Throughout the novel Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse, the characters grow and change, especially the main character, Siddhartha. The characters of a book greatly shape a reader's view of not just the characters, but of the book itself. Hermann Hesse uses his characters to share the message he is trying to put across to us, the readers. He does this through supporting characters as well as the development, both mentally and physically, of the main character, Siddhartha. Appearance allows an individual to be an individual, as no two humans are exactly alike, they are all unique. As Siddhartha develops mentally, he also changes his appearance. Surprisingly, in the novel, Siddhartha is the only character that Hermann Hesse goes into detail with regarding …show more content…
On this journey to enlightenment, Siddhartha's physical appearance isn't the only thing to change, as his mental appearance shifts as well. Siddhartha changes from being a boyish and somewhat bookish character, to a vain and greedy character, and then finally he becomes an enlightened character. Through dialogue and descriptions in the novel, Hesse shows that appearance can mark changes to the story and it helps the story to be told. Appearance helps mark the passage of time from the past, the present, and the future. Appearance holds thematic significance, such as Siddhartha changes, time changes as well. The definition of appearance is the way that someone looks and acts. Appearance is unique to each person. More often then not, appearance changes as one gains experience. Siddhartha learned that you must learn from experience and not just teaching, "which father, which teacher, could prevent him from living his own life, from soiling himself with life, from loading himself with sin, from swallowing the bitter drink himself, from finding his own path?" (Hesse 98). Siddhartha learns from …show more content…
The point of yin-yang is that these two opposing forces seem to coexist within the universe. Yin and yang and appearance share common characteristics. The river also ties into the two, as all three are interconnected in Siddhartha’s journey. The river is a perfect example of yin-yang and coexisting opposing forces. The river is a fixed landmark, sitting still yet it is also constantly changing, like appearances. The river exists everywhere yet what makes the river up stays the same. But in that same way, you can never step in the same river twice, the water is always changing and always flowing. When Siddhartha finally stopped labeling the river based on its appearance and finally accepted the fact that opposing sides can work together and coexist in one universe, that is when the river voices merge into one and he can finally successfully complete his journey towards enlightenment, “but he heard them all, the whole, the unity; then the great song of a thousand voices consisted of one word: Om-perfection”(111). Siddhartha even related his own appearance and his life to the river, as throughout his journey his experience changed him but his individuality and self had stayed the same. When Siddharta went on his journey towards enlightenment, he