Siddhartha 559forehead, Govinda is able to find the oneness and
peace that Siddhartha has already achieved, within
himself and with his surroundings.
Christine Rinne
individual and Society in Siddhartha
Siddhartha grows up with his family, in a Brahman
community, and he must venture out of its confines
in order to obtain the wisdom he seeks. He initially
believes that withdrawal and social seclusion will
offer the solution, then tries living in a large, diverse
society, but he comes to learn that moderation leads
to his happiness. Siddhartha encounters many types
of people throughout his lengthy journey for peace,
and he uses these experiences and interactions to
decide how and where to spend the remainder of his
life. It is only later in life, while living with Vasudeva,
that he is able to achieve a balance between these two
communal extremes, to understand himself and his
environs better, and successfully to conclude his quest.
As a young man Siddhartha decides that he
must leave his parents and friends to be happy, and
he thinks that he can best achieve this in isolation.
He and Govinda renounce material possessions and
live secludedly as monks for three years. However,
Siddhartha concludes that he must actively experi-
ence what he is being taught in order to truly learn
and attain wisdom. After seeing Kamala, he decides
to reenter society so that she can teach him about
the art of love. Though he does well as a mer-
chant, which allows him to meet Kamala’s material
demands, he does not always follow his mentor
Kamaswami’s advice; Siddhartha is concerned about
more than simply making a profit. Instead, he uses
these opportunities to get to know the people whom
he encounters, to learn about their motivations, val-
ues, and beliefs. Through this process he identifies
qualities that he finds both helpful and harmful, in
others and himself. After becoming a gambler Sid-
dhartha has what he labels an empty life, until he
has a dream about a dead caged bird. It inspires him
to abandon this lifestyle as well and once more seek
meaning. He briefly considers committing suicide
because he cannot find solace or enticement any-
where or in anything or anyone, but he is halted by
the sacred om, which again evokes tranquillity and
serenity in him.
Once Siddhartha experiences both extremes,
full withdrawal from as well as complete submer-
sion in society, he is able to find a medium, a place
where he interacts with those around him, yet
also has the solitude he enjoys. After sleeping by
the river Siddhartha sees Govinda, by whom he is
reminded that his inability to love has made him
ill. Thus when Siddhartha encounters Vasudeva,
he accepts his friend’s offer and stays with him. He
lives and works with the wise man, and it is here
that Siddhartha is able to achieve some balance. He
learns a new trade and has contact with those who
employ his services, but he is not diverted by the
negative aspects that had temporarily amused, yet
also distracted him previously. It is also during this
period that Siddhartha discovers he is a father and
tries to establish his own family. His son, however,
is unwilling to adapt to a simpler lifestyle, and Sid-
dhartha, like his own father, must learn to let the
boy go. Because of Vasudeva’s beneficial influence,
Siddhartha learns to listen to the river as Vasudeva
does and heed its guidance. Once while looking
into the water he sees the faces of all who are dear
to him: his father, himself, his son, Govinda, and
Kamala. Their images and voices unite and he
finally achieves oneness. He is also able to pass on
this treasure, which he is able to achieve largely
because of the lessons he learns from Vasudeva, to
Govinda. Although Siddhartha loses many people
who are important in his life and development,
including Vasudeva, Kamala, and his son, their
influence permits him to achieve contentment after
decades of longing and searching.
The story concludes with Siddhartha aiding
Govinda to also obtain oneness, and the reader is
not explicitly told what comes of these two friends,
whose paths have yet again crossed. However, they
have both finally achieved what they spent their lives
in search of: peace with themselves and their sur-
roundings. Siddhartha’s path was long and diverse,
and included numerous types of societies. It is
because of what he learns from each experience that
he is finally able to achieve wisdom and happiness.
Siddhartha has to find a balance between himself
and his surroundings, and learn moderation and
acceptance.
Christine Rinne