Metaphor Analysis in Siddhartha: Unpacking Meaningful Comparisons
School
Bear River High School**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
ENG AP
Subject
Arts & Humanities
Date
Dec 10, 2024
Pages
2
Uploaded by AdmiralZebraMaster1214
Metaphor AnalysisSiddharthapages 1-40For each of the following metaphors, write a short (about three sentences) analysis of thecomparison and how it adds meaning to the text. Use formatting tools to make it easy to read yourwork.Be sure you include●The two things that are being compared●The quality that the two things share●Analysis of how this similarity adds to the meaning.For example:“He pierces through the things of this world as the stone goes through the water, without performing anyaction, without bestirring himself” (Hesse 34).Siddhartha compares himself to a stone sinking in water because they are both impossible to deter fromtheir paths. Siddhartha is different from most people, who can be swayed and moved by other people andcircumstances. In pursuit of his goals, Siddhartha is as undisturbed by distractions as a stone would be bythe rushing water of a river.1.“that the Brahman sages had already imparted to him the greatest part and the best part of theirwisdom, that they had already poured their abundance into his expectant vessel; and the vesselwas not full” (Hesse 3).The Brahman’s wisdom and a vessel that is not ful. The Brahman’s wisdom and thevessel share not being full, or not knowing all. As a Brahman wants to seek knowledge asa vessel seeks to be filled. Siddartha seeks knowledge and like his soul is incomplete asthe vessel is unfullied.2.“Let me warn you, you thirster after knowledge, against the jungle of opinions and quarrelingover mere words” (Hesse 19).The pursuit of knowledge and a jungle. Both are dense and look to be never ending,there's so much you can’t see, you can feel overwhelmed with how vast it can seem. Asyou can look into what looks to be a never ending forest and feel hopeless you can lookat the never ending vest amount of knowledge.3.“But I who wanted to read the book of the world and the book of my own nature, I have held thesigns and letters in contempt” (Hesse 22).The book of the world and the book of my own nature. They are both forms ofknowledge that can be learned. It is the relation between external and internal knowledge.Siddartha wants to learn himself and to do that he has to read himself.4.“Every hour sped by rapidly like a sail on the sea, and beneath that sail, a ship laden withtreasures, laden with joys” (Hesse 25).Time and the ship. They are a sense of movement and progress. Siddhartha ‘s time ismoving fast as he is on his journey to enlightenment. As he is on this journey he needs toappreciate the things that he learns as time will go by fast so he needs to enjoy themonuments.
5.“I have often looked into its eyes and I have always learned from it. You can learn a lot from ariver” (Hesse 27).The river and the act of learning. Both the river and learning are a sense of depth. Theriver is flowing and changing just like learning is a flow. The idea that wisdom can befound in nature that there are lessons to learn from observing how it flows and adapts.6.“He saw...a very fair, very soft, very clever face, bright-red lips like a newly opened fig” (Hesse28).The face and the newly opened fig. They are both a sense of beauty and they both evoke afeeling of softness. The idea that beauty is something that is visually and deeply inviting.7.“Most people, Kamala, are like a falling leaf, which drifts and turns in the air, and sways, andzigzags to the ground” (Hesse 39).Most people and a falling leaf. Both people and falling leaves are in a state ofaimlessness. The leaf and the people are in a state of unpredictability you can knowwhere leaf will take you just like life8.“But others, just a few, are like stars; they travel a fixed route, no wind reaches them; their lawand their route lie within themselves” (Hesse 39).A few individuals and the stars. They both have a sense of constancy there andpredictability. Some people are on a fixed path they don't see a reason to differ from thatpath just like stars once a star is on a path it stays on that path forever. It represents aperson that has their life planned and they know what they want to do in life.9.“The way a ball player plays with the ball, so did he play with business, with the people aroundhim, watching them, finding amusement in them” (Hesse 39).Siddartha is the ball player and businessman. They both are playful and engaging. Bothcan be viewed as a game unlike business that is taken seriously. He wants to take the balllightly, he wants it to be a reaglor ball game.10. “His heart, the wellspring of his being, was not in it” (Hesse 39).His heart and a wellspring. Both convey commitment and passion. They are the sense ofemptiness or lack of authenticity in someone's world. There is an absence of emotionfrom that person.11. “A thousand disciples hear his teachings every day, and follow his regulations every hour; butthey are all falling leaves; they do not possess the doctrine and the law within themselves” (Hesse39-40).His followers and falling leaves. They both have scenes of unpredictability or lack ofstability. His disciples are not taking the material that he has given them as they should.They are taking it too literally.12. “Her body was as lithe as a jaguar’s or as a hunter’s bow” (Hesse 40).The jaguar’s body and a hunter's bow. They both have grace and have agility. It makes thecharacter seem more intune with the body as it is hard to both light and agile and cary all that you do.