Siddhartha Recurring Themes

             Over the course of Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse shows the theme of teaching/learning  through cyclical juxtaposition . Siddhartha has many teachers over the course of the book, this quote is talking about one of his teachers (The Buddha) and his teaching. Hesse writes “the Sublime One spoke, preaching the four basic principles , preaching the eightfold path. Patiently he trod the familiar path of his doctrine, of the examples, the repetitions"(26). While this quote does no specifically adress Siddhartha's past teachings it references by using phrases such as "familar path," or, "the repetitions." Many times earlier in the book Siddhartha has been the receiver of teachings and it is emphasized in this quote. Later in the book, after Siddhartha realizes he no longer desires any teaching, Hesse writes about Siddhartha's state. Hesse says,"Part of him was no longer present; the desire to have teachers and hear doctrine"(33). The quote shows that Siddhartha has broken the cycle of new teachers and teachings with the phrase, " Part of him was no longer present; the desire to have teachers and hear doctrine." Throughout Siddhartha, Hesse shows Siddhartha going through a cycle of teachers with juxtaposition until Siddhartha breaks the cycle willfully.
             
                Throughout Siddhartha, repetition, used by Hermann Hesse, depicts the recurring theme questions and anwers. Siddhartha repeatedly questions himself on multiple occasions. Siddhartha says, "What is meditation? What is abandonment of the body? What is fasting? What is the holding of breath?” (14). In this quote alone Siddhartha asks 4 seperate questions over the course of 4 sentences, "What is meditation? What is abandonment of the body? What is fasting? What is the holding of breath?," The quote shows how repetition is used with questioning to solidify the theme of questioning. Later in the book, Siddhartha feels as if he has answered some questions and again it is presented with repetition. Siddhartha says, “I was afraid of myself, I was fleeing from myself, I was seeking Brahman, Atman, I wished to destroy myself to get away from myself, in order to find the unknown innermost, the nucleus of all things…” (32). Siddhartha makes multiple statements in a row adressing his former questions,  “I was afraid of myself, I was fleeing from myself..." Hesse depicts the theme of answers with repetition throughout Siddhartha.

The Power of the Mind

                    The thoughts in one's brain is reality. In my experiences in life I've discovered that many physical things that translate to thoughts, like pain,  can be contolled. One of the many times when I sprained my ankle horribly I realized I consciously felt no pain simply because I chose to think I felt no pain. Despite being physically maimed and aware of it, I knew that pain was just a reaction, a signal nerves in  my body sent to my brain that was disregarded. Thought is the only lens with which people can sense physical things."Thought is real; physical is the illusion". The idea of "physical is the illusion" is very true for animals, like ourselves, because physical things are not what we sense. We sense physical things through the filter of our mind. Thought is reality because it is all we sense, physical is the illusion because it just influences thought.