English Literature Class With Siddhartha

As spring semester began, the anxiety pushed into my life. Since I knew I was going to be the youngest in the class, I was concerned if people were even going to talk to me. I expected to come into the stressful English 101 class as a relatively inexperienced writer; however, I was astounded when I started writing my first college essay. Our topic “monsters” has taught me ways to analyze and compare certain people and objects. My recommendation for those entering this composition class is to not wait until the last minute and ask as many questions as you can to reach your goal towards fantastic essays. Although spring semester is coming to an end, I will continue to improve my writing skills and reasoning as I advance in my English and college career.

Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse, is the story of a young man searching for enlightenment. Through his journey, Siddhartha follows several Buddhist and Hindu paths to achieve his ultimate goal of enlightenment. Siddhartha follows the path of the Brahmin, the Samana, the materialistic gambler, and eventually the Buddhist middle path. Being the son of a Brahmin, Siddhartha leads a privileged life, but this isn’t enough for him. Siddhartha had an insatiable appetite for knowledge, and after a time, he leaves his father to find his own path to Nirvana. Although Siddhartha was raised in a strict Hindu society, his path to Nirvana was a combination of Buddhism, and Hinduism.

Siddhartha comes to realize that he has discovered who he really is, he is Siddhartha. He knows himself more than any other teaching or religion. As he comes to self-realization, he comprehends he has been letting himself slip away, he has been running away from himself.

Here Siddhartha is demonstrating that he is the only one that matters when it comes to thoughts of who he is, and only his opinion of himself matters. Acceptance and the ability to look into himself will lead to that road of happiness. Also, to be minimalistic as to if there is nothing to be needed then it is not. This is something many people should take into consideration as to stay away from being materialistic.

In Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, a young Brahmin in the wealthier part of India, approximately three thousand years ago, decides to set a goal onto his life. He decides to journey along the path of enlightenment and reach Nirvana, a state of total bliss. His dear friend, Govinda, accompanies him on this journey. Siddhartha sets out to seek the path to enlightenment, but it is long and difficult. Along the way, he grows spiritually and intellectually from a young seeking Brahmin, to an old, wise, and content ferryman with the knowledge of

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse discusses the many paths of teaching that relate to Hinduism that Siddhartha followed on his journey through life and how each path helped him realize what he wanted with his life. Siddhartha follows many teachings or paths in which to reach his spiritual destination, which at the beginning was to reach Nirvana.

Siddhartha, written by Herman Heese, is a book about a man’s journey to find his inner self beginning when he is young and ending when he is of old age. Siddhartha, while on this quest, searched for different mentors to teach him what they know, hoping to find truth and balance in and of the universe. At the end of the novel, Siddhartha reaches the enlightenment through many teachings.

This chapter is called 'Awakening' because in this chapter, Siddhartha realized that he had ceased to be a kid and was now an adult. Siddhartha realized that nobody, not even the Buddha himself, could teach Siddhartha. Siddhartha realized this because his goal was to free him from himself which is something that no teacher could teach

As Siddhartha was growing up he excelled in everything such as mastering all traditional arts, sciences, mathematics, and knew sixty-four languages including their respective alphabets. Siddhartha was very wise at a young age, and didn’t have to study, but he did anyways to please his father and to help others. He also trained in martial arts, archery, and tried to constantly give spiritual meanings, and wisdom to people to help them on to a spiritual path. During an archery competition Siddhartha said, “With the bow of meditative concentration I will fire the arrow of wisdom and kill the tiger of ignorance in living beings.” After that he shot his arrow, and it was said to have went through five iron tigers, and seven trees before vanishing

The ferryman came to rescue Siddhartha from his agony of his son’s suddenly departure. They both went back to their home in the ferry. As a great friend, the ferryman did not spoke a word about this issue, but always showed support to his dear friend in his depression. “Even bad people, even thieves and robbers have children and love them, and are being loved by them, all except for me” (125). As time passed, Siddhartha’s heart was still hurt as he watched travelers with their children on board. He felt envious of others, and wounded by the pain.

Ultimately the book chooses to have deep thought come up with the answer, which is philosophy. Deep thought then tells everyone, the answer is 42, however that answer does not do much justice so they decided to create earth, which would give a more detailed explanation to 42. Unfortunately, that never happens because the Vogons destroyed earth before the answer came. However, nonetheless Arthur was able to figure out the meaning of life, which is an enlightenment theme. All in all “The Hitchhiker’s guide to the Galaxy” represented a coming of age for Arthur. He started with a limited knowledge and ended knowing the secrets of life and space.

For many Westerners, more specifically the driven citizens of the United States of America, time is viewed as a straight line. Our children realize this, consciously or not, early on. They make timelines in school, their classes switch on the hour, their intelligence is measured on a scale. We are born, we come of age during adolescence. We set a goal, we work to achieve success. Birth and death, childhood and adulthood are stages that occur only once. Life is black and white. Separate. The past is the past, the future is the future. Traveling on a straight line, we can only look forwards.

One theme is that people can teach religious doctrine, but it may not lead one to find

“‘You will go into the forest,’ he said, ‘and become a Samana.’” (Hesse 12). Siddhartha’s Father said this to Young Siddhartha which began his new life and new experiences. Life should be learned from experiences not through teaching.

   In Siddhartha's quest for enlightenment, Herman Hesse makes the river the final focal point of the novel. Siddhartha is set on his journey to the river by listening to his inner voice and questioning authority. The river comes to represent the ideas through which Siddhartha reaches enlightenment. The essential concepts of time and how it relates to life are discovered by Siddhartha through listening to the river. He comes to realize that his previous conclusion is correct, wisdom cannot be taught. When he reaches nirvana, he also sees how spiritualism and materialism both have a place in the cycle of life. Acting as Siddhartha's inspiration to his ultimate goal, the river