Summary Of Symbolism In Siddhartha

Hermann Hesse uses symbolism to show how the people who follow Buddhism have a different life than ordinary people. At the start of Part Two, Siddhartha realizes that he wants different things in life, but when he saw how ordinary people live, he felt that they, ‘“are like a falling leaf that drifts and turns in the air, flutters, and falls to the ground. But a few others are like stars which travel in one defined path: no wind reaches them, they have within themselves their guide and path”’ (72). By using symbolism like the leaf and the stars, Hesse demonstrates that most people in the world do not know where they are going in life and have to go through obstacles to reach their goal. However, Buddhism has one clear path that is derived from oneself, not from other people.

Also, Hesse shows that the life of a Buddha is very different by representing it as a bird. This bird was, “in a small golden cage… This bird, which usually sang in the morning became mute… The little bird was dead and lay stiff on the floor… he [Siddhartha] was horrified and his [Siddhartha] heart ached as if he had thrown away with this dead bird all that was good and of value in himself [Siddhartha]” (82). By using this bird, hesse is comparing it to the life of a Buddha and Siddhartha. At the start of the passage, Hesse compares Siddhartha to the bird by how the bird is living in a golden cage. This represents all the richness Siddhartha has and the house he lives in. When the little bird dies, Hesse shows how Siddhartha has to shed this life and begin a new one if he wants to continue the life of a Buddha. Hesse demonstrates that a life in the Buddhism Culture must begin as a new person entirely, inside out. The person must be swept clean and start as a new