The Importance Of Meaning In Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha

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Carl Jung once said, “One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for growing plant and for the soul of the child.” Siddhartha, a novel by Hermann Hesse, follows Siddhartha through his life stages. While Siddhartha searches for enlightenment and Nirvana; going from Brahmin, to the rich, then to having nothing. The audience can read about his struggles and sufferings that guide him to enlightenment. Siddhartha’s journey gives him several teachers and mentors; some were conventional and some more symbolic. All of them though were important and help Siddhartha to his enlightenment.
The first …show more content…

“He was no Brahmins, sharing the life of the Brahmins, no ascetic belonging to the Samanas.” (33) Siddhartha thinks that he might not need a religious mentor to find his path, hence why he wants to learn from Kamaswami, who is opposite from his previous mentors. “I have learned from you how much a basket of fish costs and how much interest one can claim for lending money.” (56) Siddhartha says that to Kamaswami when he realizes that Kamaswami wasn’t as important, even though he does teach Siddhartha what isn’t important in the whole scheme of life, which helps further down Siddhartha’s path. “Now everything is easy, as easy as the instructions in kissing Kamala gives.” (49) This is when Siddhartha first decides to deflect the physical world because of the Samanas’ teachings. Now he tries the opposite and showers himself in the physical world first with Kamala’s affections and then the riches he gains because of Kamaswami teachings of merchant life. After Siddhartha’s dream about Kamala’s dead singing bird, it makes him realize that he has been stuck in Samsara and needs to leave the teachers that got him this …show more content…

“I would like to ask you to be my friend and teacher, for I do not know anything of the art of which you are mistress.” (44) Siddhartha seeks out Kamala because of her experience and he feels that he could learn plenty of things from her. “Most people, Kamala, 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 one defined path.” (58) Siddhartha reflects upon his feelings to Kamala about his perspective on other people. The following 20 years with Kamala and Kamaswami, Siddhartha learns from Kamala that they are unlike everyone else and that’s why he learns so much from her and can actually connect with her. “Kamala indicated to her son and said, ‘Did you recognize him, too? He is your son.’” (92) At the end of Kamala’s life she is able to indirectly teach Siddhartha about people, so he can understand them. Siddhartha connects with the people and their feelings now all because of Kamala and his’ son, and that helps Siddhartha appreciate the ordinary people; who he never comprehends until

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