Due Dates: A Block: Monday, 12/6
B Block: Tuesday, 12/7
Please read to the END of "By the River" and respond to the prompts below by the dates written above. Your responses must incorporate quotes and be between 3-5 sentences in length. Any responses with incomplete sentences will be counted as incorrect.
1. On the opening page of this section Siddhartha knows that he cannot "go back" to the town and his previous life (87). What specific aspects of his life do you believe he cannot go back to?
2. Why did he contemplate suicide and which word brought him back from such contemplation?
3. Why was Govinda shocked about Siddhartha's appearance?
4. Reflecting on his life in the town, Siddhartha thinks that he had changed "from a man to a child" (96). Explain his thinking.
5. Explain the irony in the river in respect to Siddhartha's contemplated suicide and eventual rebirth.
1. I think that the specific aspects of the life he was talking about was the wealth. Not only that, but he couldn't go back to when he had lusts and greediness, and when everything around effected him emotionally. "I'm wearing them, because I have been a rich man, and I'm wearing my hair like the worldly and lustful people, for I have been one of them" (Hesse 63).
ReplyDelete2. After becoming fed up with his wealthy life, Siddhartha feels that there is nothing left he could do with his life, and that death would be the only salvation. Then as he was going to commit suicide, the word 'Om' brought him back to his senses. "And in the moment when the sound of 'Om' touched Siddhartha's ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and realized the foolishness of his actions" (Hesse 60).
3. Govinda was shocked by two things. First of all, Govinda had never came across a pilgrim dressed as Siddhartha was dressed. Second, Govinda couldn't dream how that calm, even-minded Siddhartha had become a lustful and greedy rich person. "You're wearing a rich man's garments, you're wearing the shoes of a distinguished gentleman, and your hair, with the fragrance of perfume, is not a pilgrim's hair, not the hair of a Samana" (Hesse 63).
4. According to Siddharta, it was as if he himself had forgotten all of his three major worldly possesions. Thinking, waiting, and fasting. He had also just lost his wealth and power, and had come out of the whole experience with nothing, nothing at all just like a child. This is why Siddhartha thought "Isn't it just as if I had turned slowly and on a long detour from a man into a child, from a thinker into a childlike person?" (Hesse 65).
5. I could not find any real irony in the reading about the river, but the closest I could find was when Siddhartha realized that the river, like him, was also constantly moving downhill. This is the river that he wished to commit suicide in, and the river was doing the same think as Siddhartha all along, and happily. "...and he also saw the river going downhill, always moving on downhill, and singing and being happy through it all. He liked this well, kindly he smiled at the river. Was this not the river in whech he had intended to drown himself, in past times, a hundred years ago, or had he dreamed this?" (Hesse 65).
1. Siddhartha feels that he cannot go back to the lifestyle he had lived for the past twenty years. He had "sucked up disgust and death from all sides of his body" (Hesse 59), and had taken in too much of the aspects of life he had previously considered unessential, such as lusting over wealth and food, reaching his limit. He abandoned his 'previous life,' awakening fresh like a cleaned slate.
ReplyDelete2. Although he had tried to ridden all self-desires through methods of meditating as well as filling himself to the brink of satisfaction, Siddhartha feels that he is no closer to reaching enlightenment as he was before. He felt that "there were no more goals" (Hesse 59), thus was contemplating suicide. He was brought back he subconsciously mutters 'Om', bringing himself back to the teachings he had learned as a Brahman.
3. Over the twenty years they had been apart, Govinda had followed Buddha, trying to reach enlightenment, and most likely had thought that Siddhartha had surely fulfilled his goal already. However, the Siddhartha he unexpectedly encountered was the complete opposite of the man he had parted from many years ago, thus looked upon him "with doubt in his eyes" (Hesse 63). Although he claimed he was also a pilgrim, Siddhartha was dressed in a very different attire, clad from head to toe in fine clothes, and had perfume in his hair.
4. Before he had began his life in the city, Siddhartha was a man with goals, learned and wise. However, having given these up, and by losing himself in his self-desires, he feels that he has wound up back at the very start. He is once again "at the beginning and as a child" (Hesse 64), ready for another shot at his goal.
5. Siddhartha goes through a series of emotional changes while he stays alongside this river. He first comes about this river as a man full of despair and negativity, only to be 'reborn' into a man of a completely opposite nature. For me, the river is ironic since it simply rushes "downhill" (Hesse 64), never changing its direction, unlike Siddhartha.
1. Siddhartha cannot go back to the life of an avaricious rich man, nor can he go back to the life of a samana, the one who can think, fast, and wait, the one who can listen to his inner voice and follow the voice. "Dead was the bird in his heart. He was tightly entangled in samsara; he had imbibed disgust and death from all sides, as a sponge soaks up water until it is full" (Hesse 46). Siddhartha has previously aiming for his lofty ideal, the ideal to reach salvation and understand himself. However, his life becomes more and more mundane, and farther away from his dream as he attains more and more wealth. Probably, Siddhartha realizes how he has been squandering his life and his ideals and starts to regret his past that he knows he cannot return to.
ReplyDelete2. Siddhartha decides to commit suicide out of disgusts and fatigue. He becomes truly disappointed in himself for forgetting about his goal and becoming corrupted by money and women. "He ardently wished to know nothing more about himself, to enjoy repose, to be dead" (Hesse 46). Knowing more about himself, knowing more about his corruption scares Siddhrtha and makes him want to die. However, the word "om" bring him back to life, Siddhartha "suddenly awakened and realized the folly of what he was doing" (Hesse 47).
3. Govinda was shocked to see Siddhartha in wealthy man's garments and appearance. Govinda doesn't believe in Siddhartha who claims to be a wanderer, and thinks his friend has become a rich man, forgetting the goal he previously held. "But forgive me, O Siddhartha, you do not look like a wanderer" and Govinda leaves "with doubt in his eyes" (Hesse 50).
4. Siddhartha thinks he has become a child once again, since he has shifted from his life full of thinking, fasting, and waiting. He realizes how his pride has dominated his past life, the life where "he had been hindered by too much knowledge, too many sacred verses, too many sacrificial rules, too much castigation, too much activity and ambition" (Hesse 53). Siddhartha believes his previous life as a rich man and his sin and stupidity have made him "losing my inttelletual powers, unlearning my ability to think, forgetting the principle of oneness" (Hesse 52). Siddhartha finally becomes free from all the formats, all the facade manner, and once again learns to enjoy the world for what it really is with truly content heart.
5. Siddhartha plans to die at the river and senses the death in the flowing water. "He saw a frightful void reflected in that water, corresponding to the terrible void in his soul. The river is the place where Siddhartha decides to end his dirty life, the place to throw away himself. However, later in the chapter Siddhartha, who has once again found the joy of his life, beceoms attached to the river, and finds the joy from the river. "Serenely he gazed into the flowing river; never had any water pleased him as much as this did, never had he perceived the voice and the alegory of the moving current so strongly and beautifully" (Hesse 54). Siddhartha attempts to destroy himself at the river, but ends up getting a new life and learning from the river, which is quite ironic.
Siddhartha feels that he can not go back to the life he was living until then. The life that is mainly of "property, possessions, and riches" (Hesse 54). Siddhartha also does not wish to go back to the life of a semana, because he understands that the way of the semanas is also not the way to reach ultimate happiness.
ReplyDeleteSiddhartha was thoroughly disgusted by the lifestyle he has been living in for the past few years. He regretted him "deeply, he had been entangled in Sansara, he had sucked up disgust and death from all sides into his body, [...] and full he was, full of the feeling of been sick of it, full of misery, full of death, there was nothing left in this world which could have attracted him, given him joy, given him comfort" (Hesse 59). The word "Om" gave him a sense of realization that what he was doing was the opposite of what a respectable person should do.
Govinda was shocked by Siddhartha's presence because Govinda has always respected him and thought of Siddhartha as a perfect man. Govinda never expected to see Siddhartha to be "wearing a rich man's garments, and yoru hair, with the fragrance of perfume" (Hesse 63).
Everyone in town is engaged in a childlike life game of "sansara." Since Siddhartha has been caught up in the way of the town, Siddhartha feels that he has grown back into a child. Also, "Siddhartha thought about this situation. Thinking was hard on him, he did not really feel like it, but he forced himself" (Hesse 64). Siddhartha has lost the ability to think, just like a child does not spend time to think.
The irony I find in the river and the changes that occur to Siddhartha is that when Siddhartha first came to the river, he was full of hope and ambition, but when he came back to it, he was on the verge to kill himself, even though the river has been unchanged all the while Siddhartha was engaging in human activities. "Never before he had like a water so well as this one, never before he had perceived the voice and the parable of the moving water thus strongly and beautifully" (Hesse 67).
In this chapter, Siddhartha had just abandoned his rich, greedy life with Kamala. Siddhartha did this because he felt as though his gambling, obsession with wealth, feasting, greed ect… was wrong and was becoming torturous to his soul “he had sucked up disgust and death from all sides into his body, like a sponge sucks up water until it is full” (Hesse 59). For this reason, Siddhartha feels that he cannot go back to this “previous life”.
ReplyDeleteSiddhartha contemplated suicide because he was depressed. Siddhartha’s depression was due to the fact that he felt as though he had lost himself living a life of wealth and lust “A frightening emptiness was reflected back at him by the water, answering to the terrible emptiness in his soul” (Hesse 59). Siddhartha, however, was quickly able to snap out of this depression when he heard the word “Om” which to the Brahmans means that what is perfect or the completion “And in the moment when the sound of ‘Om’ touched Siddhartha’s ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and realized the foolishness of his actions” (Hesse 60).
When Siddhartha and Govinda meet, Siddhartha tells Govinda that he is on a pilgrimage ‘I’m on a pilgrimage’ (Hesse 63). This, however, confuses Govinda in that Siddhartha is dressed in rich attire, something that people on pilgrimages typically aren’t; this shocks Govinda ‘You’re wearing a rich man’s garments, you’re wearing the shoes of a distinguished gentleman, your hair, with the fragrance of perfume, is not a pilgrim’s hair, not the hair of a Samana’ (Hesse 63). Siddhartha then explains to Govinda that he is wearing them because he was once rich but that what he is wearing should not effect Govinda in that his exterior should not matter to him ‘Remember, my dear: Not eternal is the world of appearances, not eternal, anything but eternal are our garments and the style of our hair, and our hair and bodies themselves’ (Hesse 63).
In the beginning of this chapter, Siddhartha was depressed because none of the phases he had gone through in his life were right for him. Siddhartha in realizing that these lives were not for him, is now able to start a new, happier one “‘it is good,’ he though, ‘to get a taste of everything for oneself’” (Hesse 66). In beginning his new life, Siddhartha is like a child in that everything is still fresh, happy, unknown and new to him “But today he was young, was a child, the new Siddhartha, and was full of Joy” (Hesse).
Siddhartha at the end of the chapter decides that he loves the river and wants to stay with it “But the new, Siddhartha felt a deep love for this rushing water, and decided for himself, not to leave it very soon” (Hesse 67). Siddhartha feels and does this because he feels a connection to the river in that the river, like himself, was going downhill but was doing so happily “he happened to glance at the river, and he also saw the river going downhill, always moving on downhill, and singing and being happy through it all” (Hesse 64). It is ironic that Siddhartha would become attached to this river because he, in the beginning of the chapter, upon seeing a reflection of himself is disgusted by in the river and tries to kill himself in it “A frightening emptiness was reflected back at him by the water, answering to the terrible emptiness of his soul” (Hesse 59).
Mai Hiroyama
ReplyDeleteB2 Literature
1. Siddhartha probably realizes himself that what he have been doing was not his right path. Since he has changed, he has been surrounded by his luxuries, and he gains the evil greed. He even drink beers and alcohols to escape from the reality or suffer. He determines not to go back to his wealthy life again."he felt strong hunger, and thought of his house in the city, of his chamber and bed, of the table with the meals on it. He smiled tiredly, shook himself, and bid his farewell to these things" (Hesse 58)
2. Siddhartha feels despair and empty from what he has done. From this despari and emptiness, he think of commiting a suicide. Then the word "Om" comes up from his soul, which makes him realize that his death does not mean the end of suffer. "Om entered his consciousness: he became aware of himself in his misery and in his error" (Hesse 60)
3. When Govinda sees Siddhartha, he gets shocked with his rich person's outfit and appearnce. Siddhartha has nice clothes, shoes, fragrance perfume, hair style, which obviously showed that he is not a pilgrim, and has not followed the path which Govinda has expected. "'my hair like the worldly and slustful people, for I have been one of them'" (Hesse 63)
4. Once, before his life in town, he has been self determined and wise. Thogh after his wealthy life, he has lost his possession, and he feels childlike. "I'm standing under the sun again just as I have been standing here a little child, nothing is mine, I have no abilities, there is nothing I could bring about, I have learned nothing" (Hesse 64).
5. "A frightening emptiness was reflected back at him by the water, answering to the terrible emptiness in his sould" (Hesse 59). "new Siddhartha felt a deep love for this rushing water" (Hesse 67). These two quotes conflicts to each other. In the beginning, he does not feel any love toward the river, but then since he has been realized, he started to see river lovely.
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ReplyDelete1.What Siddhartha meant by there was no going back in life for him was that no matter how hard he tries, he would not be able to be wealthy again nor have everything he wants to have. This was because “he had sucked up disgust and death from all sides into his body” (Hesse 59), and he realized that there was nothing that will captivate him left in the world anymore, that will give him joy, and make him comfortable; he just wished to be dead.
ReplyDelete2.As Siddhartha started to realize that nothing in the world would give him comfort, he also realized that he is not close to enlightenment at all. This depressed Siddhartha, and he decides to commit suicide. He believed that “there were no more goals, there was nothing left but the deep, painful yearning shake off this whole desolate dream, to spit out this stale wine, to put an end to this miserable and shameful life” (Hesse 59). The word “om” which meant “that what is perfect” brought him back from the contemplation; after this word went into his ears, he suddenly realized how foolish he was to give up his life.
3.Govinda was surprised and could not recognize Siddhartha at first; although Siddartha could tell it was Govinda he could not recognize that it was Siddhartha because he has changed so much. Govinda was shocked about Siddartha’s appearance because he no longer looked like a pilgrim of the Samanas, but rather looked like a wealthy person. “Siddhartha, you do not look like a pilgrim. You’re wearing a rich man’s garments, you’re wearing the shoes at a distinguished gentleman, and your hair with the fragrance of perfume, is not a pilgrim’s hair, not the hair of a Samana” (Hesse 63). Govinda could not believe how Siddhartha has forgotten their original goal that they used to believe in, and became “greedy and lustful”.
4.Siddharthat thinks that he instead of growing up became childish again, like he used to be before leaving his father. “His life had indeed been strange. And now, so it seemed, now he had really became a childlike person” (Hesse 64). He longer has goals to follow; this brought him back to the original state. This was ironically, the belief of Buddhism, that there is no ending but life goes in a cycle.
5.This whole section was ironic because the whole process of his decision of committing suicide led him to start his life a new, which actually followed the Buddhist belief. He was reborn. He asks himself, “was this not the river in which he had intended to drown himself, in past times, a hundred years ago, or had he dreamed this?” (Hesse 65). He has indeed came back to life as a new “spirit” as a result of committing suicide by trying to drown himself.
1) Siddhartha switches his mind, as if he was on the wrong path. Although there are many complications on what he think is right. He knows for a fact that he would not be able to live in the life style he used to be in. He starts to realize the things he has done, is not the path he should be walking in. “And full he was, full of the feeling of been sick of it, full of misery, full of death, there was nothing left in this world which could have attracted him, given him joy, given him comfort” (Hasse, 59).
ReplyDelete2) He becomes very emotional, during the process of looking back at his past. Siddhartha soon realizes how much he lacks in life. For one and only reason why he wants to be suicidal, is because of the mistakes of which he has been running into lust and greed. Although he has been suicidal, he soon noticed that he should not kill himself. With the word “Om” is one of the most important awaking he has gotten. “But this was only a moment, flash. By the foot of the coconut-tree, Siddhartha collapsed, struck down by tiredness, mumbling Om, placed his head on the root of the tree and fell into a deep sleep” (Hasse, 63). He soon awakes from the depression, lust and greed, he sees a different past.
3) Gonvida looks at Siddhartha as if he was a different person. Knowing him, he isn’t in a dirty old rag outfit, but in a great tux, with perfume, and in a pretty outfit. Which lead the confusion and the feeling of untruthfulness in Gonvida. "wearing a rich man's garments, and your hair, with the fragrance of perfume" (Hesse 63). Although this might have changed him in his otter looks, it only shows how much he has grown thoughout the days. By going in and out of the stage of being poor to rich, not only to highlight this outfit of his only would look appealing. But instead doubt in if has grown inside of his soul, or has reverted back to his own breed.
4) To be a child is to be able to think freely without risks and the one without the cage of imagination. Just like a caged bird, the freedom is taken away, and an adult will only go through the same schedule to avoid the wrong choice. For a child to move out of the box only shows the idea, of being able to take no risk and responsibilities of your actions. “He would also grow old, he would also eventually have to die, mortal was Siddhartha, mortal was every physical form. But today he was young, was a child, the new Siddhartha, and was full of joy” (Hesse,67). Siddhartha has been in strict learning form his parents, and only to know he would practice the same thing everyday. To be a kid right now, will probably mean he is the one that is able to be the one to think for him own self.
5) These are the movements you have a black and white situation. You would hate something so much till you break into loving it after you notice the things you imagined that weren’t so bad. This is used in the river, before he saw the river as a reflection of his ugly side, until he realizes that the river was a mirror to help him realize the truth. “Cheerfully, he looked into the rushing river, never before he had like a water so well as this one, never before he had perceived the voice and the parable of the moving water thus strongly and beautifully. It seemed to him, as if the river had something special to tell him, something he did not know yet, which was still awaiting him” (Hesse, 68).
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ReplyDeleteSiddhartha has experienced the life of “our world”, the life of greed for wealth and, the life where people have lots of desires to want more things. He has experienced love and has learned more about women and has learnt the days that continuously go on where people grow older and the things that once looked fabulous and beautiful turns old and ugly. The specific aspects of his life that I believe that Siddhartha thinks he cannot go back is the wealthy life he experiences and the things in whole that he experienced in the world of people. The greed for money, goods, the luxurious lives I believe that he states he cannot go back to. Other than that he recalls upon how he has learnt enough and therefore I believe as a whole that he is moving on to a different step in his life.
ReplyDeleteSiddhartha is full of misery and believes that he has “sucked up disgust and the death for all sides into his body, like a sponge sucks up water until it is full” (Hesse 59). He wishes to no nothing more of himself and is contemplating suicide. Even when Siddhartha went into different steps and transformations in life, learning more and more things, he believes he has not obtained anything that would get him closer to enlightment. He believes that his life is useless and there is no point of him (no goal) continuing his life and therefore tries to die. The word Om which means “that what is perfect or the completion” (Hesse 60), brings Siddhartha back from suiciding.
Govinda was shocked about Siddhartha`s appearance for he proclaimed he was going on a pilgrimage and yet he was dressed with a rich man`s clothing and did looked like a gentlemen. “Your wearing a rich man`s garments, you`re wearing the shoes of a distinguished gentleman, and your hair, with the fragrance of perfume, is not a pilgrim`s hair, not the hair of a Samana” ( Hesse 63).
4. Siddhartha states how he has become a child once again since he believes that he is at the fresh beginning of achieving something.“Im standing here under the sun again just as I have been standing here a little child, nothing is mine, I have no abilities, there is nothing I could bring about, I have learned nothing” (Hesse 64). Like a child that is going to keep on living and keep on learning he believes that he is in the beginning of starting something fresh and new.
5. It is really ironic since the river that was once the place where Siddhartha sought to die at, turned out later on to be the place where Siddhartha feels attached and joy.“He happened to glance at the river, and he also saw the river going downhill, always moving on downhill, and singing and being happy through it all” (Hesse 64).
1. I believe the aspect of his life he cannot go back to is when he totally avoided the behavior the childlike people did in the village. Siddhartha is disgusted with himself that he has gone extreme, and he wishes he dies. He knows that only if he can forget what he has done, he might be able to live the life when he was empty minded. “If there only was a wine, a poison which would numb his senses, bring him forgetfulness and sleep, and no awakening from that!” (Hesse 59)
ReplyDelete2. While Siddhartha keeps cursing himself that he has fallen to the greed of all the bad things, he suddenly feels that a word pops inside of him in the distance: “Om.” It is a word that started and ended the pray of the Brahmans, and realizes that all the mistakes he has made was because he forgot the divinity hidden behind it. “So this was how things were with him, so doomed was he, so much he had lost his way and was forsaken by all knowledge, that he had been able to seek death, that this wish, this wish of a child, had been able to grow in him.” (Hesse 60)
3. Govinda is deeply shocked at Siddhartha’s appearance, to be honest, he does not recognize him at all since Siddhartha reveals his identity. Before they went to different ways to enlighten themselves, they both were wearing humble clothes. However, when Govinda sees Siddhartha after two decades later since they went apart, he is wearing what only rich people would wear. Siddhartha already has found how wrong he was, therefore Siddhartha excuses to his loyal and faithful friend Govinda that “not eternal is the world of appearances, not eternal, anything but eternal are our garments and the style of our hair, and our hair and bodies themselves.” (Hesse 63)
4. Siddhartha thinks to himself that he has been acting like a childlike person because he threw himself to greed and lust. He remembers how much he contempted the rich people since he was in the self-denial phase. “And now, so it seemed, now he had really become a childlike person.” (Hesse 64)
5. When Siddhartha shouts out loud that things are going downhill with him, I guess by the “downhill,” I think he meant things are going bad with him. When he thinks that his contemplated suicide was happened because of this reason, ironically, he also sees the river going down hill and satisfied with everything around it. “ ‘Things are going down with you!’ he said to himself, and laughed about it, and as he was saying it, he happened to glance at the river, and he also saw the river going downhill, always moving on downhill, and singing and being happy through it all.” (Hesse 64)
1.The time in the past until a later past time he has switched, he has been surrounded by his luxuries, and he gains the evil greed. He also drank tons of beers and alcohols to get away from a place where he have been kept as a prisoner or not allowed to leave.He decide not to go back to his wealthy life again (Hesse 57).
ReplyDelete2.Siddhartha was be aware of though or being touching or being touched the feeling of having lost all hope and with no people or things inside from what he has done. The hope and a feeling or being sad because nothing seems to have any regard that something is held to deserve, he consider of to do something wrong or illegal a suicide(Hesse 60).
3. What occasion Govinda to become aware of something by using his eyes. He got very astonished with his rich man a set of clothes that he wear together, especially for a particular occasion or purpose and the way that somebody looks on the outside. Siddhartha has of his fashion styles (Hesse 63).
4.Every person in town was cause someone to become involved in conversation or discussion in a childlike life game of sansara. Until now he has been the act of trying to reach the same level or standard as somebody who was ahead of him up in the way of the town, Siddhartha feels that he has grown back into a child (Hesse 64).
5.5.Siddhartha to experience the river, he known that the past was completely necessary to life but does not determine the future. This certainty prepares him to move forward with his search for enlightenment. At the river, Siddhartha falls asleep, and when he wakes up, he knows he is a new man—he has been reborn. This rebirth differs from that of “Awakening,” when Siddhartha tried to noticing something to say that something is not true the past to make way for the future. The present rebirth confronts the past more directly and relates it to life in the present.
1) “Siddhartha knew that the game was over, that he could not play it anymore” (Hesse 57). Life in Sansara was a game, Siddhartha knew this and got caught in it, and quickly became an acquisitive businessman; he enjoyed it at first, however, this quote suggests that he could not go back living in that lifestyle. “…thinking of his father, thinking of Govinda, thinking of Gotama […] he also put an end to this, this also died in him” (Hesse 57). This quote also suggests that Siddhartha could not go back to his other lives before the Sansara one, all his previous lives ‘died in him’.
ReplyDeletehe also understood that he couldn’t live as a Samana either.
2) Siddhartha wanted to die because he believed that he committed every possible sin or wrongdoings, that he finally reached rock bottom, “Was there still any kind of filth, he had not soiled himself with, a sin or foolish act he had not committed, a dreariness of the soul he had brought upon himself” (Hesse 59). However, he did not commit suicide because the word ‘Om’ reached his ears, “…his dormant spirit suddenly woke up” “(Hesse 60).
3) Govinda is shocked to see Siddhartha in “rich man’s garments”, especially when he hears that Siddhartha is on a pilgrimage, “…few would go on a pilgrimage in such clothes, few in such shoes, few with such hair” (Hesse 63). Govinda is also shocked to hear that his childhood friend became a rich man rather than trying to reach his goal, “Govinda looked at the friend of his youth for a long time, with doubt in his eyes” (Hesse 63).
4) “…now I'm standing here under the sun again as I have been standing here a little child, nothing is mine, I have no abilities, there is nothing I could bring about, I have learned nothing” (Hesse 64). In Sansara, Siddhartha learned how to love, how to make money, he owned money, and he had the ability of a businessman. Now, however, he had nothing, he feels completely useless, just like a child.
5) “Siddhartha had intended to drown himself, in it the old, tired, desperate Siddhartha had drowned today. But the new Siddhartha felt a deep love for this rushing water, and decided for himself, not to leave it very soon” (Hesse 67). The river is ironic because as Siddhartha goes through his changes by the river, from a depressed man, to a happy man, the river stays the same. Siddhartha represents something that goes through a full cycle (reincarnation), the river, on the other hand, represents a stage in a cycle (the cycle of water), which I thought was also ironic.
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ReplyDelete1. Siddhartha believes he cannot go back to the previous life where he was wealthy and had everything that would fulfill his lifetime. “Was it possible, to breathe in again and again, to breathe out, to feel hunger, to eat again, to sleep again, to sleep with a woman again?” (Hesse 59). Siddhartha thinks that he would not be able to go back to the past where he had aspects of becoming a merchant, a dice-gambler, a drinker, and to lose himself to woman and money. These were the aspects that he gained after being a Samana, and these were what he possessed, but now they all slipped away from his hand.
ReplyDelete2. He thought he have done all the things that he could do during his lifetime. There were nothing left for him to do after becoming an Ascetics, Samana and wealthy. He had experienced what he can. “ ‘Om’, which roughly means ‘that what is perfect’ or ‘the completion’. And in the moment when the sound of ‘Om’ touched Siddhartha’s ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and realized the foolishness of his actions” (Hesse 60). By the word “Om” brought Siddhartha back to the world.
3. Over the twenty years, Govinda have followed the Buddha and he believed that Siddhartha have also fulfilled his life. But what Siddhartha was “wearing a rich man’s garments…the shoes of a distinguished gentleman…hair, with the fragrance of perfume” (Hesse 63). Siddhartha wasn’t in a shape and appearance of what Govinda thought. Siddhartha was no longer a person that Govinda know, therefore he was shocked when he saw Siddhartha.
4. After following the Samana and the Buddha, he “lived in the forest, suffered of heat and frost, learned to hunger, taught my body to become dead” (Hesse 65). After this, Siddhartha met Kamala and learned about love, trade from Kamaswami. After gaining all these, he lost all these and now he is a child who will start his life from the beginning.
5. Siddhartha was depressed, and was thinking about suicide at the river. After going through several emotional changes at the river, he realized how coward he was. “It seemed to him, as if the river ha something special to tell him, something he did not know yet, which was still awaiting him” (Hesse 67). The river became more of a power source to Siddhartha.
1. I think Siddhartha knows that he cannot go back to the life where he had love, joy, and comfort. “And full he was, full of the feeling of been sick of it, full of misery, full of death, there was nothing left in this world which could have attracted him, given him joy, given him comfort” (Hesse 59) As the quote describes Siddhartha is now like a walking dead with full of misery and death in his mind. Because he is so desperate he eventually contemplates suicide without any hope of good life.
ReplyDelete2. The reason Siddhartha thinks about killing himself is because he lost the purpose of living and joy in his life. “There was nothing left to him, except to annihilate himself, except to smash the failure into which he had shaped his life, to throw it away, before the feet of mockingly laughing god” (Hesse 60). There’s nothing that would make him feel better and the more he think the worse it gets. However, this word ‘Om’ strikes Siddhartha, which will then saves him from committing suicide. “And in the moment when the sound of ‘Om’ touched Siddhartha’s ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and realized the foolishness of his actions” (Hesse 60).
3. Govinda was shocked about Siddhartha’s appearance, because Siddhartha was dressed in such luxurious garments which was inappropriate for pilgrimage. “ But few would go on a pilgrimage in such clothes, few in such shoes, few with such hair. Never I have met such a pilgrim, being a pilgrim myself for many years” (Hesse 63). Out of those few individuals who would wear such luxurious garments, Siddhartha was a deluxe version. Govinda thought it was not right of Siddhartha to wearing such clothes, and because he never seen one like him, he was simply shocked.
4. At the beginning, Siddhartha was always saying about good and deep thinking was the way to live life. As he spend time with the people in town, he learned that people don’t think like him. “I had sped many years losing my spirit, to unlearn thinking again, to forget the oneness... just to become a child again and to be able to start over” (Hesse 65). He described his change as losing his spirit and to unlearn thinking again, but that was the way back to start over his life. Now he has nothing to care and think about like a child.
5. I guess that river is ironic because river also floated downhill like his life did. Also the river where he decided to end his life actually helped him to find the new Siddhartha.
“In this river, Siddhartha had intended to drown himself, in it the old, tired, desperate Siddhartha had drowned today. But the new Siddhartha felt a deep love for this rushing water, and decided for himself, not to leave it very soon” (Hesse 67). River plays a big role in symbolism, because it is where life begins and ends and starts again, just like the reincarnation.
1) I think he cant go back because he had changed, and he cant undo what he had done."and full he was, full of the feeling of being sick of it, full of misery, full of death, there was nothing left in this world which could have attach him, given him joy, given him comfort"(Hesse 59). His past life was horrible, and nothing from the past could resolve the caused that he had done.
ReplyDelete2)After all the chaos Siddhartha does not want to go back, and suicide is the only option to do, from all the horrible things that he had done. I think, if I was Siddhartha in that situation, I would also suicide because, what i had done, is something that i would not be proud about.
3)The reason why Govinda was shocked with Siddhartha appreance is because he had change, and he is not what he expect Siddhartha would look like. Siddhartha look was clean and like a rich man, and I think if Siddhartha stayed on the path on meditating, I think he would look more average, and might be a bit messy.
4)I think when Siddhartha went to the city, he was not him self, and he did a lot of sins. When he did a lot of sins, he felt like a child because a grown man would not do such a thing.
5)The irony for me, it looked like where the river is place he start and the place he finish. But in the start he was full of ambition and goals onward, but along his journey, he had changed and became different. The return of him, was not what he was hoping for, but the opposite of what he was hoping for.
1.The specific aspects that Siddhartha cannot go back and re-live is the person he had been living as for the last 20 years, that person that was surrounded by greed and possessions, but on the other hand he knew he could not go back to being a semana. He realized this because neither of these paths that he lead, would lead him to reach happiness.
ReplyDelete2. Throughout Siddhartha's life, he reaslied that the fact he he had been living in such a lavish way had affected him negatively. He felt as though he had nothing to live for. So while contemplating suicide, the word, "OM" came to him and brought him back to his senses and he ended up not committing such an act.
3. Govinda overall was shocked by the appearance of Siddhartha. Siddhartha had changed his appearance as to what looked like and this explains it, "You're wearing a rich man's garments, you're wearing the shoes of a distinguished gentleman, and your hair, with the fragrance of perfume, is not a pilgrim's hair, not the hair of a Samana" (Hesse 63).
4. Siddhartha thinks he has turned into a child because for children, life is free and there are many things out there to be discovered, and he feels he is at a beginning and he has a fresh start on things. This is explained when he says , “Im standing here under the sun again just as I have been standing here a little child, nothing is mine, I have no abilities, there is nothing I could bring about, I have learned nothing” (Hesse 64).
5. The irony with the river is that Siddhartha has been beside it through all this changes and was there when he was thinking about suicide and also when he was "reborn". The river was there for him, it kept him alive and moving forwards, “It seemed to him, as if the river ha something special to tell him, something he did not know yet, which was still awaiting him” (Hesse 67).
1) After all he experienced through wealth and gambling, he lost himself and weren’t able to go back to his original spiritual state he was in. His religious aspect totally changed due to his various paths he went through. “he had sucked up disgust and death from all sides into his body, like a sponge sucks up water until it is full” (Hesse 59). Siddhartha feels that there is no way he can revive his joy and comfort, mainly search of his own goal.
ReplyDelete2) He goes to the river and contemplates suicide because he felt that he is no longer able to reach enlightenment and undergoes the unstable emotional state where he feels there is no means of life anymore. “There were no more goals, there was nothing left but the deep, painful yearning shake off this whole desolate dream, to spit out this stale wine, to put an end to this miserable and shameful life” (Hesse 59). However, the word ‘Om’ hits Siddhartha, and realized his brainless action. “the sound of ‘Om’ touched Siddhartha’s ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and ealized the foolishness of his actions” (Hesse 60).
3) Govinda and Siddhartha haven’t seen each other for 20 years. Govinda became follower of Buddha and gave Siddhartha farewell. Govinda was assured that Siddhartha is almost close to reach enlightenment. However, he sees him as completely different person that he saw before. “You’re wearing a rich man’s garments, you’re wearing the shoes of a distinguished gentleman, your hair, with the fragrance of perfume, is not a pilgrim’s hair, not the hair of a Samana” (Hesse 63).
4) Instead of growing up, he wasted time on greedy and wasteful actions that made him more childish. “I’m standing under the sun again just as I have been standing here a little child, nothing is mine, I have no abilities, there is nothing I could bring about, I have learned nothing” (Hesse 64). He has lost everything and gave up on thinking that makes him lack in responsibility.
5) It is ironic how in the beginning, he tend to contemplate suicide along the river and later on it happened to be a rebirth place for him. The river directs him to think about end of his life at the same time starting a new life. “He happened to glance at the river, and he also saw the river going downhill, always moving on downhill, and singing and being happy through it all” (Hesse 64). He revived his original state of emotion and feels attached to the river.
Farah Okada B1
1. The specific aspect that he is talking about is the wealthy life he was living in before. “he had sucked up disgust and death from all sides into his body, like a sponge sucks up water until it is full” (Hesse 59). He knew that the materialistic way of living does not lead to his goal and knew he was further away from his dream so he had to stop it.
ReplyDelete2. He commits suicide because he was disgusted by himself, of how he ended up being buried by wealth and possessions. He regrets how he was living for the past years and he gets very depressed. “No, there were no more goals, there was nothing left but the deep, painful yearning to shake off this whole desolate dream, to spit out this stale wine, to put an end to this miserable and shameful life” (Hesse 59). Although he commits suicide, one word from the prayers saves him. “And in the moment when the sound of ‘Om’ touched Siddhartha’s ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and realized the foolishness of his actions” (Hesse 60).
3. Since Govinda always respected Siddhartha and thought he was perfect, Govinda was very shocked to see him with rich man’s clothes. “Govinda looked at the friend of his youth for a long time, with doubt in his eyes” (Hesse 63). With his appearance Govinda thought Siddhartha became a rich man and wasn’t trying to reach his goal anymore and that shocked Govinda a lot.
4. With his new fresh start, he feels like he had become a child again where he can start everything over. “now I’m standing here under the sun again just as I have been standing here a little child, nothing is mine, I have no abilities, there is nothing I could bring about, I have learned nothing” (Hesse 64). He had lost the past life and is free to start a new one.
5. At first, he tries to commit suicide at the river. He saw his dirty self reflected to the water. “A frightening emptiness was reflected back at him by the water, answering to the terrible emptiness in his soul” (Hesse 59). But after he was reborn and finds joy, he found hope in the river. “It seemed to him, as if the river had something special to tell him, something he did not know yet, which was still awaiting him” (Hesse 67). Although at first he tried to commit suicide and found depression in the river, ironically, later on he found joy and hope for his future at the river.
1.
ReplyDeleteSiddhartha doesn’t want to go back to the way he lived for the past 20 years because he never noticed what was happening outside of where he lived. Though when he did find out what was happening it had really affected him and he decided that he would live like the way all the poor people did.
2.
Siddhartha tried to commit suicide because the way he lived was not the way he wanted to live. I think that he felt guilty for some things he has done in the past so he thought to himself that there was nothing to live for. The word “OM” had stopped him from committing suicide.
3.
Govinda was shocked about Siddhartha’s appearance because Govinda was shocked to see what Siddhartha looks like now. Siddhartha now looked like a clean suited and rich man and Govinda probably thought that if he were to see him again he would still look poor and unhealthy.
4.
I think that Siddhartha thinks that he had changed from a man to a child because he feels that he can start over again. To get a new fresh start to forget all his past, everything that happened to him, and everything he went through.
5.
I think that the irony in the river is that the water stands for his rebirth and the water stringing down the river is what stands for Siddhartha’s contemplated suicide. I also think that the river stand for his life and it was a path that helped him lead to himself again.
5.
1. I believe that Siddhatha can not return to his previous ways of thinking and living life in the village, as he has reached a point where he knows that the life of the samana and that of the wealthy rich man is not his. He is now aware that extreme wealth, pleasure and living the life of a hedonist is equally not suited for him as the life of a self-effacing samana, who fasts, and lives life by following the divine voice from within. “For how long had he not heard this voice any more, for many long years without a high goal, content with small lustful pleasures and yet never satisfied” (Hesse 57)! Siddhartha decides to abandon all that he had in the village to search for salvation in other ways.
ReplyDelete2. Siddhartha contemplated suicide at the beginning of ‘By the River’ because he felt miserable and defeated; losing all joy once again due to his realization that his life in the village was a complete failure for him, and how he’d become such an avaricious man that he felt disgusted in himself. “In the moment when the sound of “Om’ touched Siddhartha’s ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and realized the foolishness of his actions” (Hesse 60). Finally Siddhartha was able to save himself from making the greatest error of his life.
3. Although Siddhartha claimed himself as a pilgrim, he greatly contradicted himself with his appearance. Govinda’s shock at Siddhartha’s appearance was evident as he said, “you do not look like a pilgrim. You’re wearing a rich man’s garments, you’re wearing those shoes of a distinguished gentleman, and your hair, with the fragrance of perfume, is not a pilgrim’s hair, not the hair of a samana” (Hesse 63). Govinda never even realized Siddhartha at first due to his transformation and different personality.
4. Siddhartha had lost his life dedicated to thinking, fasting, and waiting as a samana, and abandoned his wealth and pleasures he had living as a man in the village. These changes made him think that he was free once again from all conditions surrounding his life, and just like a child he saw endless possibilities for his future. Siddhartha is now happy as he is able to start new again, just as a child starts learning knowledge. He admitted, “I am finally free again and am standing like a child under the sky” (Hesse 65).
5. At the start of the chapter, Siddhartha tried to commit suicide in the river but later he “felt a deep love for this rushing water” (Hesse 67) which is ironic. Siddhartha saw a different reflection of himself on the river and this river was the start of his rebirth as he was made to realize his error. However, this was also the place where he could have ended his life..
1) When Siddhartha said that he couldn’t go back, he was talking about the life he spent among the city people. “he had imbibed disgust and death from all sides, as a sponge soaks up water until it is full” (Hesse 46). This passage would refer to the time period of his life when he was addicted to samsara and gambling.
ReplyDelete2) The reason Siddhartha wanted to kill him-self was because he was disgusted at himself for loosing his purpose in life and becoming addicted to things that he knew he should not have become addicted to such as samsara and gambling. The word “Om” brought Siddhartha back to life. “And at the moment that the sound om touched Siddhartha’s ears, his intellect, which had fallen asleep, suddenly awakened and relized the folly of what he was doing” (Hesse 47).
3) Govinda was shocked at Siddhartha’s appearance because of the extravagant cloths that Siddhartha was wearing. “You say you are wandering and I believe you. But forgive me, O Siddhartha, you do not look like a wanderer. You are wearing a rich man’s garment, you are wearing an aristocrat’s shoes, and your hair, with it’s fragrance of scented water, is not the hair of a wonderer, not the hair of a samana” (Hesse 50). The Siddhartha that remained in Govinda’s mind all of those years was anything but the Siddhartha that he was seeing in front of him. That was somewhat shocking to Govinda.
4) “’I have changed from a man to a child, from a thinker to a child-person’” (Hesse 52). Siddhartha is trying to find a way to be at peace with him-self. He has not yet found the way to do that. He has made many attempts, but so far all have failed. To him, every time he decides to try another method of finding peace, it is like becoming a child again. With a whole lot more to learn about the new path he is taking. This is the thinking process that was going through Siddhartha’s mind.
5) When Siddhartha first arrived at the river, he wanted to end his dirty life then and there. To him there was no hope for his future. But after being enlightened, he saw the world in a whole new way. He saw the same river in a whole new way. “Serenely he gazed into the flowing river; never had any water pleased him as much as this did” (Hesse 54). Siddhartha was seeing the same river but saw it in two different ways. This would indicate that the change was inside Siddhartha’s soul rather then his surroundings.
Daniel Snow B1
1. Siddhartha knows that he cannot "go back" to the town and his previous life, which is when he was wealthy. He thought greedy life was wrong, and so, he decided not to “go back. “He was full of distaste, full of misery, full of death; there was nothing more in the world that could entice him, gladden him, console him.”(Hermann46)
ReplyDelete2.
2. Siddhartha tried to commit suicide because he thought what he had done in past few years was full of sins, and he regrets about it. Though later on, the word “om” will realizes what he was doing. “…the moment that the sound om touched Siddhartha’s ears, his intellect, which had fallen asleep, suddenly awakened and realized the folly of what he was doing.” (hermann47)
3. Govinda got shocked when he met Siddhartha. This was because of Siddhartha’s appearance. “You are wearing a rich man’s garment, you are wearing an aristocrat’s shoes, and your hair, with its fragrance of scented water, is not the hair of a wanderer, not the hair of a samana.” (Hermann50) Siddhartha was not dressed like samana.
3. Siddhartha thinks that he had changed "from a man to a child" because when he was young, he was a wise person. Though after he came to the city, he started learn the greedy life. “Now he saw it, and saw that the secret voice had been right, that no teacher would ever have been able to liberate him.”(Hermann53)
5. At first, Siddhartha tried to kill him self at the river. Though, when he came to the river at the second time, he was full of joy. This was an irony. “…Siddhartha had drowned that day. But the new Siddhartha felt a profound love for that flowing water, and resolved in is mind not to leave it behind for quite some time.” (Hermann54)
1. I believe that Siddhartha can’t or shouldn’t go back to the town because he doesn’t want to redo things. “…that he could not return, that the life he had now been leading for many years was over and done with…” (Hesse 46). He wants to commit suicide.
ReplyDelete2. Siddhartha has experienced so many miserable things throughout his life. Even though he wants go back, he can’t. His experiences made him more negative. He thought about committing suicide. However, the word “om” brought him back. “…the sacred om, which is equivalent in meaning to “perfection” or the “absolute.”… suddenly awakened and realized the folly of what he was doing” (Hesse 47).
3. Govinda was extremely shocked when he met up with Siddhartha. Siddhartha looked completely different. “You are wearing rich a rich man’s garment, you are wearing an aristocrat’s shoes, and your hair, with its fragrance of scented water, is not the hair of a wanderer, not the hair of samana” (Hesse 50). Govinda thought Siddhartha would be dressing up like a poor man, but he wasn’t.
4. I think that Siddhartha changed from a man to a child because he is completely different since he had left his home. He has wasted so much time for greedy stuff, which made him more immature. “‘now that all these most transitory things have away from me again, I am standing once more in the sunshine, as I once stood as a child…’” (Hesse 51).
5. It is ironic that he tried to commit suicide. Every time when he doesn’t enjoy life or things he does, he always goes somewhere or finds solutions. Nevertheless, instead of finding solutions to his issues, he decided to commit suicide. Also, I thought that the river would be the beginning and the end of Siddhartha, but it turned out to be the begging of his new life.
1.Previously, Siddhartha was enjoying his rich, and wealth by gambling, which he called a game. “...whenever embarrassment and disgust came over him, he continued fleeing, fleeing into a new game”(Hesse 55). As a matter of fact, he can't explain himself why is he gambling, so his embarrassment increase. Although, the embarrassment made him gamble more often, which lead to a cycle. To get away from the cycle, he was required to throw away his wealth and money, so if he tries to get back his wealth, he will be embarrassed again.
ReplyDelete2.“And in the moment when the sound of 'Om' touched Siddhartha's ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and realized the foolishness of his actions”(Hesse 60). He escaped from his previous life, and tried to suicide, but the word Om, which means “that what is perfect”. Right before he was about to drown, he finally bring back himself, the awaken Siddhartha. In other words, finally he recalled that he was acting his previous life to study the important aspects of life. Now he can depend upon himself, the awaken Siddhartha, so he realized that there is no meaning to die.
3.Govinda, the only friend is left for Siddhartha, was separate with Siddhartha for long time, and he was meditating too. When Siddhartha was awake again, Govinda was also meditating on the other side of Siddhartha, and Govinda thought that Siddhartha was in pilgrimage, which is similar with him. “But few would go on a pilgrimage in such clothes, few in such shoes, few with such hair”(Hesse 63). So, Govinda was surprised that Siddhartha was able to awake eventhough, Siddhartha just looks like a rich merchant.
4.“And how could he not have loved everybody and everything in this moment, in the glorious hour after his wonderful sleep, filled with Om!”(Hesse 64). Siddhartha was not able to feel pleasure because he was adult and can not able to understand the beauty. Now he became like a child, so he realized that he is surrounded with lovely things.
5.“With a distorted face, he stared into the water, saw the reflection of his face and spit at it. In deep tiredness...”(Hesse 60). Buddhism's part of base exists in Hinduism, which ended with similarities between these two religions. As a matter of fact, if people suicide, most likely, they need to rebirth because they were not able to reach the enlightenment, or awake. At the end, even though they suicide, they need to come back to life and suffer, which means suicide is meaningless.
1. Siddhartha thought about his previous two lives. One was to fulfil his mental satisfication, while another one is to fulfil his physical satisfication. He thought both of these lives can't lead him to enlightment. Especially when he started to live in village, he indulged in pleasure and enjoyment. "Then, Siddhartha had spent the night in his house with dancing girls and wine"(Hermann 55). This quote shows that the time he indulged in peasure and enjoyment which he does not want to go back.
ReplyDelete2. Siddhartha wanders around river for after he got out from village. He feels miserable to himself. He thought he completed everything in his life, which was path of samana and wealth, he thought he reached end. Thus, when he was about to commit suicide, he suddenly listened a word 'Om'. "It was a word, a syllable, which he, without thinking, with a slurred voice, soke to himself, the old word which is the beginning and t he end of all prayers of the Brahmans, the holy "Om""(Hermann 60). As he listened this holy word, he realized that what he was trying to do was such a fool thing.
3. Govinda was shocked when he realized that the man who he was guarding while he was sleeping, was his old friend, Siddhartha. And he was astonished when he saw Siddhartha's appearance. He thought Siddhartha left to seek for way to be enlightment, but how Siddhartha's appearance dissapointed him. "...But, forgive me, oh Siddhartha, you do not look like a pilrim. You are wearing a rich man’s garment, you are wearing an aristocrat’s shoes, and your hair, with its fragrance of scented water, is not the hair of a wanderer, not the hair of a Samana”(Hermann 63).
4. "Where is Siddhartha the Brahman? Where is Siddhartha the Samana? Where is Siddhartha the rich man?"(Hermann 63). In this quotes, it states that how many things he had expeierenced in his life. He was a respectful family's Brahman and loved by everyone. He was a Samana who suffered and overcome all those hunger and indulgence. He was also a very rich man. But now, he lost everything. That's why he felt he felt like he become a child, an age that is able to starts things again.
5. It was irony because in the beginning of this chater, he was depressed and he thought he reached the end, and tried to commit suicide. But after he met Govinda, his mind changes. He started to think instead of searching for those enlightment path, let it just go as it like. "Where else might my path lead me to? It is foolish, this path, it moves in loops, perhaps it is going around in a circle. Let it go as it likes, I want to take it. Wonderfully, he felt joy rolling like waves in his chest" (Hermann 65).
1. The specific aspect of his life to not to go back was that for the past many years he had been living in luxury. And his attitude towards people were very unpleasant. "I'm wearing them, because I have been a rich man, and I'm wearing my hair like the worldly and lustful people, for I have been one of them" (Hesse 63). This shows his attitude and how he treated people when he was rich.
ReplyDelete2. After living in the luxury, he felt guilty how he treated other and thought theres no point on living anymore. The work "om" had awakened him and his soul, he realized suicide will not help him to reach salvation. "Om entered his consciousness: he became aware of himself in his misery and in his error" (Hesse 60)
3. Govinda was shocked by Siddhartha's outfit and how he had became. "You’re wearing a rich man’s garments, you’re wearing those shoes of a distinguished gentleman, and your hair, with the fragrance of perfume, is not a pilgrim’s hair, not the hair of a samana” (Hesse 63)."
Govinda thought Siddhartha was the spacial one.
4. Siddhartha used to be a man who live up to achieve his goals. But after those luxury he had been through, a sudden he felt wasted for his whole life just like a child nothing but to have fun. “His life had indeed been strange. And now, so it seemed, now he had really became a childlike person” (Hesse 64)
5. Siddhartha had once thought about suiciding and it was just near by the river. The irony was that when Siddhartha saw the river running through, he realizes it has just exactly like he had been through.
1. Siddhartha knew that he cannot go back to his previous life, because he believed that suffering does not bring enlightenment, and had a string feeling of being greedy life was not a right way to be living. He had changed a lot and could no longer live in a way that he used to, which was suffering. “... there was no going back for him, that this life, as he had lived it for many years until now” (Hesse 59). “... full of misery, full of death, there was nothing left in this world which could have attracted him, given him joy, given him comfort” (Hesse 59).
ReplyDelete2. Siddhartha decided to commit suicide because, he was mad and depressed about himself for forgetting the path that he was planning to take and the future that he was planning to become. Also the things, the voice in his heart that used to speak out, which he used to decide things on whatever his pure heart used to mention. Now he had lost them and had no any other choice to follow and fulfil it. But, the word “Om” woke him up. “And in the moment when the sound of “Om” touched Siddhartha’s ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and realized the foolishness of his actions” (Hesse 60).
3. There are two things that Govinda was shocked about Siddhartha’s appearance and could not recognize that the man was Siddhartha. First, Siddhartha left him behind and said that he would like to experience and learn things by himself, and it had been a really long time, so, Govinda believed that he had reached the enlightenment, which Govinda decided to follow the Buddha to reach that enlightenment. He could not imagine Siddhartha being in such a place like this, sleeping. Another point is, the way he dressed. “’You’re saying: you’re on a pilgrimage, and I believe in you. But, forgive me, oh Siddhartha, you do not look like a pilgrimage. You’re wearing a rich man’s garments, you’re wearing the shoes of a distinguished gentleman, and your hair, with the fragrance of perfume, is not a pilgrimage’s hair, not the hair of a Samana’” (Hesse 63).
4. “From a man to a child”. This means that he had gone through the things that an adult would. Such as, love, drink alcohol, etc. He was one a boy still learning and growing, but since he lived with Kamala’s people for many years, he lost himself, he forgot the most three important things, think, fast, and wait. But when he was stressed up, little by little, started to remember and realize that he was a man trying to find to become enlighten. That was when he decided that he had to start everything from zero again, and find the real life that he is looking for. “Now, that I’m no longer young, that my hair is already half gray, that my strength is fading, now I’m starting again at the beginning and as a child” (Hesse 64)!
5. The irony in the river that he tried to suicide, he failed, and when he was awake from the deep sleep, he remembered that he was at this river before meeting Kamala, and after that, he lived with them. Now, when he saw the river for the second time, he smiled and though that this liver is giving him an advice that he still have to find a new life, with a new feeling and new Siddhartha. “Cheerfully, he looked into the rushing river, never before he had like a water as this one, never before he had perceived the voice and the parable of the moving water thus strongly and beautifully” (Hesse 66).
Seiya B2
ReplyDelete1. Siddhartha abandoned his wealth and power he had at the town. He did this because the lives there will no good to him. “Deeply, he had been entangled in Sansara, he had sucked up disgust and death from all sides into his body, like a sponge sucks up water until it is full”(Hesse 59).
2. “…there was nothing left in this world which could have attracted him, give him joy, given him comfort”(Hesse 60). Siddhartha contemplate suicide because he became very depressed. Depressed at the fact that he had lost himself and sank deep into lust and greed. But the word ‘Om’ brought him back from his contemplation. “And in the moment when the sound of “Om” touched Siddhartha’s ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and realized the foolishness of his actions”(Hesse 60).
3. Siddhartha wearing such rich clothes shocked Govinda. What made Govinda shock even more was that Siddhartha says that he is on a pilgrim in such rich clothes. “Govinda looked at the friend of his youth for a long time, with doubt in his eyes”(Hesse 63).
4. At the town he lost the knowledge of three feats of fasting, waiting, and thinking. Instead he was filled with lust and greed. Now that he had lost all the wealth and power he gained in the town, it’s a new fresh start. “…now I’m starting again at the beginning and as a child!”(Hesse 64).
5. It is ironic how first the river where Siddhatha contemplate suicide. First ashamed of himself in the reflection. But later rebirths and finds joy from the river. Two totally opposite feeling was shown. “In this river, Siddhartha had intended to drown himself, in it the old, tired, desperate Siddhartha had drowned today. But the new Siddhartha felt a deep love for this rushing water, and decided for himself, not to leave it very soon” (Hesse 67)
1. “he had sucked up disgust and death from all sides into his body, like a sponge sucks up water until it is full” (Hesse 59). I think this quote shows that he can not go back to his old life, because he just escaped from the greedy, gambling life and he know that he should not go back to the old life with Kamala.
ReplyDelete2. The reason he wanted to suicide was because he, once again realized that his life was miserable wile living in the village. He couldn't find any happiness and joy in his life anymore and thought he has no purpose of living, but the word 'Om' brought sanity to him. "in the moment when the sound of 'Om' touched Siddhartha's ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and realized the foolishness of his actions" (Hesse 60).
3. He was very extremely shocked because when he saw Siddhartha, he did not expect him to be wearing rich clothes, and being clean. He expected him to be more dirty and wears less clothes, and dirty one. Govinda expected him to be one of the Samanas. "Govinda looked at the friend of his youth for a long time, with doubt in his eyes” (Hesse 63). This quote shows that he couldn't believe what he is watching.
4. I think because he was following the law of Samana, and he was the son of Brahman, and was one of them him self, so he couldn't have free life, like other children. After being adult, and kind of being free he lost to his desire and played(gambled) a lot.
5. The ironic part of the river is that it is similar with Siddhartha's deeds, because the river is flowing to the down stream, and he wanted to suicide as well and it connects with what he is doing. Also the river connects with the past Siddhartha and the common Siddhartha who is reborn.
1.Now that Siddartha had left the worthless life that he had been having these past years, he suddenly felt a great surge of misery. He couldn’t believe that he wasted so much of his life and “squandered money”, and only cared for flattering his senses while “losing” his “intellectual powers” (Hesse 52). The day before, he was a rich man, a drunkard, a gambler and a man full of sensual desires, but now he was a totally different man. Therefore, he knew that he could not return to his past life because “Dead was the songbird of which he had dreamed” (Hesse 46) and there was no way to bring it back.
ReplyDelete2.Siddhartha thought of committing a suicide because he “was full of distate, full of misery, full of death” (Hesse 47). He was disgusted at the sin he committed by living a filthy life, corrupting and satisfying his worthless desires and felt like there was no reason to keep on living. He had no goal in life anymore and nothing could erase his past life away from him. However just when he was ready to sink and drown himself in the river, a word brought him back and saved him. That word was “om” that meant “’perfection’ or ‘the absolute’” which always “begins and ends every Brahmanist Prayer” (Hesse 47). That sacred word pulled him back and drifted him into a deep slumber that he haven’t had in such a long time and was able to clear his head thoroughly.
3.Govinda was very shocked by Siddhartha’s appearance because he looked nothing like the old Siddhartha he used to admire and follow around, therefore, couldn’t even recognize him. He was shocked at Siddhartha’s rich garment, nice shoes, and well groomed hair. “O Siddhartha, you do not look like a wanderer” (Hesse 50). Perhaps realizing that Siddhartha was no longer the same man he had once been all those years ago, Govinda stood and left him without uttering another word.
4.Siddhartha felt as if he had gotten back to the starting point and was once again a child because he had gone from a Brahman’s son to a Samana, to an individual to a man who only knew of satisfying his own desires. Psychologically, he had gone from an intelligent man, to a man who learned how to fast, wait and think, to a man who wanted to know the meaning of life and his true self, and eventually back to a man of nothing. He was back to where he had begun or even before that. During his luxurious years of wasting his life, he had become a fool who forgot everything he had learned and experienced. However Siddhartha realized that he “had to become a fool in order to find Atman within” himself again, and that’s why he’s in a way reborn as a child with a fresh beginning.
5.Siddhartha looked into the river at first and “saw a frightful void reflected in that water, corresponding to the terrible void in his soul” (Hesse 47) and knew that his life was over and there was nothing left for him in the world. However after the deep long sleep under the tree, Siddhartha looked at the river again with a completely different perspective. “Serenely he gazed into the flowing river; never had any water pleased him as much of this did” (Hesse 54). He felt like the river portraits himself and was telling something special to him. Both of them were flowing downward, but with delightfulness and it is ironic to believe that the river was the one he wanted to end his life in. However, in a way he did. The old Siddhartha had drowned in the river and died that day while the new Siddhartha remained with a new future that awaits him.
1. The aspects of Siddhartha’s former life that he cannot return to include his splendid wealth, his excessive gambling and his carefree life style. “…For that, he had had to go on enduring those hateful years, enduring the disgust, the emptiness, the meaninglessness of a barren lost life to the very end…”; rather than Siddhartha not being able to go back to his old life, I believe it was more a matter of his disgust with his former life and his not wanting to return rather than not being able to (Hesse 54).
ReplyDelete2. Siddhartha wanted to end his life for he was obviously disgusted with himself, he expressed his disgust when “…he stared into the water; seeing the reflection of his face, he spat at it…” he was depressed and sickened because of what he had become (Hesse 47). His depression led him to place himself up in a tree and “…turned his body slightly so that he would fall vertically, and finally perish”, he was so upset with himself he contemplated committing suicide (47). However, as soon as Siddhartha heard the word “Om” meaning perfection or the absolute he suddenly became conscious and realized the mistake he had come a hair away from making (47).
3. Govinda was surprised to see Siddhartha because he did not expect him to be dressed in such fine clothing, “…forgive me, O Siddhartha, you do not look like a wanderer. You are wearing a rich man’s garment, you are wearing an aristocrat’s shoes, and your hair…” (Hesse 50). Govinda had expected someone who claimed to be a wanderer, a samana to look as though they had only the necessary items upon them rather than cloaked with elegance and items of luxury.
4. While reflecting upon his life in the town Siddhartha beings to believe that he had grown into a child because he had lost all the wisdom that he had attained and defined himself as a man with to “pleasure and power, to women and money: he had had to become a merchant, a dice player, a drinker, and an avaricious man…” (Hesse 54). All the wisdom and new knowledge that Siddhartha had gained on his journey, he felt he had lost during his time in the town because of his “folly” (Hesse 52). We do not expect children to be wise or clever, so when Siddhartha lost these virtues, he believed himself to amount to as much as a child would.
5. The irony of the river in this story is the change that Siddhartha encounters between his visits to it. Upon his first visit “Siddhartha had drowned that day” because it was the day he was so distraught with himself he wanted to commit suicide (Hesse 54). However, upon his second visit “Siddhartha felt a profound love for that flowing water” (Hesse 54). On his first visit to the river, Siddhartha appreciated the river, for it provided as a tool to use to end his own life with, which he believed was the solution to make himself happy, or more rather satisfied. The second visit, he saw the river yet again as a source for his happiness but for a completely different purpose and in a completely different perspective.
1. The aspects of Siddhartha’s former life that he cannot return to include his splendid wealth, his excessive gambling and his carefree life style. “…For that, he had had to go on enduring those hateful years, enduring the disgust, the emptiness, the meaninglessness of a barren lost life to the very end…”; rather than Siddhartha not being able to go back to his old life, I believe it was more a matter of his disgust with his former life and his not wanting to return rather than not being able to (Hesse 54).
ReplyDelete2. Siddhartha wanted to end his life for he was obviously disgusted with himself, he expressed his disgust when “…he stared into the water; seeing the reflection of his face, he spat at it…” he was depressed and sickened because of what he had become (Hesse 47). His depression led him to place himself up in a tree and “…turned his body slightly so that he would fall vertically, and finally perish”, he was so upset with himself he contemplated committing suicide (47). However, as soon as Siddhartha heard the word “Om” meaning perfection or the absolute he suddenly became conscious and realized the mistake he had come a hair away from making (47).
3. Govinda was surprised to see Siddhartha because he did not expect him to be dressed in such fine clothing, “…forgive me, O Siddhartha, you do not look like a wanderer. You are wearing a rich man’s garment, you are wearing an aristocrat’s shoes, and your hair…” (Hesse 50). Govinda had expected someone who claimed to be a wanderer, a samana to look as though they had only the necessary items upon them rather than cloaked with elegance and items of luxury.
4. While reflecting upon his life in the town Siddhartha beings to believe that he had grown into a child because he had lost all the wisdom that he had attained and defined himself as a man with to “pleasure and power, to women and money: he had had to become a merchant, a dice player, a drinker, and an avaricious man…” (Hesse 54). All the wisdom and new knowledge that Siddhartha had gained on his journey, he felt he had lost during his time in the town because of his “folly” (Hesse 52). We do not expect children to be wise or clever, so when Siddhartha lost these virtues, he believed himself to amount to as much as a child would.
ReplyDelete5. The irony of the river in this story is the change that Siddhartha encounters between his visits to it. Upon his first visit “Siddhartha had drowned that day” because it was the day he was so distraught with himself he wanted to commit suicide (Hesse 54). However, upon his second visit “Siddhartha felt a profound love for that flowing water” (Hesse 54). On his first visit to the river, Siddhartha appreciated the river, for it provided as a tool to use to end his own life with, which he believed was the solution to make himself happy, or more rather satisfied. The second visit, he saw the river yet again as a source for his happiness but for a completely different purpose and in a completely different perspective.
1,I think the life Siddhartha is talking about is when he was rich, handsome and when people looked up at him " SIddhartha was thus loved by everyone. He was a source of joy for everybody, he was a delight for them all" (Hesse 6) however, he's not longer one of them in this chapter.
ReplyDelete2. Compare to life he had before, it was despondent, he was lost since there is nowhere left to go, he couldn't find any joy, gladness, and he thought there’s no point of living so he wanted to suicide to get out from this ill fated life. As he was planning to commit suicide ‘Om’ brought him back” "And in the moment when the sound of 'Om' touched Siddhartha's ear, his dormant spirit suddenly woke up and realized the foolishness of his actions" (Hesse 60)
3, Govinda was shocked because he saw Siddhartha’s wealthy outfit and appearance. He had nice hairstyle, clean shoes, cloth and perfume which showed that he’s not pilgrim “Siddhartha, you do not look like a pilgrim. You’re wearing a rich man’s garments, you’re wearing the shoes at a distinguished gentleman, and your hair with the fragrance of perfume, is not a pilgrim’s hair, not the hair of a Samana” (Hesse 63).
4,When he was young he grew up in the city; Siddhartha was rich, handsome and people looked up to him. He realizes how his past has dominated his current life. "he had been hindered by too much knowledge, too many sacred verses, too many sacrificial rules, too much castigation, too much activity and ambition" (Hesse 53).
5, The river showed irony because he was depressed and tried to commit suicide and he sits staring at he rive, thinking that it is trying to tell him something and he learns that river was just like what he had been through.
Kazuya B2
1. I believe he could not "go back" to his previous life because it was not the path to enlightenment. Before, he was living a life of material goods, and pleasure. "Was thee still any kind of filth, he had not soiled himself with, a sin or foolish act he had not committed, a dreariness of the soul he had not brought upon himself" (Hesse 59). He didn't want to go back to the greedy, gambling life he had previously indulged in, and the regret was enough to keep him away from it.
ReplyDelete2. He was considering suicide because he was depressed by the fact that he was a disgust to himself and he was just purely exhausted from life. He didn't feel he could carry on with his life, therefore he should end it. "Found himself to be entirely filled with the wish to let go and to drown in these waters" (Hesse 59). The word OM brought him back from suicide and saved his life, because this was the word he unconsciously spoke to himself from time to time.
3. Govinda was shocked by Siddartha's appearance because his fashion was not that of a pilgrim. His clothes were of fine quality, his hair oiled and perfumed, and his face shaven. "You're wearing a rich man's garments, you're wearing the shoes of a distinguished gentleman, and your hair, with the fragrance of perfume, is not a pilgrim's hair, not the hair of a Samana" (Hesse 63).
4. Siddartha feels he has gone back to square 1 because before he indulged in his self desires, he was a learned man that stuck to his goals. After being with Kamala, however, his goals were abandoned and replaced with his won personal desires. He feels that he has lost his integrity "How I did hate myself for staying in this terrible world for so long" (Hesse 65).
5. I feel that the river connects with Siddartha in the sense that aat first, Siddartha hated the river, it frightened him. Then, slowly he began to grow fond of it, and came to appreciate the river for what it was. This to me, reminds of Siddartha because he dissappoints himself so many times, yet he can still find it in himself to forgive and move on. "But the new Siddartha felt a deep love for this rushing water, and decided for himself, not to leave it very soon" (Hesse 67).
-Aya Hardwick A1
1.“He had been captured by the world, by lust, covetousness, sloth, and finally also by that vice which he had used to despise and mock the most as the most foolish one of all vice: greed” (Hesse 54). He was too greedy about his life. Because of this he got captured by the world and he noticed that he is going a wrong way after he was being greedy.
ReplyDelete2.“There was nothing left for him, except to annihilate himself, except to smash the failure into which he had shaped his life, to throw it away, before the feet of mockingly laughing gods” (Hesse 60). Siddhartha was embarrassed and depressed that he has nothing around him.
3.“Govinda looked at the friend of his youth for a long time, with doubt in his eyes” (Hesse 63). This quote shows how Govinda felt to Siddhartha. He thought Siddhartha is totally different person so he couldn’t trust him anymore.
4.“Now, he thought since all these most easily perishing things have slipped from me again, now I’m standing here under the sun again just as I have been standin here a little child” (Hesse 64). Siddhartha felt the same situation as he had when he was young. After he became rich and he was out of control.
5.“He happened to glance at the river, and he also saw the river going downhill, always moving on downhill, and singing and being happy through it all” (Hesse 64). This quote shows that opposite if what it will happen. Obviously this quote seems that it is going to be bad happening
Sorry, my post apparently got deleted or didn't upload correctly. D:
ReplyDelete1. After leaving Kamala and the city of sin, Siddhartha feels that he cannot go back to anything that he has known before. He cannot go back to the comforts of his family, because he has gained the knowledge that he will never find fulfillment there, and he does not want to go back to the indulging city, because he is “full of the feeling of been sick of it, full of misery full of death,” and has come to the conclusion that there is, “nothing left in this world which could have attracted him, give him joy, give him comfort” (Hesse 59). Because of his supposed complete knowledge of spiritual and physical fulfillment, Siddhartha believes that he cannot go back to religious purity and innocence.
2. After coming to the conclusion that “there were no more goals,” Siddhartha realizes that his only emotion is a “deep, painful yearning to shake off this whole desolate dream, to spit out this stale wine, to put an end to this miserable and shameful life” (Hesse 59). He chooses suicide as his only option out, and prepares to drown himself in the river, when he hears, for the first time in years, a voice from within his soul. The voice speaks of Om, which awakened his numb mind, and he realizes the imprudence of his decision.
3. Govinda, trapped in a world of looks defining people, is confused of what exactly Siddhartha is. Although Siddhartha plainly states that he is on an unspecified pilgrimage, Govinda cannot over come the fact that Siddhartha is “wearing a rich man’s garments…shoes of a distinguished gentleman…with the fragrance of perfume,” which is “not the hair of a Samana” (Hesse 63). Govinda cannot overcome the fact that a non-Samana is on a pilgrimage, and believes that a rich looking man is restricted only to luxurious activities.
4. Siddhartha views the people of the city to be childlike because of their strive to appeal to their bodily senses, and not to their mind’s enlightenment. He lives the same life as they, and claims to have taken a detour, however, he does not think that this was a waste of time, and believes that he needed to have passed through, “so much stupidity, through so much vices, through so many errors, through so much disgust and disappointments and woe, just to become a child again and to be able to start over,” which is part of his grand scheme to reach enlightenment through rebirth (Hesse 65). After successfully experiencing the corrupt life, and re-realizing Om, he has become a renewed child again.
5. Earlier in the book, Siddhartha enters into a stage of physical fulfillment after a “ferryman got him across the river on his bamboo-raft” (Hesse 35). It is ironic that that he tries to commit suicide in the same river that had sent him off to the reason behind his suicide. Now, after becoming sick from over indulgence, Siddhartha realizes in the river that Om is his way of living, and that Om should fill his life with meaning.