Self-discovery in Siddhartha

Self-discovery in Siddhartha

Siddhartha, the novel by Hermann Hesse is what can be included as

one of the epitomes of allegorical literature. This wondrous novel is

focused on the tribulations of Siddhartha through his quest for inner peace.

He started out as a young Brahmin's son always thirsting for more

intellect and perspective in his life and from there on he endured many

transitions. Siddhartha let himself experience all forms of life in his

society. He unhesitatingly learned more about how different people lived

by stepping into their shoes. He gained the vast varieties of intellect

and perspective that he had longed for through his diversity, and he

shrewdly applied it to compose his accurate philosophies of everyday life.

Siddhartha's character exemplifies the insatiable feeling that

everybody harbors. He stood for a unity of individuals. He stood for

their thirst, and most importantly he stood for their ultimate quench; He

stood for the insatiable feelings that all people have and need to

eventually fill.

As the Brahmin's son, Siddhartha could not contain himself. He was

restless and felt that he had learned all he had to learn amongst his

elders, and he was right. He chose to follow another path in life, a path

that would show him another part of how people in his world lived.

Siddhartha did not allow himself to stick to something that he could not

feel to be right, thus he could not stay and worship the gods his father

worshipped. He, as disconte...

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...the same time, which all continually

changed and renewed themselves and which were yet all Siddhartha...

He saw the naked bodies of men and women in the postures and

transports of passionate love...He saw all these forms and faces

in a thousand relationships to each other, all helping each other,

loving, hating and destroying each other and become newly born..."

(p121)

Siddhartha not only experienced them but he overcame them so well

that he eventually achieved a great peace inside of him. He was an example

for people to follow through the rigorous course of self discovery.