The River and the Mind/Body Dichotomy in Siddhartha
In Herman Hesse's work Siddhartha, the primary physical symbol of division is the river. One side of the river represents "geist", or a realm concerned with the spiritual world. The second side represents "natur", the natural world where the flesh is engorged with pleasure and earthly satisfaction. Siddhartha begins on the spiritual side of the river. He is in training to become an excellent Brahmin like his father, much is expected of this intelligent and attractive young man. Yet Siddhartha feels a rumbling in his body and mind. His soul is not satisfied with the answers that he has received about problems in life. He feels the need to live his home in order to find these answers. He is willing to sacrifice security for insecurity and danger. His travels renew and strengthen his spirit.
The structure of the story is centered around the apparatus of "iterative-durative time", a technique in which the author follows a loose linear chronlogy, with each part covering approximately twenty years, while only about one or two of those years are described in any detail. The effect easily lulls the reader into a perception of the passing time.
He first spends time with a roving band of asceitics, forest-dwelling nomads that prefer to live a life of extreme sacrifice and self-denial. Siddhartha masters their art and goals, but shortly decides to move on after only a few years. He is not able to find his quest for salvation and understanding on such a path. Throughout his journey, his friend Govinda stays by his side. He decides to leave the town with him, come with him and practice with the ascetics, and then agrees to leave with him to seek out the Illustrious One, Gotama. Siddhartha does not find the answers to his spiritual queries here either, and decides to move on again. This time Govinda, his "shadow", decides to stay and make a niche for himself. Siddhartha strikes out on his own, crossing the center symbol of the river with the help of the boatman Vasudeva. After crossing the river he encounters an Indian woman who encourages him and allows him to kiss her nipple. His experience with the "natur" world has begun, his experiences of the sense being heightened and readied for a sensual deluge.
He remains on the sensual side of the river for twenty years and in that time impregnates his seductive teacher and partner Kamala.
Siddhartha starts to get over the leaving of his son by learning the secrets of the river from Vesudeva. He understands the unity that Gautama taught, through the river. He learns 3 secrets from the river: time doesn’t exist, the river is always the same and the river has many voices. The world is like this river, eternal and whole. Now that Siddhartha can really listen to the river too, Vasudeva reaches Nirvana, and he leaves the river with Siddhartha and moves on. Govinda hears about a ferryman and goes to find him. He doesn’t recognize Siddartha and asks for help to achieve enlightenment. Siddhartha says that everything is part of a whole and is always in the present
Govinda is Siddhartha's childhood friend. He is a foil to Siddhartha, serving as a benchmark for the latter's progress toward enlightenment. Govinda spends part I of the novel with Siddhartha and then leaves to follow the Buddha. He reappears at points of transition in Siddhartha's life, and is with Siddhartha at the novel's end to learn his wisdom. Kamaswami is the merchant for whom Siddhartha works while living in town. It is from the clever though impatient Kamaswami that Siddhartha learns how to conduct business and concern himself with money and material goods. Vasuveda is the ferryman with whom Siddhartha lives for the last third of the novel.
Siddhartha is a much respected son of a Brahmin who lives with his father in ancient India. Everyone in their town expects Siddhartha to act like his father and become successful. Although he lives a very high quality life, Siddhartha is dissatisfied and along with his best friend Govinda- wants nothing more than to join the group of wandering ascetics called Samana’s. This group starves themselves, travels almost naked and must beg for the food they survive on. This group of people believes that to achieve enlightenment and self-actualization: body image, health, physical and material desires must be thrown away. Although this is the life Siddhartha wished for himself, he soon discovers that it is not the right choice for him. Near desolation, Siddhartha happens upon a river where he hears a strange sound. This sound signifies the beginning of the life he was born to live – the beginning of his true self. Hesse uses many literary devices to assure Siddhartha’s goal of self-actualization and creates a proper path for that success.
At the beginning of the book Siddhartha is in training to become a Brahmin and follow in the footsteps of his father. He is a promising young student who has everything going for him but he is secretly unsatisfied and feels that the path he is taking will not lead him to achieving enlightenment. Siddhartha feels he has already learned everything he can from his father and the surrounding community. He confides in his best friend and travel companion throughout the book, Govinda, and together they end up joining a group of Samanas. Siddhartha’s father is very unhappy but Siddhartha cannot be swayed and he leaves with the Samanas.
Frequent allusions to the river correspond w/ Siddhartha's infinite thoughts of Unity and his initial plans to strive for it. Siddhartha has a number of specific goals during the course of this novel, but in no way does this detract from the bare nature of his ultimate goal. The accomplishment of specific goals was an important part of the progression approaching his absolute state of Unity.
As human beings, we sometimes can not synchronize our minds and souls. When we are at our success of knowledge or intellect, we blind our mind with our ambition which comes along in reaching the knowledge or intellect. As a young brahmin, Siddhartha, has been taught that Brahmin is the soul of "Atman" or the 'Only One' (Chapter 1, page 5). It means that Brahmin is the highest position beside the Creator. This intellect alienates Siddhartha's 'Self'. He does not think that his superior's 'Self' will give him salvation. Siddhartha thinks his 'Self' conquers himself. He wants his 'Self" to die to find wisdom and spiritual knowledge.
Siddhartha's path lead him through constant re-evaluations, keeping him focused on himself. He began as the son of a wealthy Brahmin, sheltered from the real world and any experience with it, but having the best education he could obtain. He began his life at home, as a thinker, possessing wisdom and thoughts he had yet to earn through experience.
The boardwalk is consisted of shops, arcades, and piers of rides. On the boardwalk, you will find adults, teenagers, kids, and even babies trying to have a good time. Also, there are shops located all over the place. Tattoo/piercing parlors, fast food places, curly fry’ booths, ice cream sellers, and even a mall filled with all types of shops. If you’re not into shopping, there are arcades located after every few shops. You can win prizes, spend your money, and get addicted real quickly. Although most people usually walk around, you can also ride the tramcar. The tramcar is a long yellow ride that takes people around the whole boardwalk (which by the way is two miles long!) for a few dollars. Usually, the tramcar can be heard by it’s famous saying, “Watch the tramcar please.” Other then shops and arcades; there are piers full of rides. On each pier their are rides basically for all ages and older people. There are roller coasters with and without loops, log flumes, haunted houses, carousels, mini golf courses, and even bungee jumping. For each pier you can either buy tickets which are pretty expensive, or a bracelet that will let you ride any ride you want to unlimited times.
Throughout the tale, Siddhartha strives to be one with Atman, or internal harmony/eternal self, but by his own attainment. Even when he is offered the insight of Gotama, the divine and perfect one, who is the embodiment of peace, truth, and happiness, he refuses following him and decides to attain Nirvana in his own way. In this, Siddhartha shows his prideful nature but also reveals a positive aspect: self-direction. He realizes that others' ways of teaching can only be applied to their past experiences, but is still reluctant to ac...
... middle of paper ... ... He makes Siddhartha listen to the river and Siddhartha laughs at how he chased his son. Siddhartha is soon reminded by the river of how he left his own father.
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