Siddhartha Analysis

The river is a central symbol in Siddhartha, representing unity and the eternity of all things in the universe. At times of great transition in his life, such as when he leaves the Samanas, and lat...

We hate to break it to you, but if you were looking for a techno-futurist romp through cyborg territory this is not the book for you.If, on the other hand, you love history and philosophy...Siddhar...

Or maybe it's third person "Om"niscient?Although the novel centers on Siddhartha, we occasionally hear the thoughts of other characters. This third-person perspective lends a more distant, descript...

There are no dragons or rings to throw into Mount Doom, but Siddhartha’s life is directed toward one goal... which makes the story of his life a quest. And even though it doesn't have the fancy f...

By writing with a more abstract, distant tone, Hesse gives his story a certain amount of gravitas. And by "a certain amount" we mean a lot: Slower, he walked along in his thoughts and asked himself...

What better style for a novel about a guy who turns toward a simpler life and spends a lot of time meditating, right?Check it out:Siddhartha got to know many new things, he heard a lot and spoke li...

This one's super-easy: Siddhartha is the name of the novel’s protagonist. Oh, but here's a tip—keep in mind that our main character Siddhartha is not intended to be Siddhartha Gautama, popularl...

Siddhartha wants enlightenment. Oh boy. When the novel opens and a character wants something, you know that this something is probably going to be chased throughout the entire novel. In this case,...

Siddhartha seeks complete spiritual awakening and doesn’t think he’ll find it in his hometown. In Siddhartha, the call is internal. Something inside Siddhartha (maybe what he ate for lunch?)...

Siddhartha is unfulfilled and seeks greater spiritual fulfillment. Siddhartha lives a life of deprivation with the Samanas and then lives a life of material and sexual pleasure. After a near suici...

Check out Queen’s 1977 BBC re-take of "We Will Rock You." The recording includes a recitation of a passage from Siddhartha. (Source)

Siddhartha has plenty of sex, but by Chapter 7, he’s sick of it. Although sex is special, transformative, and just plain fun in Siddhartha, it’s ultimately unfulfilling—even with a woman who...

The Rig Veda (1.7) The Upanishads (1.9, 1.11)