Enlightenment In Siddhartha

“Many claim enlightenment is not a change into something better or more, but a simple recognition of who we truly are” (google images). Herman Hesse displays the recognition of enlightenment through his main character Siddhartha. Siddhartha is a high class, wealthy man that is upset because he doesn’t have what he wants which is to reach enlightenment. Enlightenment for Siddhartha is to have knowledge and to look at life differently. Siddhartha sets out on this long journey to reach this stage, but along the way he meets ordinary people and learns new things that helps him find who he really is. Herman Hesse uses characterization, plot and symbolism to express the theme one must go a long way to find oneself. Herman Hesse develops the theme by using characterization through the character Siddhartha. Hesse is expressing how Siddhartha wants to reach this stage in his life through his actions. “With your permission, Father, I have come to tell you that I wish to leave your house tomorrow and join the ascetics. I wish to become a Samana. I trust my father will not object” (Hesse, 10). Siddhartha is telling his father that he is leaving home to be with the Samanas and start his journey to find enlightenment. Characterization really expresses how Siddhartha’s actions display through the theme. …show more content…
In order to go on this quest he has to leave Govinda, so he tells him "Do not forget, Govinda, that you now belong to the Buddha’s holy men. That is what you wished yourself. Tomorrow, Govinda, I will leave you” (Hesse, 30). The Buddha is a guy who has reached this enlightenment stage and is teaching other people how to make it there like he did. Siddhartha, unlike Govinda, doesn’t want to find enlightenment from someone else. So he leaves Govinda to find this knowledge on his own. The plot structure displays how the story was displayed in the