Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha Response

Siddhartha Response In Hermann Hesse’s novel, Siddhartha, the main character of the story, Siddhartha, a young brahman along with his beloved friend Govinda feel that their is more to life. In search of enlightenment , They join a group of ascetic Samanas and for many years Siddhartha and Govinda learn to deny the body’s pain and senses including the external world.They endure a lot of physical pain along with a 28 day fast over the course of their wish to become samanas. After years with the samanas Siddhartha is unsatisfied because he fails to find the enlightenment he was looking for on his search for knowledge. Furthermore, Siddhartha because of dissatisfaction renounces the life of asceticism or severe self-discipline and avoidance of

He set his goal with kamala and doesn't let anything deviate his goal. “Listen, Kamala, when you throw a stone into the water, it finds the quickest way to the bottom of the water. It is the same when Siddhartha has an aim, a goal. Siddhartha does nothing; he waits, he thinks, he fasts, but he goes through the affairs of the world like the stone through the water, without doing anything, without bestirring himself; he is drawn and lets himself fall. He is drawn by his goal, for he does not allow anything to enter his mind which opposes his goal. That is what Siddhartha learned from the Samanas. It is what fools call magic and what they think is caused by demons. Nothing is caused by demons; there are no demons. Everyone can perform magic, everyone can reach his goal, if he can think, wait, and fast.(Hesse 56)” Siddhartha has begun to experience desire, he experiences love with Kamala and wishes that they can always be one another's teacher of wisdom and peace/prosperity. In addition Siddhartha meets Kamaswami after leaving Kamala, he first is greeted by Kamaswami asking where Siddhartha’s possessions are, Siddhartha exclaims that he only carries what he needs. “I own no property, If that is what you mean, True, I possess nothing.(Hesse 57)” Siddhartha has no possessions he has peace with him self, This can not be purchased or bartered buy

“The river taught me how to listen…One can learn everything from it.(Hesse 95)”. Siddhartha later hears that Kamala is dining because her son wishes to cross the river, kamala’s is also Siddhartha’s son that he left unknowingly. A snake bites Kamala on the ferry across the river and dining in Siddhartha's arms. His son is left behind and Siddhartha begins to bond with his son who are so different, He begins to rather suffer with his son then be happy without his son coming to an end of the cycle his son runs away. Later on Govinda crosses the river again and sees Siddhartha, Govinda asks his for wisdom. Siddhartha replies wisdom is not communicate-able unlike knowledge, I wise man trying to communicate wisdom sounds foolish. Wisdom must come from experience, Love is the most important thing in the world greater than wealth and happiness. Siddhartha proclaims love in the connection between al living