Siddhartha Essay

 The novel Siddhartha describes Siddhartha's journey to Nirvana. Siddhartha starts off as the Brahmin's son and then becomes a Samana, then a rich man, and finally becomes a ferryman. One can argue that among Siddhartha's experiences some were unnecessary. For instance one may argue that Siddhartha, gambling and learning love in Kumala's pleasure garden, is completely unnecessary for Siddhartha finding Nirvana. However, throughout the novel, Siddhartha claims every experience he has are valuable and necessary.

When Siddhartha decides to be a Samana, Siddhartha's father opposes strongly. The Brahmin says "'And would you rather die than obey your father?'...Then the father realized that Siddhartha could no longer remain with him at home-that he had already left him" (Hesse 12). The father knows being a Samana is very hard and maybe he will never see his son again. Siddhartha breaks his father's heart. It proves Siddhartha's selfishness of not caring about his parents. However from this experience Siddhartha is able relate to his father. When Siddhartha meets his own son, he says "'I have often thought about it. But how will he, who is so hard-hearted, go on in this world? Will he not consider himself superior, will he not lose himself in pleasure and power, will he not repeat all his father's mistakes, will he not perhaps be quite lost in Samsara?'" (Hesse 120). By loving his son and being a parent, Siddhartha understands what his father felt when Siddhartha left. Also when the son leaves the hut and Siddhartha tries to follow him, Vasudeva says "'But let him, my friend, he is not a child any more, he knows how to look after himself. He is seeking the way to the town and he is right. Do not forget that. He is doing what you yourself have neglected to do. He is looking after himself; he is going his own way'"(Hesse 124). Vasudeva points out that Siddhartha's son is doing the same thing as Siddhartha did to his father. Although both Siddhartha and Siddhartha's father care and worry about their sons, they try to protect their offspring in their own ways which the sons might not agree with. Therefore, although breaking the Brahmin's heart isn't a great act, since it helps Siddhartha understand his father at last, the experience is necessary.

Moreover, ignorantly, Siddhartha in the beginning believes that he has no more to learn from anyone. He says to Govinda "'...that one can learn nothing. There is, so I believe, in the essence of everything, something that we cannot call learning. There is, my friend, only a knowledge-that is everywhere, that is Atman, that is in me and you and in every creature, and I am beginning to believe that this knowledge has no worse enemy that the man of knowledge, than learning'" (Hesse 19). Although Siddhartha's claim is partly true, Siddhartha blinds himself by shutting his mind from any other opinions. Siddhartha tries to learn nothing more from the Samanas and even from the Buddha. When Govinda brings Siddhartha to the Buddha, Siddhartha thinks "He [Siddhartha] was not very curious about the teachings. He did not think they would teach him anything new" (Hesse 28). Although Siddhartha never heard from Buddha before, Siddhartha ignorantly assumes that he will learn nothing new. However at the end of the novel, when Siddhartha talks to Govinda, Siddhartha says "', [I] had many teachers. A beautiful courtesan was my teacher for a long time, and a rich merchant and a dice player. On one occasion, one of the Buddha's wandering monks was my teacher...But most of all, I have learned from the river and from my predecessor, Vasudeva'" (Hesse 142). Siddhartha, who has reached the enlightenment, humbly says that he learned from so many people including Govinda who hasn't reached enlightenment yet. Siddhartha learns that the knowledge and experience he has wouldn't have been possible without the help of his teachers. Although Siddhartha's ignorance blinds him at first, since it helps him realize that who he is now is an outcome of his surroundings, the experience is valuable.

Furthermore, Siddhartha believes he cannot love anyone so passionately. When Kamala asks if he loves her, Siddhartha says "'I am like you. You cannot love either, otherwise how could you practice love as an art? Perhaps people like us cannot love. Ordinary people can-that is their secret'" (Hesse 73). In the quote, not only Siddhartha states he and Kamala can't love, Siddhartha also distinguishes him from the "Ordinary" people. Siddhartha implies that since he is better than the ordinary people, he does not do such a childish act, to love. However Siddhartha changes after he meets his son. Siddhartha quotes ", Siddhartha began to realize that no happiness and peace had come to him with his son, only sorrow and trouble. But he loved him and preferred the sorrow and trouble of his lobe rather than happiness and pleasure without the boy" (Hesse 118). Being a parent of the boy, Siddhartha experiences love so passionate that he loves not himself more than the boy. The love helps Siddhartha connect to the world. Siddhartha quotes "So childish and illogically did he now reason; so much had he become like the ordinary people. He now regarded people in a different light than he had previously: not very clever, not very proud and therefore all the more warm, curious and sympathetic" (Hesse 129). From loving his son, Siddhartha becomes emotional and illogical. Siddhartha envies families without having a clear and logical reason. However, from this experience, Siddhartha becomes sympathetic and now understands the world more deeply. Therefore, since Siddhartha's love help him connect to the world, although it seems illogical, the experience is necessary.

Siddhartha is ignorant and selfish at the beginning but even those negative experiences help him achieve Nirvana at last. Siddhartha's selfishness helps him understand his father, his mistrust of teachers and learning makes him see the influences that teachers has on him, and his underestimation of love later help Siddhartha understand the world more deeply. Therefore, every experience, even the mistakes, are necessary.

What Siddhartha has learned

Throughout the novel, Siddhartha searches for Nirvana. He becomes a Samana, hears from the Illustrious One, loves Kumala, and meets Vasudeva, the mentor. One may be very confused reading the novel since Siddhartha himself transform so much that he views the world differently in every chapter. When Siddhartha first meets Buddha, he thinks "He[Siddhartha] was not very curious about the teachings. He did not think they will teach him anything new" (Hesse 28). However at the end of the chapter, Siddhartha says "..., since that time,  had many teachers" (Hesse 141). Siddhartha realizes that although Siddhartha ignorantly thought since knowledge cannot be transmitted by teaching, all the teaching is useless, during the process Siddhartha learned something. 

(image of novel, Siddhartha)

Moreover, even with his lover, Kumala, Siddhartha says he can't love anyone. Siddhartha quotes, "I am like you. You cannot love either, otherwise how could you practice love as an art? Perhaps people like us cannot love. Ordinary people can-that is their secret" (Hesse 73). Siddhartha claims that both Siddhartha and Kumala love in a form of art. When one loves, one becomes blind and ignorant, Siddhartha thinks he is to rational to fall in love so deeply since he has so much knowledge. However his mind changes when he sees the young Siddhartha, Siddhartha's son. "Had he [Siddhartha] ever lost his heat to anybody so completely, had he ever loved anybody so much, so blindly, so painfully, so hopelessly and yet so happily" (Hesse 121). Also Siddhartha mentions by experiencing such a blind and complete love, he can relation to ordinary people and fell their joy and sorrow as well.

Siddhartha, as mentioned, seeks Nirvana, the divine state where there is no sorrow or sadness or anything. Siddhartha has been educated his childhood as the Brahmin's son, tutored by the best scholars. However Siddhartha believes that the teachings are useless because he will not get it until he experiences it himself. Siddhartha tried to see the world rational and distant so he can find the fastest way to Nirvana. Siddhartha learns that every experience is valuable and there always something to learn from others, even from the annoying  son.

What do you want to do Siddharha?

In the novel, Siddhartha attempts various things to reach Nirvana. First Siddhartha decides to leave his family, wealth, and comfort and becomes a Samana. Siddhartha ignorantly says "...one can learn nothing" (Hesse 19). Soon, Siddhartha confronts the Buddha and speaks the flaw of his teaching. Siddhartha says "....But according to your teachings, the unity and logical consequence of all things is broken in one place" (Hesse 32). Siddhartha says he's trying to find a way to Nirvana but he questions every mentor and teachings he has been offered.

(an image of a Buddha)

In the other hand, the Samanas, Buddha, and even the ferryman believes in each beliefs and continue practicing it. For instance the ferryman quotes "I have often listened to it [the river], gazed it, and I have always learned something from it" (Hesse 49). He also says "I have learned that from the river too; everything comes back" (Hesse 49). The ferryman shows Siddhartha that one can learn from anyone, even from a river. Also after all the rejection, Siddhartha asks Kamala to be his teacher and student. Siddhartha asks, "I have come to tell you this and no thank you because you are so beautiful. And if it does not displease you, Kamala, I would like to ask you to be my friend and teacher, for I do not know anything of the art of which you are mistress" (Hesse 53). Siddhartha, after criticizing other people for being taught asks Kamala because she's beautiful and Siddhartha is in love with her.

Siddhartha seems very ironic and ignorant in many ways. First he says he wants to find Nirvana and says to reach Nirvana he should empty himself, not escape from himself, and find his Self. However, all Siddhartha do is find a flaw in the teachings he is offered to. Moreover, Siddhartha is seduced by a woman.

Siddhartha 1-2 (partner) late due to absence

In the novel Siddhartha, the main character Siddhartha is loved by everyone. Siddhartha, as a Brahman's son, is loved " That was how everybody loved Siddhartha. He delighted and made everyone happy" (Hesse 5). However he doesn't satisfy and wants something else. Siddhartha says "But Siddhartha himself was not happy..., beloved by all, a joy to all, there was yet no joy in his own heart" (Hesse 5). Being loved is a essential part of one's well being but, like Siddhartha, people may think it's not important because they have been always loved that way. Siddhartha is ignorant because he doesn't value what he already has.

Moreover, even when Siddhartha follows the Samanas, Siddhartha thinks there's nothing else to learn. He quotes "I believe that amongst all the Samanas, probably not even one will attain Nirvana. We find consolations, we learn tricks with which we deceive ourselves, but the essential thing-the way-we do not find" (Hesse 18). Siddhartha shows no respect to his mentors, the Samanas. Also when Siddhartha's friend, Govinda suggest to meet the Buddha, Siddhartha says "that I have become distrustful of teachings and learning and that I have little faith in words that come to us from teachers...I believe in my heart that we have already tasted the best fruit of it" (Hesse 23). Siddhartha is prideful of himself and thinks he knows everything thus don't need and teacher or learning even from the Buddha.

(an image of Siddhartha)

Since Siddhartha values little of what he got and Siddhartha is egoistic that he doesn't appreciate the teachings, Siddhartha is an ignorant person.

Kafka essay

Ashley Kim

1st period

Why did Gregor had to die?

In Kafka’s novel, The Metamorphosis, the main character, Gregor Samsa, is a caring young man who loves his family so deeply that he works without rest to pay his parent’s debt. He lives an isolated life with little communication between his family members due to his work. One day, Gregor turns into a bug and the family becomes cruel to him. It’s ironic that such a wonderful human being suffers the most than any of his family members who are worthless and cruel. Kafka tells the readers that being loving is beautiful and certainly nice but it can destroy one’s life.

Gregor’s family are like parasites which steal energy from him and abandons him when Gregor has no more to give. Foster explains, “A nasty old man, attractive but evil, …, steals their innocence -and coincidentally their ‘usefulness’” (Foster 16). Like vampires, the family make Gregor work and take the money for themselves. Also “Generally, eating with another is a way of saying ‘I’m with you, I like you, we form a community together’ and that is a form of communion” (Foster 8). Throughout the novel, sister is the only one who brings food to Gregor but the family never eats with him. This proves that the family has no intention of building a relationship with Gregor. Moreover Foster describes, “Nearly every religion has some linguistic or social ritual involving the coming together of the faithful to share sustenance” (Foster 8). Gregor’s family lacked this ritual thus lost the chance to become a group.. Gregor had a loving heart and a good soul but he lacked conscious thus didn’t know his family aren’t making an actual communion with him. His innocence and love blinded Gregor from seeing the truth.

Gregor realizes that his family are not as nice as he thought they were at last. But when he realizes it, it’s too late. Gregor says, “As he heard his mother’s word Gregor realized that the lack of all immediate human contact” (Kafka 14). Although Gregor knows he lacks social contact with his family, since his turned into a bug, he cannot rebuild the relationship with them. Wallace tells, “‘, and there the corner stands the trap that I must run into,’ ‘You only need to change your direction’” (Wallace 1). Gregor, in The Metamorphosis, already turns to a bug thus it’s too late to go back. Kafka bring the point to illustrate how modern people are chased in their works that they miss the important values.

Moreover, Gregor dies because he has been naive. When the sister announces to get rid of Gregor,“... Gregor did not have any notion of wishing to create problems for anyone” (Kafka 24). Gregor does nothing to protect himself and instead sits quietly waiting to die. Gregor’s love toward his family at the end ruins him. If Gregor stood up and cared for himself, the situation may have been different. Also Gregor still loves his family. He quotes, “he felt a great pride that he had been able to provide such a life for his parents and his sister in such a beautiful apartment” (Kafka 9). Gregor, even with the hate from his family, feels proud of himself for establishing such a luxury for his family rather than getting mad at them. Wallace explains “No wonder they cannot appreciate the really central Kafka joke, that the horrific struggle to establish a human self results in whose humanity is inseparable from that horrific struggle” (Wallace 3). Gregor had to know that, the horrific days he has been having will not suddenly change. Gregor’s thinking about sending his sister into a Contrary while the sister is thinking of killing Gregor. He was naive to his family thus lost his life.

Therefore since Gregor’s innocence and love results in a tragedy of him getting killed, Kafka is suggesting that one’s innocence can result in a destruction of one’s life. If only Gregor noticed that his family is not caring fast enough to make a turn and not be naive, The Metamorphosis may have a different ending to it.

Nice to Eat With you and Nice to Eat You?

 Eating in literature has more meaning than just consuming the energy. In literature, the act of eating is used to create a family-like and loving feeling. Foster states, "Once again the act says, 'I'm with you, I share this moment with you, I feel a bond of community with you'" (Foster 11). In contrast, bad meal is seen a cold, strict, and lack of love. Foster says, "If a well run meal or snack portends good things for community and understanding, the the failed meal scands as a bad sign" (Foster 11). This is what Gregor and his family was like in the Metamorphosis. Since Gregor was so busy working, he didn't spend his time with his family, resulting in a failed meal. The family lacked understanding and communication,

(an image of family dinner)

(an image of bad dinner)

Foster also talks about vampirism in literature. He suggests, "But it's also about things other than literal vampirism: selfishness, exploitation, a refusal to respect the autonomy of other people, just for starters" (Foster 16). Foster states that vampires are not just bloodsucking monsters but also portrait cruel instincts of human. Gregor's family is a form of vampire because although they look like humans, they have sucked blood, in this case, money, from their son Gregor. "The essentials of the vampire story, as we discussed earlier: an older figure representing corrupt, outworn values; ...a stripping away from her youth, energy, value" (Foster 19). Gregor as a young man supports his family financially. His parents, like vampires, sucks Gregor's youth and energy. 

(an image of Gregor's family from The Metamorphosis)

Empathy for Gregor

The Emphatic Civilisation by Jeremy Rifkin, according to the research in Italy, human are "soft wired" which means being able to feel what others feel. At first human could feel the feelings within their tribal group, then religious group, and then a national society. Moreover from the incident in Haiti, Rifkin states people living far away from Haiti felt empathetic toward the Haitian. Rifkin also points out that human gene traces back to a single woman and a single man, which means all human population are connected. What Rifkin tells the viewers is called "existentialism." Existentialism is a philosophical theory that being human starts with feeling the emotions of others.

(an image)

Kierkegaard and Sartre are philosophers who introduced this idea. Kierkegaard is considered to be the first existentialism philosopher. His works focused on the importance of personal choice ans commitment. Sartre is also a writer who wrote about existentialism.

Then how does this term related to Kafka's The Metamorphosis? Kafka is a modernist writer who criticized how inhumane people are due to their commitment to jobs. Kafka constantly points out the fact that Gregor, the main character, has no connections with his family. Although Gregor feels what his family feels, his family cannot feel what Gregor feels. Kafka illustrates Gregor's family as inhumane beings. Kafka formats his work that way to bring empathy to Gregor, in other words, to bring humanism back.