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Siddhartha
Concept & Vocabulary Analysis
Literary Text
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
The Dover Thrift Edition, 1999
Organizational Patterns
The novel is split into two “parts.” Part 1 consists
of 23 pages and covers the protagonists first “journey”
as an extreme ascetic. Part 2 contains the last 57 pages
and details Siddhartha’s second “journey” in which he
explores and rejects worldliness and ultimately becomes
at one with himself and the world.
Each part is split into more manageable sections that might be classified as
chapters, but are sectioned off not with numbers, but titles. The sections are
organized as follows:
Part 1:
The Son of the Brahman—pages 1-7
With the Samanas—pages 7-14
Gotama—pages 14-20
Awakening—pages 20-23
Part 2:
Kamala—pages 25-34
With the Child-People—pages 34-40
Samsara—pages 40-46
By the River—pages 46-63
The Son—pages 63-74
Govinda—pages 74-81
Central Question/Enduring Issue
True Wisdom is Found in “Self”.
Siddhartha’s path to enlightenment leads him back to himself. After he tries several
lifestyles, tries to learn from the best teachers, looks to external sources to find the
meaning in life, and makes numerous mistakes, Siddhartha finds what he is looking
for deep inside his own soul. His own culmination of experiences and beliefs brings
him a better understanding of life than he could learn from any one person or solitary
experience. In finding himself, he finds wisdom and contentment. This search for
Laura Andreasen – Brigham Young University – 2009
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understanding of yourself and the way you fit into the world is a universal need. This
is the most poignant lesson Siddhartha teaches.
Issues Related to This Study of Literature
THEME
Finding Self/Identity
“But even though the paths led away from self, at the end they always led back to self”
(pg. 9).
The search for self is the root of Siddhartha’s journey in this novel. His
confusion as he digs inside himself to find meaning in his life causes Siddhartha to
leave a comfortable Brahman household to first follow the sterile, denial-based life of
an ascetic, then to break away from this in favor of a rich, worldly life, and then to end
up as a ferryman learning his final lesson from the comings and goings of the river.
His explorations of his feelings about the essence of himself are the meat of the novel.
Coming of Age/Bildungsroman
“In that hour Siddhartha ceased to struggle with his destiny, he
ceased to suffer. On his face there blossomed the serenity of a
knowledge that was no longer opposed by his will, a knowledge
that knew…the current of life…” (pg. 73).
Closely related to his search for self, Siddhartha’s comingof-age journey can also be traced through the novel. Like many
a protagonist who traverses through age and time, Siddhartha
learns the basic lessons of growing up through temptation,
opposition, loss, friendship, death, etc. In the end, to complete
is bidungsroman, Siddhartha must decide what he values most.
Education, Experience, and Wisdom
“…my dear Govinda, here is one of the thoughts I discovered: Wisdom cannot be
imparted. Wisdom that a wise man attempts to impart always sounds like foolishness”
(pg. 76).
Throughout the novel, the value of formal education is compared to the value of
experience, and in the end Siddhartha learns to put the two together to form wisdom.
Siddhartha’s education opens many doors for him, especially in his worldly ventures,
but he finds that his experiences are just as valuable in his quest for true wisdom.
Laura Andreasen – Brigham Young University – 2009
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Friendship and Love
“You do not love anyone, either—otherwise, how could you practice love as an art?
Perhaps people of our kind are unable to love” (pg. 40).
Siddhartha builds and learns from four major relationships in the novel:
companionship/devoted friendship with his childhood friend Govina,
friendship/romantic love with the beautiful courtesan Kamala,
companionship/respectful love with the ferryman mentor Vasudeva, and fatherly love
with his son Siddhartha. Experience with these different kinds of love and friendship
shapes Siddhartha’s growth and defines his journey.
Religious Beliefs
“In a gentle but firm voice the Sublime One spoke; he taught
the Four Basic Truths, he taught the Eightfold Way, patiently
he followed the customary path of the doctrine, with its
parables, with its repetitions…” (pg. 16).
Siddhartha is the name of the original Buddha, the
origin of the Buddhist religion. While this novel is not
about that original Buddha, the protagonist does meet the
Buddha, and then becomes a Buddha himself at the end of
the story. Hinduism, Brahmanism, and Buddhism are all
part of Siddhartha’s journey. Thus, the development of a
religious belief system is obviously a large part of
Siddhartha’s journey.
SETTING
The novel is set in ancient India, just after the founding of the Buddhist religion.
Hesse does not give names of towns, rivers, forests, or any other geographic mark, but
based on the protagonist’s proximity to the original Buddha, we can assume he
traveling within a piece of Northern India throughout the novel. Because this setting
is unfamiliar to most American readers, it could require some teaching of background
knowledge; however, the specific setting is not very important to the story once the
background of Indian custom and culture is set forth.
NARRATIVE VOICE
The narrator of the novel is a third-person omniscient narrator. This voice spins
the narrative of Siddhartha, occasionally veering into the stories of other characters.
The narrator uses dialogue and recounts Siddhartha’s thought-processes in detail.
The entire novel is told in past tense.
Laura Andreasen – Brigham Young University – 2009
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The most challenging aspect of the way the book is narrated is the tense issues
caused by the translation from German to English. Thus, sometimes dialogue
switches from past to present. Often Siddhartha speaks to himself or others in thirdperson. These switches could be intimidating to unconfident readers.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
“He ascertained that something had left him behind, just as a snake is left behind by its
old skin” (pg. 21).
Heavy use of simile and metaphor makes the text sometimes difficult to
understand. The author was German, so the text is a translation into English, and
there is plenty of semi-confusing figurative language to sort through as a result.
While some of the figurative language can be confusing, it can also help clarify the
direction the text is taking by reinforcing vivid imagery.
CONFLICT (INTERNAL vs. EXTERNAL)
“I had to become a fool in order to find Atman within myself again. I had to sin so that I
could live again. Where else may my path lead me? This path is foolish, it makes
wides loops, maybe it is going in a circle. Let it go wherever it wishes, I shall follow it”
(52).
In Siddhartha, most of the conflict takes place within the protagonists own
thoughts in a kind of war with himself. However, we can see this war clearly when we
trace where he turns to find wisdom. There is a conflict between wisdom gained
externally and internally. Siddhartha first turns to organized religion, then to worldly
sources, looking for the meaning of life. It is not until he looks inside himself that he
finds this ultimate wisdom. This is the major conflict in the novel.
SYMBOLISM
The Caged Bird
Kamala, Siddhartha’s lover, owns a golden bird in a
beautiful cage. The bird represents Siddhartha, as he is
trapped by his worldly life. Siddhartha realizes that like
the trapped bird, he is slowly losing is will to live. Thus, he
leaves his worldly life behind; when he leaves, Kamala frees
her caged bird, symbolizing freedom and new life for
Siddhartha.
The River
The river represents the journey through life that one must take to reach a true
Nirvana. Siddhartha finds many answers in the wordless wisdom of the river. Among
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other things, the constant flow of the river is a foil of the constant flow of time. The
river represents the truth that Siddhartha needs to find in himself.
The Smile
The only characters who are ever mentioned as smiling are those who are
completely at peace. The Sublime One is described as calm and smiling, and
Vasudeva is the only other smiling character. The
smile represents true wisdom and enlightenment. At
the very end of the novel, Siddhartha joins the ranks
of enlightened, content smilers.
The Ferryman
As one who helps people cross the river, the
ferryman symbolizes the true knowledge needed to
follow the path of enlightenment. He is the mentor
that encourages Siddhartha to find enlightenment
within himself. As the river symbolizes the path to
enlightenment, the ferryman helps Siddhartha cross
the path a few times, and then helps our protagonist
examine the path to find the truth within himself.
Affective Issues Related to the Work
If the novel is presented in a way that makes the text accessible, students will
be able to relate to its identity theme especially. As high school students, they are
looking for their own ideas and opinions, just as Siddhartha sets out to find wisdom.
Siddhartha’s path through life may closely mirror their own. High school students are
trying on different philosophies and lifestyles just like Siddhartha.
Love is also a very hot topic among teenagers who
may study this novel. Siddhartha’s lessons of love from
Kamala may strike a familiar chord among high school
students. Just as Siddhartha’s love is very physical, many
students are experiencing physical changes that facilitate
love and lust. An exploration of Siddhartha’s conclusions
regarding sensual love could be applicable to many
teenagers. Due to the semi-explicit descriptions of love in
the novel, you may have to treat this theme with caution.
However, this will probably make love even more of a hot
topic with this novel than with more tame treatments of the
love/lust concept.
Laura Andreasen – Brigham Young University – 2009
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Vocabulary Issues
This novel uses very rich vocabulary. Despite the fact that it is a translation,
many advanced English words are used. However, the translation does cause a few
issues with words that have lost their significance in translation. Because of this,
students will need to pay attention to footnotes that explain the significance of word
choices that are lost in translation. It is possible that some translations of the book
read more smoothly than others. While it is the most affordable edition, the Dover
Thrift edition is probably not the most effective translation to use with students (see
the Lost in Translation Project Idea on page 9).
Advanced vocabulary can be both a challenge in the novel as well as an
opportunity. The text is challenging because it contains several long and convoluted
sentences with multiple lengthy words. Students will need a dictionary close-by, and
requiring post-it note annotations to make sure students are looking up definitions of
words they don’t know could be very beneficial. According to the Raygor Readability
Estimate, the novel lies under the category of professional reading level. This will be a
challenge, but is not insurmountable.
The Indian vocabulary and Buddhist vernacular will
also provide a challenge. Allusions to Buddhist concepts
such as Atman and Nirvana occur frequently in the novel.
Students will need some basic background knowledge, and
perhaps a glossary of Buddhist and Indian terms will be
useful to students as they read (most editions of the novel
contain a glossary for this purpose).
Background Knowledge
As mentioned under the “setting” section above, students will need a basic
knowledge of Indian culture. While the caste system does not make too much of an
appearance in the novel, it could be traced. The ascetic lifestyle, Indian commerce
and trade, and the pleasure gardens of Indian courtesans are all pieces of ancient
Indian culture that make appearances in the novel. Thus, cultural knowledge will
help students understand the significance of several of Siddhartha’s ventures.
Setting the stage by at least briefly explaining the development of Hinduism,
Brahmanism, and Buddhism is necessary. Cursory knowledge of the beliefs of these
religions, such as the Eightfold Path and the Four Basic Truths, will help students
access the text and understand Siddhartha’s issues with these beliefs. Also, the
ending of the novel will seem abrupt to students unless they have a basic
understanding of the concept of Buddhist Enlightenment.
Laura Andreasen – Brigham Young University – 2009
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Implications for Students of Diversity
This text provides an excellent opportunity for many American students to
explore a diverse culture and belief system that is most likely very different from their
own at a glance. However, the book presents a universal concept of understanding
yourself, examining your own belief system, and stepping outside boundaries to
examine your views from a global perspective.
Some student may feel these beliefs are threatening at first, especially because
of their religious nature. However, if discussed and presented in a safe classroom
environment, this could help students of find commonalities between their own beliefs
and the beliefs Siddhartha embraces.
This could be used to foster an acceptance and appreciation for diversity. If
used with a diverse population of students, this could facilitate acceptance and
appreciation among the students. If used in a less diverse classroom, this text can
provide students with the opportunity to address issues of diversity they may come
across in their futures.
Gender Issues
This text does not accentuate the gender roles
that were prevalent in ancient India. Thus, gender is
not a huge part of the novel. However, there are
encounters between genders that could gender issues
with students. There are some sensual scenes that
portray women as desirable objects. However,
Siddhartha learns to value his mistress as an equal.
Their friendship is probably unrealistic considering the
nature of their relationship. However, this valued
compromise between Siddhartha and his mistress
helps to subdue any issues that may be created by the
sexual nature of the relationship.
Basically, gender can be a lens through which you view the text if you’d like.
There is enough interaction between men and women to fuel a gender examination.
However, it is not a prevalent issue unless you choose to make it one.
Laura Andreasen – Brigham Young University – 2009
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Project Ideas
My Bildungsroman
It’s likely that the age level of students you teach this book with will be upper-high
school. These sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen-year-olds will all feel like they are old
enough to write of a coming-of-age experience. Using Siddhartha’s coming of age as a
model, ask students to come up with three different stages of their lives and to write
about these three stages, creating their own bildungsroman narrative. You can
publish these in a class book, have students create an accordion style book to hang
on the walls, etc. You could also ask students to write the narrative from a thirdperson omniscient point of view to give them experience with that type of writing and
to add a challenging element to the project.
Symbolic Journey
Ask students to think of elements in their
lives that made them who they are (i.e.
family, sports, music, reading, etc.) When
they are done brainstorming, ask the
students to come up with a single symbol
that can encompass all of these elements.
For Siddhartha, it was the river that
symbolized his journey to enlightenment
because all his life he was trying to find
meaning, and in the end, he found the meaning of life by listening to the flow of the
river, the flow of life, speeding by him. All the elements of Siddhartha’s being came
back to the river symbol. Once students have their symbol and elements that tie into
the symbol, you can have them write about, create an artistic representation of the
symbol, give a brief oral presentation of the symbol and elements, etc.
Book of Love
In Siddhartha, there are several different kinds of love: fatherly love, romantic love,
love of a dedicated friend, self-love, etc. Have your students create a small flip-chartlike book that records the different types of love relationships they have in their lives.
For each type of love ask them to come up with an illustration or graphic
representation, and a paragraph explaining this kind of love and what role it plays in
their lives. This could be particularly fun for students if you are reading this book
around Valentine’s Day. Also, this would be great for teaching solid paragraphing.
Laura Andreasen – Brigham Young University – 2009
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Learn About Yourself…Through Others!
Siddhartha’s path to enlightenment would have never been successful without the
relationships he developed along the way. Because he left his comfort zone and
stepped out into the world, Siddhartha met acetics, Gotama Buddha, Kamala,
Vasuveda, and more. Learning about these people, who they are, and what they do,
Siddhartha was able to take pieces of them and learn about himself. Ask your
students to reach into the world around them and interview a neighbor, community
member, or extended family member. When students have recorded the interview,
have them listen to it, and write things they learned about themselves.
Lost in Translation: Issues of Language
Split students into groups and give each group a long passage from Siddhartha in
three different editions/translations of the text. Remind students that this novel is a
translation from German to English. Have the students underline differences in the
text and contrast the texts, evaluating differences in tone, word choice, sentence
fluency, etc. Is there anything lost in translation? Each
group must pick a favorite translation and justify their
choice in a few paragraphs.
Information/Functional Texts
Buddhism
The following are useful, reliable websites and short nonfiction books about the origins and religious practices of
Buddhism. Before beginning this novel, you will want to set
the background using sources like these so students are
prepared for allusions to the Sevenfold Path, etc. Don’t
forget, as with all religions, Buddhism has different sects and types within itself.
Make sure your students understand that not every geographic area practices
Buddhism the same, so they should avoid generalizing all practices found on these
pages.
• http://www.pbs.org/edens/thailand/buddhism.htm
• http://eng.buddhapia.com/_Service/BUDDHAPIA/0000000592/
• http://www.sasana.org/sangha_buddhism.shtml
• http://www.buddhanet.net/qanda.htm
• Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction by Damien Keown
• Buddhism Plain and Simple by Steve Hagen
• Buddhism for Beginners by Thubten Chodron
• Buddhism for Dummies by Jonathan Landaw and Stephan Bodian
Laura Andreasen – Brigham Young University – 2009
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Hermann Hesse
Did you know Hermann Hesse won a Nobel Prize in 1946? Did
you know he never went to India? Did you know anything about
Hesse when you read the book? It’s up to you whether to look at
Hermann Hesse’s story before you read Siddhartha or after you
read it, but either way, here are some resources that map out his
story fairly well.
• http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1946/hesseautobio.html
• http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/hhesse.htm
• http://www.google.com/archivesearch?hl=en&client=firefoxa&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=Hermann+Hesse&um=1&ie=UTF8&scoring=t&ei=YuWkS (this is a Google timeline of Hesse’s life)
• http://www.online-literature.com/hesse/
• http://specialcollections.wichita.edu/Collections/ms/87-23/content.html (this
is an archive of some of Hesse’s personal papers)
• http://www.chiptaylor.com/ttlmnp4271-.cfm (information regarding a short
documentary of Hesse you could order for your school to use as a resources
while teaching this work)
Laura Andreasen – Brigham Young University – 2009
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