CFU Themes and Motifs of Siddartha by Alexa Miller

lmroza01 — 2024-11-18 20:48:53 UTC

“And yet this path has been good and the bird in my breast has not died” (96).

2024-11-18 20:50:01 UTC

Ty Katzman - "But as these thoughts passed through Siddhartha's mind, he suddenly stood still, as if a snake lay in his path" (40).

2024-11-18 20:51:24 UTC

Leo - "I reviewed my life and it was also a river, and Siddhartha the boy, Siddhartha the mature man and Siddhartha the old man, were only separated by shadows, not through reality, (Hesse 107).

2024-11-18 20:52:22 UTC

“I have often listened to it, gazed at it, and I have always learned something from it. One can learn much from a river” (49)

I found this quote and I think it’s important as it shows a connection to water through a person. It really encourages one to think about the river when it comes from a character in the story.

-Seb

2024-11-18 20:52:35 UTC

Sophia - “A heron flew over the bamboo wood and Siddartha took the heron into his soul, flew over the forest and mountains, became a heron, ate fishes, suffered heron hunger, used heron language, died a herons death” (15).

2024-11-18 20:53:46 UTC

“ then he had fallen asleep and on awakening, he looked at the world like a new man” (90) this quote shows sidarthas cycle of rebirth after he ventured to the river. this shows the motif of cycles that sidartha goes through

2024-11-18 20:53:49 UTC

“Happily he looked into the flowing river.

Never had a river attracted him as much as this one. Never had he found the voices and appearance of the flowing water so beautiful. It seemed to him as if the river had something to tell him,”(101)

This quote shows us that the river represents renewal and knowledge.

2024-11-18 20:53:59 UTC

“He did not seek reality; his goal was not on any other side. The world was beautiful when looked at it this way- without any seeking, so simple, so childlike.” (46) this quote shows how siddhartha looks at the world as complex and confusing but being childlike can help him think with simplicity.

2024-11-18 20:54:33 UTC

“I have always thirsted for knowledge”( 19)

This quote is significant because it shows the symbolysm of thirst and wisdom connecting as water.

2024-11-18 20:54:50 UTC

Mia - “The young bird is accustomed to a different life, to a different nest” (118-119) The young bird is referring to Siddhartha’s son who is living with Siddhartha and Vasudeva in the hut by the river. This is a different lifestyle than he is used to and it shows the motif of captivity and confinement.

2024-11-18 20:55:03 UTC

“But as these thoughts passes through Siddhartha's mind, he suddenly stood still, as if a snake lay in his path” pg. 40

2024-11-18 20:55:15 UTC

Motif

On page 27 Siddhartha describes the Buddha as having a healthy childlike smile: “with a secret smile not unlike that of a child”27 This connects childlike qualities to the Buddhas holy status, presenting a more innocent holy take on childhood.

Liam Yee

2024-11-18 20:56:26 UTC

On page 39 hesse states “ I will no longer study Yoga-Veda, Artharva-Veda or asectisism or any other teachings. I will learn from myself.

This shows how Siddhartha is choosing to no longer gain knowledge from his teachers but to learn wisdom from himself. This also shows how he gives up asceticism so he can gain more wisdom rather than knowledge.

2024-11-18 20:56:38 UTC

Jeremy Wynett- They both listened silently to the water, which to them was not just water, but the voice of life, the voice of Being, of perpetual becoming.

2024-11-18 20:57:38 UTC

“Or perhaps going in circles—we who thought to escape from the cycle?”(18). I think that this quote shows the theme of cycles because when Siddhartha asks Govinda if he is really gaining anything, it shows the theme of “the cycle life is also the cycle of water”. I also think that it shows the theme of repetition and it’s very relatable because sometimes you feel like you’re going in circles.

-Abby

2024-11-18 20:59:01 UTC

John- “the river knows everything; one can learn everything from it”(105) this quote reconnects to the water which can also stand in for wisdom

2024-11-18 21:01:10 UTC

Francesca - “The bird, the clear spring and voice within him was still alive—that was why he rejoiced, that was why he left, that was why his face was radiant under his gray hair.” (98)

This quote compares Siddartha’s inner voice that guides him on his journey of inner peace, to a bird that is still alive. This is the moment he realizes his mistakes and continues his journey to inner peace.

2024-11-18 21:01:57 UTC

“They listened. The many-voiced song of the river echoed softly. Siddhartha looked into the river and saw many pictures in the flowing water.” (134)

This connects to the thematic statement; all parts of the world are interconnected. Hearing the many voices in the water shows that the lives of people, animals, and plants are all intertwined through the river, the source of life.

2024-11-18 21:04:12 UTC

Yin Yang

“ Now my dear friend, you wish to strike a new path and go to hear the Buddha’s teachings.” (18)

This quote shows the difference between Siddarthah and Govindas views on how to reach salvation. It also tells how Siddarthah and Govinds are able to find balance and acceptance of each other’s differences. It shows the difference is Siddarthah’s seeking and Govinda’s finding.

-Ella R.

2024-11-18 21:05:33 UTC

“I, also, would like to look and smile, sit and walk like that, so free, so worthy, so restrained, so candid, so childlike, and mysterious.”(35)

This quote I think strikes out to me in how childlike is used to describe Gotama’s perfection when it is also used to describe people’s foolish behavior as said in the presentation. How it is used in such a powerful sentence amplified by this list pounding in Gotamas perfection. - Jacob Freels

2024-11-18 21:05:33 UTC

“Siddhartha was transitory, all forms were transitory, but today he was young, he was a child—the new Siddhartha—and he was very happy.” (100)

In the very end of this chapter, Siddhartha is once again awakening in the world. He’s finding and understanding the reasons he did the things he did- the real, subconscious reasons he made those decisions. He is learning to balance the childishness within and outside of him so that there is no lack, no need. He’s realising here that he cannot be stuck in one place, in childishness, because that causes imbalance. rather, he must allow himself to move with his journeyman .

Finn Bone