Siddhartha Journey - Essay Example

It is the only experience that allowed Siddhartha to get an understanding. From the book, students ought to learn various lessons. As depicted in the novel, many students take everything their seniors and teachers tell them for granted. They neither get to listen nor practice. As stipulated, Siddhartha does not settle on hearing brahmin’s Hindu teachings. Siddhartha comes to realize that there is more than old men can teach him after they had taught him everything they knew. Siddhartha looks at the teaching as limited because many questions are unanswered. Likewise, many students question whatever advice they are given. Siddhartha’s father, brahmin, tries to advise his son not to leave their home into the world (Hesse 45). Siddhartha pleads with his father who later heeds his plea. He then leaves while his father wonders why his son does not concur with the Hindu teachings.

Siddhartha, too, realizes that his questions cannot be answered by Samana’s teachings. He then believes that his questions can never be answered by learning the teachings as they are knowledgeable or ideas from others. Thus, he wants to come up with knowledge. Some students usually go their way to discover their way of doing things ignoring those taught by their seniors. As friends may disagree, Govinda disagrees with Siddhartha over the teachings and opts to follow the Samana teachings with the belief that they may help him draw closer to answers (Hesse 77-78). The students too do not have to follow everything a friend says.

Siddhartha admires Buddha as he seems to have achieved enlightenment though he wishes not to become his follower. He continues his journey to pursue self-discovery and knowledge to be enlightened. Siddhartha embraces the world logically taking everything as it is other than taking it as his teachers portrayed it as an illusion. Siddhartha further decides to appreciate his bodily desires through lovemaking. Despite Kamala being chosen as the instructor, Siddhartha is not inexperienced, thus, he fears women (Hesse 89). Therefore, he seeks experience instead of studying Hindu scriptures. This is the same way many youths engage in sex while in a school other than concentrating on their education.

Siddhartha, too, meets Kamaswami who turns him into a merchant as Kamala continues to instruct him in lovemaking. He feels he is not with the right people. This is the mistake many students make by choosing the wrong friends and then regret it later. Siddhartha and his lover come to know each other more. Siddhartha becomes a better lover while Kamala becomes increasingly spiritual. Likewise, Siddhartha may lose direction like other students (Hesse 109).

Some students, like Govinda, will remain undeterred and will follow their education and take life not as a trail, as Siddhartha did, enjoying every pleasure of the world. Siddhartha realizes that life is a cycle of nature. Many students regret later after wasting their time.