Kamala

How does changing words affect our mood?

This passage shows how Siddhartha's mood change, and is reflected by the word choice. This question posses the opposite scenario.

Q - How do we deal with the burnings in our life, both in the society we live in as Americans but also as Catholics?

In this part of the book, Herman Hesse utilizes numerous rhetorical devices in his writing. The main point of this quote is to explain that there are many times in which words are unable to express a person’s ideas and thoughts, however they still are essential in communicating our wisdoms and truth. One of the clearest rhetorical devices the author in this passage is repetition. In repeating the word “little” multiple times, it emphasizes the subtle changes our words make to our ideas, and the limitations we have in communicating we are really thinking about. He also uses antithesis by contrasting two ideas. At first, it is stated that words are inadequate and limiting in expressing thoughts, but he later states that they they still have value as they provide diversity in ways of thinking, and they allow other to make their own interpretations of an idea.

But he, Siddhartha, did not give himself joy, he was no pleasure to himself." pg 2

How can we be confident in our fulfillment in life if we may not be the ideal person everyone looks too, and on the reverse, how should we react if we do have what everyone wants, but not happy.

Matt Klimek

(Hesse 40)

Prior to this excerpt, SIddhartha had been taught by both the Brahmins and Samanas that the world was a veil that hides reality.  However, once Siddhartha is on his own he comes to believe that the world itself is reality; it is the key to understanding reality. He sees himself as his own teacher that will use the world as a guide to understand Siddhartha, his own Self. 

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