Siddhartha's Journey

Today in our society, many people struggle with their identity, and the meaning of life. Some people may search for answers to their problems through loved ones, movies, and books. One book that offers life lessons and wisdom is Siddhartha, which was written by Hermann Hesse. Hesse was born on July 2 1877 in Calw, a town in the southern part of Germany. He came from German, and French descent. Hesse spent most of his learning years in boarding schools. He was a very good learner, and from a young age knew he wanted to become a poet. (Hesse, Hermann, “Hermann Hesse -Biographical”, nobelprize.org, nobelprize.org, n.d, Web, 2 January 2017). Hesse finished his schooling in 1893 at the age of 16, and then went on to work in a bookstore, while striving towards becoming an author. His career as a writer boomed, and Hesse went on to write at least

The main character in this novel is a man named Siddhartha. He goes on a journey of self discovery, while also gaining an understanding of balance in the world. Throughout his journey, Siddhartha learns from many people and elements in nature. One important element that is symbolized in the book Siddhartha is rivers. “The river knows everything; no one can learn everything from it.” (Hesse105). Many things in nature hold a lot of wisdom and knowledge, including rivers. Some people that cross paths with Siddhartha and teach him things about life are Kamala, Vasudeva, and Kamaswami. Kamala teaches Siddhartha the art of physical love, meanwhile Vasudeva enlightens Siddhartha on understanding himself and the universe. Furthermore, Kamaswami, another person who crossed paths with Siddhartha, teaches him about the art of business. As the story progresses, Siddhartha grows as a person gaining more and more knowledge. “He was no longer a youth; he was now a man.” (Hesse37). The book Siddhartha is a coming of age story about a boy who becomes a man by gaining knowledge through nature, people, and