Siddhartha Journey

568 Words3 Pages
In the novel Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, the main character, Siddhartha, has a goal to find peace and achieve Nirvana. Siddhartha faces many challenges and achievements in reaching his goals on his journey. These obstacles help Siddhartha reach his goals, but more importantly, help him to better understand himself. First, in the beginning of the novel, Siddhartha wants to join the Samanas and learn their teachings. Siddhartha feels bored with his life as a Brahmin and believes that he will find peace in losing himself. After facing the struggle of having to convince his father to leave, he is eventually allowed to go and becomes a Samana. Siddhartha learns many skills which become useful throughout his journey, such as losing his, but he wants to experience more. “Year after year I have questioned the Brahmins, year after year I have questioned the holy Vedas…I have spent a long time and not yet finished…” (Hesse 19). After spending a few years with the Samanas, Siddhartha realizes that teachings are not what he believes in and can learn from, so he leaves in order to meet Gotama the Buddha.…show more content…
“How deaf and stupid I have been…I called the world of appearances, illusion. I called my eyes and tongue, chance. Now it is over; I have awakened” (Hesse 40). After his awakening, Siddhartha wants to experience all of life. This leads him to get distracted by his lust for Kamala and greed. He begins to sin and loses sight of his goals. After almost twenty years, Siddhartha realizes his mistakes. He sees that a person can enjoy life, but does not have to give into the temptation of sin. Siddhartha once again continues on his journey to find peace within
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