The Development of Characters in Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha

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The characters in a novel can make or break a story. In fact, some of the plot details, symbols, or themes will appear confusing or thoughtless solely if the characters are not properly worked into the novel. However, characters, when well thought-out, can also enhance a work of literature, pushing it beyond the realm of generic plots and simple, noncomplex themes and symbols. In the novel Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse, the development of Characters such as Siddhartha, Govinda, and Vasudeva help the reader to better understand the central message that the author is trying to portray.

At the beginning of the story, two major characters are introduced: Siddhartha and Govinda. Govinda constantly follows Siddhartha and really looks up to him. In fact, t he is often described as Siddhartha’s “shadow.” “As, with benumbed legs, he slowly left the still sleeping town at daybreak, a crouching shadow emerged from the last hut and joined the pilgrim. It was Govinda” (Hesse 12). Siddhartha leaves his Brahmin family to join a religious group known as the Samanas. His b...

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