Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

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Siddharthaby Hermann Hesse
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A. Introduction

1. East and West
2. The Big Picture

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A. Introduction

• Hermann Hesse
• a. Biographical
• 1. writer of moral
• stories
• until WWI?
• breakdown
• 2. therapy with Jung

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A. Introduction

• 3. Becomes a new person (Emil Sinclair?
• (narrator / author of Demian)
• 4. Gains an interest in
• Buddhism

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B. Major Themes Finding Happiness in Life, one
must follow ones own path

• 1. Rebellion against the parent
• Dont follow teachers
• (and watch your
• parking meters)

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B. Major Themes

• The seduction of Samsara (materialism and
  pleasure)
• The journey of life
• the road to
• wisdom

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Major Themes

• 5. The Zen of Life
• a.
• b.
• 6. The Illusion of Time (see
• Road to Nowhere video)
• the river

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B. Major Themes

• 7. Freedom I can think, I can wait, I can
  fast.

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C. Characters

• 1. Siddharthathe seeker
• a.
• b.
• 2. Govindathe friend (Jungs shadow)
• a.
• b.
• c.

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C. Characters

• Kamala
• a.
• b.
• c.
• d.

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C. Characters

• Kamaswami
• a.
• b.
• Vasudiva
• a.
• b.

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D. Symbolism

• Animal symbolism
• a. birds
• b. the dead jackel
• c. The snake
• --bird / hare (41 or 22)
• --Kamalas death (111)

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D. Symbolism

• The star (41/23 and 84)
• a. Qualities (stardust, celestial, radiate not
  relfect, the universe)
• b. Leaving the father (10 or 5/6)

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D. Symbolism

• The Tree
• Meanings in general
• The banyan tree (8 or 4)
• Forest of the Samanas (12 or 7)
• Grove of the Buddha (31-36 or 15/16)
• Last love with Kamala (conception-80 or 43)
• Exit from Samsara (82 or 44)
• Coconut tree by river (88 or )

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D. Symbolism

• 4. The Dream (universal sub-conscious)

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D. Symbolism

• 5. The river

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E. Structure

• 1. The Journey
• 2. The Symbolic Landscape
• Samanas river The City

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F. Conclusion

• 1. The Power of the bookwhy it still affects
  readers
• 2. The Search for Meaningwhy bother?
• Wisdom
• Appreciation (eternal gratitude to the past
• eternal appreciation of
  the present
• eternal responsibility
  to the future