Group 1- Question C
Throughout the book, Siddhartha learned the most from the River as the personification of the water lent itself to teach Siddhartha knowledge and eventually reach nirvana without directly making Siddhartha’s character feel as if he is being controlled by another teacher. In a sense, the River acted as a guide for Siddhartha in times where he was conflicted such as during his pilgrimage and after having lost his son , while also serving as a blueprint for Siddhartha to formulate his own path; unlike a person, the River could not physically control his actions and thus made him feel more secure and eager to follow its teachings. Furthermore, the River was the first “teacher” that Siddhartha openly expressed his desire to …show more content…
In a way, the songbird is meant to symbolize freedom from a material life, as well as Siddhartha's lack of freedom in the sense that the cage acted as a barrier to Siddhartha attaining spiritual enlightenment while trapped in this wealthy lifestyle, while Kamala releasing the bird represented her willingness to let Siddhartha go as she realized how unhappy he was living her materialistic life; he needed to be set free. For example, in Siddhartha’s dream about the songbird, he pictures the bird dead inside its cage and promptly releases it, later stating that “...he felt terribly shocked, and his heart hurt, as if he had thrown away from himself all value and everything good by throwing out this dead bird.” (Hesse 60) Here one can sense how Siddhartha feels oppressed in his current lifestyle and is willing by any means necessary to escape for he feels just as trapped as the songbird was. For Kamala, the songbird symbolizes the same yearning for freedom; just like Siddhartha realizes his need to escape, Kamala realises that she needs to let the songbird free, just as she did Siddhartha, demonstrated in the quote “She opened the door of the cage, took the bird out and let it fly.” (Hesse 62) Siddhartha’s departure is what leads Kamala to come to terms with the fact that, just like Siddhartha, the bird has its own path in life and does not deserve to be tied down by
Throughout the book, Siddhartha learned the most from the River as the personification of the water lent itself to teach Siddhartha knowledge and eventually reach nirvana without directly making Siddhartha’s character feel as if he is being controlled by another teacher. In a sense, the River acted as a guide for Siddhartha in times where he was conflicted such as during his pilgrimage and after having lost his son , while also serving as a blueprint for Siddhartha to formulate his own path; unlike a person, the River could not physically control his actions and thus made him feel more secure and eager to follow its teachings. Furthermore, the River was the first “teacher” that Siddhartha openly expressed his desire to …show more content…
In a way, the songbird is meant to symbolize freedom from a material life, as well as Siddhartha's lack of freedom in the sense that the cage acted as a barrier to Siddhartha attaining spiritual enlightenment while trapped in this wealthy lifestyle, while Kamala releasing the bird represented her willingness to let Siddhartha go as she realized how unhappy he was living her materialistic life; he needed to be set free. For example, in Siddhartha’s dream about the songbird, he pictures the bird dead inside its cage and promptly releases it, later stating that “...he felt terribly shocked, and his heart hurt, as if he had thrown away from himself all value and everything good by throwing out this dead bird.” (Hesse 60) Here one can sense how Siddhartha feels oppressed in his current lifestyle and is willing by any means necessary to escape for he feels just as trapped as the songbird was. For Kamala, the songbird symbolizes the same yearning for freedom; just like Siddhartha realizes his need to escape, Kamala realises that she needs to let the songbird free, just as she did Siddhartha, demonstrated in the quote “She opened the door of the cage, took the bird out and let it fly.” (Hesse 62) Siddhartha’s departure is what leads Kamala to come to terms with the fact that, just like Siddhartha, the bird has its own path in life and does not deserve to be tied down by