Siddhartha

SidHartha

In the novel Siddhartha a young man journeys away from his family on a quest for knowledge. Siddhartha, a young Indian Brahmin grows restless with his life at home in a small Indian village. He leaves with his best friend Govinda to become a samana. Soon Siddhartha becomes aware that the way of the Samana’s does not teach true salvation, and he and Govinda leave to seek Gotama Buddha. When they finally do find the Buddha, Siddhartha decides that he doesn’t want to learn what the Buddha has to teach. He leaves Govinda behind and goes off in search for a life of possessions, and pleasure. He finds this desired life as the business partner to a rich merchant, and with frequent visits to Kamala, the local courtesan. He fathers a son, and becomes distant. He begins to gamble, and soon looses all his money. Realizing his strong dislike for the life he was living, he leaves. He tells no one of his plans, not even Kamala. Siddhartha goes to a river he was once taken across by a kind ferryman, Vasudeva. He stays at this river because of a sound that only he can hear. A sound that symbolizes everything that he has always wanted. He stays at this river until Kamala, on a pilgrimage to see the Buddha, dies, leaving her son with his father Siddhartha. His son shows nothing but resentment and disobedience for his father, and eventually runs away. Siddhartha goes to find him, but instead finds his old friend, Govinda. It is with Govinda that the story ends, and Siddhartha r...