Siddhartha
Study Guide
Themes:
Enlightenment
Learning is Personal
Experience is the only true teacher
The student becomes the master
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Motifs:
Love
Friendship
Family
Romantic
Epiphanies
Leading vs. Following
Denying Self vs. Embracing Self
Guidance: Inner vs. Exterior
Simplicity
Purity
What lessons does Siddhartha learn in each chapter?
Part One: The Denial of Self
The Son of the Brahman
With The Samanas
Gotama
Awakening
Part Two: Self Discovery
Kamala
With the Child-People
Samsara
By the River
The Ferryman
The Son
Om
Govinda
For Conversation:
(FROM SPARKNOTES)
1. Siddhartha features substantial activity and narrative action. At the same time, it is about one man’s
largely internal spiritual quest. What is the relationship between the internal and exterior worlds of
Siddhartha? How does Siddhartha negotiate these worlds?
2. Discuss the ways Siddhartha attempts to attain spiritual enlightenment. Which approaches are
successful? Which ones are not successful, and which ones have limited effectiveness? How does
Siddhartha progress from one approach to the other?