Siddhartha

Hesse, Herman. Siddhartha. Germany. Bantam Books: 1922.

Previously, I had been thoroughly entertained by Indian philosophies. I had indulged in the idealogy behind Hare Krishna, due to my idol George Harrison converting, yet I was completely ignorant to other Indian philosophy. This book entails the concepts behind the attempts to finding nirvana. This is an fictiomal novel, with the main character acting as a parallel to the original Siddhartha, more commonly known to the world as "Buddha." The book takes place in India, many centuries ago, where a young man who has everything, Siddhartha, goes on a search to find what can be even better than that conceptually.

During the last chapters, which I find to be the most important, the main character rediscovered the river he originally crossed. Siddhartha is entranced by the river and befriends the only other person as interested in the river as him. Throughout these chapters, you can see the main character evolve and mature, from the greedy business man he had become into the pleasant man enjoying a decent lifestyle.

Herman Hesse brilliantly contrasts Siddhartha's views with Siddhartha's son's. Siddhartha immediately believes that his son will follow in his footsteps, coming from a similiar background and similiar genes. The boy shows society's discontent with the unbelievable nature of those who achieve spiritual enlightenment, and signifies his lust to be free of his father's patient gaze. The main character and his son conflict, in such a way that it further propells Siddhartha to enlightenment.

Hesse finished this section with the achievement of nirvana. Siddhartha become enlightened and all is good in his existance. The simple, poetic lyricism of the language in this part of the book leads to a satisfying finish. The main character finds the meaning of life, while his friend witnesses it. I find this was the most enjoyable ending that Hesse could have come up with, due to the fact that it not only resolves the plot, but it doesn't end it with a cliched comment. Though Siddhartha found nirvana, it does not mean that it is only the good in the world.

Personally, I do not think that I would have followed any footsteps of Siddhartha. His constant struggle to find nirvana only has one path. I would not have been discontented with my actions when having pleasant relations to a dream woman, and whilst indulging in gambling. The main character prevents himself from finding success for the sole search of the perfect state of being, and I don't think I would have found that. I would definitely refrained from holding my son back, as he was only a nusiance and ungrateful for all that his father gave him.

I thought this novel was a soft barraging of ideas. It was increasingly entertaining as I read the book, and it helped me realize ideas behind eastern philosophy. It made me realize the importance of everything in life, and the fact that all people make all their own choices, and nothing is good nor bad. I would recommend this book to anybody who would like to be enlightened, whilst not being attacked by a text.