Self-Knowledge In Siddharta By Herman Hesse's Siddhartha

In the book, Siddhartha written by Herman Hesse, the topic of self-realization and gaining self-knowledge is explored. Ralph Waldo Emerson states that “[who] would be a man must be a nonconformist [...] Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind […] with consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall.” Here, Emerson states that in order to be a man, one must break away from generally accepted beliefs and practices. Society is not optimal to cultivate the foundation to finding one’s self. Participation in society inhibits individual growth because it confuses one of their true values, wastes time, and clouds success and determination. Involvement in society can obscure one’s morals because there is input from others who have different backgrounds, values, and perspectives. This can be seen

Siddartha experiences this feeling of lost time when he thinks to himself “[I] had spent [my] life in a worthless and senseless manner; [I] retained nothing vital, nothing in any way precious or worthwhile” (66). Siddhartha did not obtain any advantages that he could put towards his goal of attaining Nirvana. Participation in society devours years of one’s life; this path leads to a life of insatiability and prevents the realization that possessions are demoralizing. Samsara encourages a toxic, cyclic spiral into the world of stagnation. In order to avoid the consumptive cycle of Samsara, one must actively attempt to find self through defining one’s values and morals. A solid foundation consisting of strong principles aids one in maintaining self. Unlike submission to social values, self-reflection teaches morals and in turn, teaches self. In order to attain Nirvana, those bound to society need to escape this life in hopes of finally retaining things of importance which can then be put towards their goals and