Self-Centeredness In Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha

The existence of self-centeredness and the lack of evolution within the human spirit are not ideas unique to just this current generation, they have been occurring since the beginning of mankind. The novel Siddhartha follows a member of the Buddhist faith, Siddhartha as he searches for the best way to attain the spiritual bliss, Nirvana. Siddhartha begins his venture towards Nirvana with the notion that no one can teach him anything, he can only learn from the best tutor, himself. However, it becomes apparent that he cannot walk this journey alone. Throughout Siddhartha’s journey, he meets a multitude of unforeseen teachers. He learns from a variety of teachers stretching as far as a river and as close as his best friend. Siddhartha’s teachers the Samanas, Govinda, Kamala, and the river teach the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, such as patience and the ability to listen, and in doing so, help him reach Enlightenment. It takes a multitude of teachers for Siddhartha to acknowledge the world that surrounds him so that he can learn from the river, which will ultimately lead him to Nirvana.
Siddhartha began his journey to find Enlightenment with the Samanas. The Samanas spend their days …show more content…
Siddhartha can now feel the weight of his actions and his losses because of his wonderful teachers: he feels for his father because now he is one, he can live free of loss because Kamala felt similar loss, and he learns the ability to love someone enough to let go through both Govinda and Kamala. Each teacher had taught him a lesson that would progress him towards his next journey. This novel is so much more than just a story about how to reach Enlightenment; it is an explanation of how to be happy. Siddhartha’s journey shows readers that it is acceptable to have a dream and to want to achieve it, but it is the people we meet along the way that make the journey