any shramana. Rich foreign merchants he treated no differently that the servant who shaved him or the street vendor whom he allowed to cheat him out of a few small coins when he bought bananas. When Kamaswami came to him to complain about his troubles or to take him to task over some business deal, he would listen with good humor and interest, marveling over him, trying to understand him. He would allow him to think he was right to the extent that he seemed to require and then would move on to the next person who sought his attention. And many people came to him. Many came to do business with him, to cheat him; many came to question him; many came to make a claim on his compassion, many to get his advice. He gave advice, sympathized with people, gave gifts, he let himself be cheated a little, and the whole game - and the passion with which people played the game - occupied his thoughts just as much as the gods and Brahman once had.” (Hesse 56)
ReplyDeleteIn this passage nearing the end of chapter 6 (Among The Child People), Hesse explains Siddhartha’s natural behavior in everyday life during his stay in the city. Part of Siddhartha’s religious background and teachings absorbed from his past is represented in his decisions and lifestyle as he lives as a merchant. He shows this by not allowing greed and hatred caused by the ones who cheated off of him affect his attitude and fill his emotions with melancholy. Siddhartha’s decision to exploit the senses, instead of denying them, draws him into the world of time and average people. He reflects from his religious core, and teaches the reader a life lesson as he displays equality throughout every single customer or businessman, and treats all of them with respect and reverence. Hesse uses these everyday life people to represent materialism in everyday life, whom only care about the business and the money. Similarly, Hesse also uses both Kamala and Kamaswami to represent the value of desires in life. From both these people, Siddhartha learns much that is useful in the world of time, as well as how to use the present to yield a desired consequence in the future. For instance, from Kamaswami, Siddhartha learns the concept of “right aspiration,” which means that working for an immediate gain produces no real profit. Kamaswami actually symbolizes the opposite of this concept, and his failure enables Siddhartha to realize that only a voluntary investment can give a worthwhile return. The understanding of the value of desires taught by both Kamala and Kamaswami helps Siddhartha further achieve true enlightenment and pure nirvana due to all this being first hand life lessons shown to Siddhartha himself.
Nathan Maisonville (P7)
ReplyDelete“Into her shadowy grove came beautiful Kamala,
At the entrance stood the brown samana.
Deeply, upon sighting the lotus blossom,
He bowed. Smiling, Kamala thanked him.
Lovelier, thought the youth, than sacrificing to the gods
Lovelier is sacrificing to beautiful Kamala.” (Hesse 53)
This poem is recited by Siddhartha in exchange for a kiss from Kamala, with whom he has recently fallen for. The notability of the passage is quite substantial, as it captures the development of the young boy and provides further evidence towards Siddhartha being a dynamic character. Because of his constant changes throughout the entirety of the story, it is clear that Siddhartha is, in fact, a dynamic character. One example to confirm this is his shift from spirituality to the more materialistic, conforming lifestyle that he is beginning to take on at the point in the story where the passage is sourced. When analyzed, Siddhartha’s poem can also show some foreshadowing and allegory, giving it even more substance. In the poem, Kamala’s grove is described as “shadowy”. This portrayal of the grove seems to warn the readers of Siddhartha’s imminent moral downfall and can also represent his transition from seeking spiritual enlightenment (the light) to yearning for worldly experiences and goods (the “shadowy” dark). This poem also symbolizes Siddhartha turning his back on religion, which is shown when he says that he’d rather sacrifice to Kamala than the gods. An interesting theory I had that I thought could be possible is that the poem is an allegory for the “Adam and Eve” biblical story. In this story, Eve (Siddhartha) is charmed by a snake-like serpent (Kamala) in the Garden of Eden (the grove) and coaxed into taking a bite of a cursed apple (temptation/desire).
Also, in Buddhism a lotus flower can be suggestive of desire, so the lotus blossom in the grove could represent Siddhartha's own desire. This detail adds a lot more meaning to the poem, because immediately after seeing the blossom, Siddhartha bows. This could symbolize Siddhartha giving in, or "bowing", to his desires.
Delete(Amber Mao)
DeleteYour analysis is really interesting, I never really saw the poem and the symbols within it as a passage of such significance. One thing I have to add to this is that as the poem foreshadows Siddhartha's shift or transition from spirituality to materialistic, it also signifies that it was Siddhartha's desire for Kamala that led him to become a wealthy merchant and succumb to sansara - also, if he had not seen Kamala, he would likely not have fallen into the world of the childlike people and not undergone the rebirth that he would have needed to find his path to enlightenment.
Thanks for the response! I agree with the points you made 100%.
Delete“I only know how to listen and how to be respectful. I have not learned anything else. If I could express that and teach it, perhaps I would be a wise man. But as it is, I am only a ferryman, and my task is to take people across the river. I have taken many across, thousands, and for all of them my river has been nothing but an obstacle on their journey. They were traveling for money and business, to weddings, on pilgrimages, and the river was in their way. The ferryman was there to take them quickly past the obstacle. For a few among the thousands—very few, four or five of them—the river stopped being an obstacle. They heard its voice, they listened to it, and the river became sacred to them as it has to me” (Hesse 83).
ReplyDeleteThroughout Siddhartha, the river has been referenced frequently. The river symbolizes a huge part of this story; it shows the path in which Siddhartha has taken to reach enlightenment. In this passage, Vasudeva, the ferryman, explains what the river means to him and how he has interpreted what it means to others. When Siddhartha started his quest to reach enlightenment, he had just set sail for a lengthy journey up river. The river is long and choppy with twists and turns like Siddhartha’s adventure. Just like how thousands of people have had to cross the river and it be an obstacle in their way, on Siddhartha’s journey, he had to overcome many hardships. The river was like a guide, showing him where he needed to stop along the way in order to eventually reach enlightenment. Finally, after Siddhartha underwent his journey and found enlightenment, he anchored down and got off the boat. Because of his long treacherous journey, he viewed the river as a sacred and very important part of his life. He was close to committing suicide in it when he heard the “om” and realized that life is worth living. Siddhartha was a new person after that experience and began to realize what was important in his life. As Siddhartha traveled down the path to enlightenment, he experienced things that were necessary to experience in order for him to finally become enlightened by the river itself. Siddhartha realized that wealth and possessions did not make him happy and he instead found his peace within the river. Just like Vasudeva and few others, Siddhartha is closely connected to the river, and it teaches him what people cannot. Even though Siddhartha has reached the “end of the river,” this flowing body of water still teaches Siddhartha valuable things.
(Amber Mao)
DeleteYour analysis is really interesting, especially the use of the river as a specific metaphor or symbol for the stages in Siddhartha's journey instead of the continuum of time and oneness mentioned in the book. One thing I disagree with is that the river was his guide through his whole journey - it did help guide him at the end of the book, but before that, he had to go out on his own and make mistakes such as falling into Sansara to learn from them and move towards enlightenment - on page 109, Vasudeva says that possibly nothing could have kept Siddhartha safe from it, just as he cannot save his own son from it, no matter how hard he tried.
Amber Mao
ReplyDelete“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 was no future. Nothing was, nothing will be; everything is, everything has existence and is present.’” (Hesse 97-98)
In this passage, Siddhartha has the realization that the river is similar to the flow of time and existence - that the river never stops flowing and is everywhere at once, and so is time, which is always in the present. This could mean that while Siddhartha has changed greatly from the beginning of his journey, he also carries his former selves and the things they have learned with him always, and that past and future are just as important as the present because they would not exist without one another, just as Siddhartha would not be where he is at this point in the story without having lived previously and gone through the suffering that he did. This revelation brings him closer to his enlightenment at the end of the story, part of which is that past, present and future are one and all exist.
Your analysis is really interesting and it made be think about a old Christmas story which everyone knows called A Christmas Carol where the past, present and future are apart of it. As you were saying about the past and future in the story A Christmas Carol this old scrooge who literally hates Christmas and is told by Marley that he will be seen by three ghosts all showing him part of other people's Christmases. After his experience with the ghosts he awakens with love and joy in his heart and hopes to rekindle all the relationships he lost over his years of misery. The only reason he comes to this conclusion though is because he saw all three perspectives form the three ghosts who were all crucial not only to Ebenezer but also their effectiveness.
Delete“She opened the door of the cage, took the bird out, and let it fly away. She looked after the flying bird for a long time” (Hesse 67)
ReplyDelete“SIDDHARTHA WANDERED IN THE FOREST. He was already far from the city. He knew only one thing—that he could not go back, that the life he had led for many years was over and gone. He had sucked it and drained it to the point of revulsion. The songbird of his dream was dead. The bird in his heart was dead. He was profoundly enmeshed in samsara. He had sucked nausea and death into himself from every side, as a sponge sucks up water until it is full. He was bloated with excess, with misery, with death. There was nothing left in the world that could attract him, nothing that could bring him pleasure or console him” (Hesse 68)
In this passage Siddhartha realizes that he has reached the end of another stage in his life. He states that he can “not go back” because he feels that there is nothing left for him to learn. However, this is not the first time he’s felt this way during a stage of his life. During his time as a Shramana, Siddhartha realizes that he cannot continue to apply the teachings of Gotama the Buddha to his life. Leaving Govinda and the Buddha behind, Siddhartha realizes that the path to enlightmentent is one that an individual must find for the themselves. He states “the songbird of his dream was dead. The bird in his heart was dead” (68). Siddhartha goes from living a poor life with the Shramanas to a wealthy one as Kamaswami gives him a job as a merchant. The songbird is a symbol for the life of Siddhartha. He feels parts of him are dying as he changes as a person and struggles to find happiness in his life. Siddhartha learns to let go of parts of himself throughout the book to show his determination towards attaining enlightenment. He becomes “bloated with excess, with misery, with death. There was nothing left in the world that could attract him” (68). This quote demonstrates irony as he believes nothing left in the world can please him. Siddhartha feels parts of him are dying as he changes as a person and struggles to find happiness in his life as Kamala was the only one who truly provide it for him. He no longer feels the world is capable of pleasing him. However, shortly after he finds himself working alongside the Ferryman Vasudeva and attains enlightenment.
“And from one occasion to the next, his (Siddhartha) smile came more and more to resemble the ferryman’s. It became nearly as radiant, nearly as aglow with happiness, shone in the same way out of a thousand little wrinkles, was just as much like a child’s and just as much like an old man’s. Many travelers, seeing the two ferrymen, took them for brothers. Often the two sat in the evening on the tree trunk on the bank and listened in silence to the river, which for them was not a river but the voice of life, the voice of what is, eternal becoming. And occasionally it happened that while listening to the river both men would think of the same thing - a conversation from the day before yesterday, one of their passengers whose face and fortune had caught their interest =, of death, of their childhood; and then at the same moment, when the river had said something good to them, they would look at each other, both thinking exactly the same thing, both gladdened by the same answer to the same question.” (Hesse 85)
ReplyDeleteThroughout this book, Siddhartha has undergone a very intricate journey from following teachings to not obliging the elder Buddha’s to the materialistic state he was in during his stay in the city. He continually states that teachings and teachers will never allow him to reach true enlightenment due to him not being one with himself and restricting his view of the world. After the chapter “The Ferryman,” the reader can identify that Hesse uses situational irony here. This is the case because after Siddhartha partners with Vasudeva, he realizes that the key to true enlightenment is him, Vasudeva. Vasudeva lives a life of calm fulfillment and wisdom and helps Siddhartha guide him through his path to enlightenment. He is the ideal teacher for Siddhartha, but he simply does not teach, as he admits it himself: “If I could express that and teach it, perhaps I would be a wise man. But as it is, I am only a ferryman, and my task it to take people across the river” (83). Vasudeva understands Siddhartha, inspires him to listen to the river, affirms Siddhartha’s spiritual progress, and encourages him to continue searching. He, most importantly, introduces the way of the river which then teaches him the lesson that time does not exist, and that the present is all that matters. Siddhartha learns this and can now see that all life is unified. With the help of the river and Vasudeva, Siddhartha is finally able to learn the last elements necessary to achieve enlightenment. Without the fear of time, worry about the fleetingness of life, or the weight of boredom, Siddhartha can finally reach true enlightenment.
“Siddhartha sat up, whereupon he saw someone sitting opposite him, a stranger, a monk in a yellow robe, with a shaved head, in the pose of contemplation. He observed the man, who had neither hair on his head nor a beard; but he had not been observing him very long when he recognized in that monk Govinda, the friend of his youth, Govinda, who had taken refuge in the sublime Buddha.” (Hesse 48-49)
ReplyDeleteThis passage is significant to the novel because near the beginning of Siddhartha's journey Govinda and him separate needing to find enlightenment on their own. As readers we don’t really know what happened to Govinda when Siddhartha leaves him he has just chosen to stay with the Buddha and try to find his nirvana with the assistance of him. Hesse uses visual imagery impeccably in this passage describing what Govinda now looks like having to be in about his forties. The way Hesse describes Govinda is so easily substantial that Siddhartha does not immediately recognize him which is making the passage ever more realistic where of course Siddhartha wouldn't immediately recognize a man whom he hadn't see 20 years and counting! The reader is also questioning what will happen now? Has Govinda found nirvana or not? Will Govinda recognize Siddhartha? Hesse brings up these questions literally forcing the reader to continue the story to find these answers.
Your analysis is really interesting. It made me think about an experience I had last year. When Siddhartha barely recognized Govinda it was like when I barely recognized a childhood friend that I had once been so close to. It is an odd feeling to realize after so many years, how different someone can be and how you, yourself have changed over the years. Also, it was strange to think about how I was so close to this childhood friend and yet all we did when we saw each other was say a friendly “hello” and ask a few questions then move on. This is probably how Siddhartha and Govinda felt about their encounter after so many years.
DeleteNathan Maisonville (P7)
ReplyDelete“Looking at him, she said: ‘Now I see that your eyes have also changed. They are quite different now. So by what do I still recognize you as Siddhartha? You are Siddhartha and are not.’
Siddhartha said nothing; his eyes gazed silently into hers.
‘You have attained it?’ she asked. ‘You have found peace?’
He smiled and placed his hand on hers.” (Hesse 100)
In this passage, Kamala has rested her eyes fondly upon the face of her old lover, Siddhartha, for the first time in what seems like an eternity. As she lay dying in the hut, she realizes that Siddhartha has become the person he has sought to be and has, at last, found spiritual enlightenment. This passage is a very strong, emotional period in the story, as it is here that we, as readers, truly get to see Siddhartha satisfied for an instant. In this passage, Hesse uses personification to help convey the magnitude of the emotion Siddhartha is feeling. When saying “his eyes gazed silently”, Hermann Hesse is assigning human characteristics to Siddhartha’s eyes and speaking figuratively, as he is implying that it is abnormal for his eyes to gaze “silently” as they are here. This word choice causes the readers to sense that Siddhartha is longingly staring at Kamala and slightly reminiscing their past together. As Siddhartha places his hand in the palm of the dying Kamala, it represents a moment of complete understanding between the two, as if there was a mental connection between them. Kamala’s uncertainty of how to recognize Siddhartha also shows that he is a new, completely changed man, much different than he was when the two were in love. This change of physical appearance seems to be a reoccurring theme in the story, as every time Siddhartha adopts a new lifestyle, his appearance changes and correlates with it.
I really enjoyed your analysis of this passage and found it greatly interesting. While reading through the book, this scene totally went off the top of my head and I had no idea how significant it really is. I am most fond of the little details you analyzed in this passage, for example, how you recognized that the hand in the palm represented "a moment of complete understanding between the two." Also, what really intrigued me was how you connected the appearance change to the lifestyle of Siddhartha and analyzed it as an reoccurring theme in the book. Overall, great job!
Delete“Govinda remained bent over Siddhartha’s still face—which he had just finished kissing, which had just been the scene of all form, all becoming, all being—for a little while longer. That countenance was unchanged, its surface having reclosed over the depths of thousandfold multiplicity. Siddhartha smiled quietly, smiled mildly and gently, perhaps with kindness, perhaps quite disdainfully, precisely as the Exalted One had smiled” (Hesse 116).
ReplyDeleteThis passage is one of the most important sections of Siddhartha. Govinda had come to the Ferryman’s house in search of some advice, finding Siddhartha there to teach him his ways. At this point in the novel it is apparent that Siddhartha has entirely reached his lifelong goal: nirvana. The fact that Govinda saw hundreds of other faces in Siddhartha’s face proves that Siddhartha was true about how everyone and everything is unified and everything means something in this world. Govinda saw “each one transformed...continually born anew,”(Hesse 116) when he saw the instantaneous faces in Siddhartha’s face. This also brings about the idea of reincarnation: the idea that all living things die and then are reborn in a new form. When Hesse wrote, “Siddhartha smiled quietly...precisely as the Exalted One had smiled” it shows how Siddhartha smiled like someone who was completely enlightened and therefore he, himself has reached enlightenment just like Gotama had. Also, when Siddhartha told Govinda to kiss him, Govinda did so. Why would Govinda kiss Siddhartha’s forehead if he did not feel that Siddhartha was powerful? Not only is Siddhartha completely enlightened, but Govinda has seemed to reach enlightenment just by kissing Siddhartha’s forehead. Govinda’s reaction to the kiss was very similar to Siddhartha’s reaction when he saw all the faces in the river that Vasudeva had showed him. It seems that Siddhartha is to Govinda as Vasudeva was to Siddhartha in this novel: a guider to enlightenment. This shows how Siddhartha is so powerful and content with his words that he ultimately enlightened himself and someone else.
Amber Mao
ReplyDelete“Siddhartha stopped, he bent over the water, in order to hear even better, and he saw his face reflected in the quietly moving waters, and in this reflected face there was something, which reminded him, something he had forgotten, and as he thought about it, he found it: this face resembled another face, which he used to know and love and also fear. It resembled his father’s face, the Brahman. And he remembered how he, a long time ago, as a young man, had forced his father to let him go to the penitents, how he had bid his farewell to him, how he had gone and never come back. Had his father not also suffered the same pain for him, which he now suffered for his son? Did he not have to expect the same fate for himself? Was it not a comedy, a strange and stupid matter, this repetition, this running around in a fateful circle?” (Hesse 118)
In this passage, Siddhartha’s story is brought almost full circle with his realization that the situation he is in is very similar to what his father went through years ago. He had been unsatisfied with the life that his father wanted for him, and so he left and joined the Samanas without a second thought, just as his son hated living with him in a hut by the river when he was used to being rich and having servants, and so ran away from his father, who loved him and had all the best intentions for him, and went back to the city. This revelation comes when Siddhartha is listening to the river, previously established as a metaphor for the eternal simultaneousness of time and the oneness of the world and all of life, and adds to the idea that fate had brought him in a circle, a sort of repetition. The pain and love Siddhartha feels for his son is the same that his father must have felt when his son left him to find his own way to enlightenment, and earlier in the chapter it is mentioned that this foolish yet prevailing love, which Siddhartha used to look down upon as a behaviour of the childlike people, was what he now found worthy of admiration in the people that he ferried across the river, bringing him ever closer to enlightenment.
"When someone seeks," said Siddhartha, "it can easily happen that his eyes only see the thing he is seeking and that he is capable of finding anything in, because he is always only thinking about what he is seeking, because he has an object, a goal, because he is possessed by this goal. Seeking means having a goal, but finding means being free, open, having no goal. Perhaps you, venerable on, are indeed a seeker, for in striving after your goal, there is much you fail to see that us right before your eyes" (108)
ReplyDeleteThis passage explains the journey of Siddhartha and the lessons that he learns through attaining his own enlightenment. Hermann Hesse utilizes parallel structure to imbed the thematic message of the passage. He writes "because he has an object, a goal, because he is possessed by this goal. Seeking means having a goal, but finding means being free, open, having no goal" (Hesse 108). This shows how Siddhartha is a dynamic character because of his changing views of the world. In the beginning of the novel, Siddhartha has his mind set on what he plans on accomplishing. However, as his quest towards enlightenment continues his goals begin to change. He learns that instead of having a set goal and planned out path, he must find his own way. Siddhartha begins to appreciate the things around him more as his views on life shift. When Siddhartha is speaking to Govinda, Hesse writes, "...for in striving after your goal, there is much you fail to see that is right before your eyes" (108). This quote is significant because Siddhartha teaches Govinda a lesson that he himself does not figure out until the end of the novel. He explains how it is not about focusing on one particular thing, but instead looking at the bigger picture. Throughout this passage the word "goal" is stressed to demonstrate how goals lead individuals to act or do something for a particular reason. Siddhartha’s main goal to attain enlightenment controlled him. His actions were based on what he believed would bring him closer to achieving his goal. However, throughout the course of the novel Siddhartha comes to the realization that his thirst for knowledge and enlightenment lead to both the discontent and happiness in his life.
Gradually there blossomed, gradually there ripened within Siddhartha the realization, the knowledge, of what wisdom really was, what the goal of his long quest was. It was nothing but a preparedness of the soul, a capability, a secret art of conceiving the idea of oneness at every moment: the ability to feel and absorb oneness. (Hesse 70)
ReplyDeleteThis passage is important to Siddhartha's whole story and has the effect of realization where before Siddhartha was unhappy, and this disconnected person whom had contempt for so many different things. Believing in his mind that what others were doing were all lies that they had not yet opened their eyes too. Now Siddhartha seems happier because he's now finally letting go about what happened to his son and has begun to stop obsessing over it but still not forgetting about it either. Just allowing his pain to be there but also to nurture love and tenderness. He knows that not everything in life can be controlled but the movement through what happens is crucial to living. Everything Siddhartha has gone through has led him to have this ability to feel oneness now that although it was gradual with all of the missteps he made still led him up the stairs of nirvana, and preparing of his soul.
“Bright shone Vasudeva’s smile; it hovered, glowing, in all the wrinkles of his aged countenance, just as the om hovered over all the voices of the river. Bright shone his smile as he gazed at his friend, and now the same smile shone brightly in Siddhartha’s face. His wound blossomed, his suffering was radiant, his ego had dissolved into the unity.
ReplyDeleteAt this moment Siddhartha ceased to struggle with fate, ceased to suffer. On his face bloomed the cheerfulness of wisdom that is no longer opposed by will, that knows perfection, that is in harmony with the river of what is, with the current of life, full of compassion, full of empathic joy, surrendered to the flow, part of the unity.
As Vasudeva rose from the seat on the riverbank, as he looked into Siddhartha’s eyes and saw the cheerfulness of wisdom radiant there, he touched his shoulder lightly with his hand in his considerate and tender way and said: “I have waited for this moment, dear friend. Now that it has come, let me go. I have long awaited this moment. I have long been the ferryman Vasudeva. Now it is enough. Farewell hut, farewell river, farewell Siddhartha!” (Hesse 106)
Throughout the entirety of this book, Siddhartha has struggled time and time again of reaching his goal in life; true enlightenment. Nearing the end of the chapter “Om,” in which this passage is located, Siddhartha finally reaches this goal. With the help of Vasudeva and the guidance of the river, Siddhartha has realized that the last part of him reaching true enlightenment was the stage of overcoming love. In this passage, Siddhartha has finally become one with himself and surpassed every stage of difficulty enlightenment had to offer. Here the reader acknowledges this by Hesse’s uses of imagery and multiple literary devices. As for one example, Hesse uses imagery in the line, “On his face bloomed the cheerfulness of wisdom that is no longer opposed by will” (Hesse 106), to captivate the reader what the discovery of wisdom Siddhartha has gained. In spite of that, this passage also indicates a very important symbolic meaning of being a “ferryman.” Vasudeva’s profession as a ferryman, one who guides a person from one side of the river to the other, fits well with his status as a spiritual guide. In this case, one side of the river represents enlightenment, and the other side represents life before enlightenment. However, people must first reach the river of their own accord and know that they seek to reach a side of enlightenment. He does not tell people where they must go but helps those who are ready to complete the journey. When Siddhartha finally reaches true enlightenment, as being Vasudeva’s pupil, Vasudeva realizes he no longers needs to be the one conveying people to their final destination, thus stepping down from his position for Siddhartha to take over, and to continue teaching others, just as how Vasudeva did.
“’The world, my friend, Govinda, is not imperfect or developing slowly toward perfection. No, the world is perfect at every moment, all sin already contains grace, all youngsters already contain oldsters, all babies contain death, all the dying contain eternal life.’” (Hesse 125)
ReplyDeleteThis passage really made quite a large impact on me. It is a quote by Siddhartha, speaking to Govinda, towards the end of the story. In this quote, Siddhartha explains to Govinda that the world is in perfect harmony, and it always will be. He vividly describes the balance of the universe, and how for every push, there is a pull to even it out. He states that “all sin already contains grace”, meaning that for every evil in the world, there is always a counteracting goodness. Siddhartha then goes on to say “all babies contain death”. This quote carried a lot of significance in my eyes, because it had a certain depth to it that simply evoked emotion. What this quote basically means is that we are born to die. Although somewhat depressing, there is a certain beauty to it, as it yet again demonstrates the sheer balance of the world. The last piece of the quote is possibly the most powerful of Siddhartha’s examples. Siddhartha states, “all the dying contain eternal life”. When I analyzed this quote, I took it as Siddhartha having an optimistic outlook on death. His statement puts off an aura of peace, giving reassurance that, to balance out the death in the world, there is rebirth in a more divine, eternal form.