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Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse
Guided Reading Questions
Part I, Chapter 1: The Brahmins Son
1.
How did Govinda feel about the average Brahmin?
2.
What was Siddhartha searching for when he left home to join the Samanas?
Part I, Chapter 2: With the Samanas
3.
How did the eldest Samana react to the Buddha when rumors of this new holy man reached him in
the forest?
4.
Compare and contrast Siddhartha’s departure from the Samanas with his departure from his father.
Part I, Chapter 3: Gotama
5.
How did Siddhartha recognize the Buddha when they first met?
6.
How did Siddhartha and Govinda separate to go their own ways?
7.
What flaw did Siddhartha discover in the teachings of the Buddha?
8.
Why didn’t Siddhartha become a follower of the Buddha?
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Part I, Chapter 4: Awakening
9.
When did Siddhartha realize that he was no longer a youth?
10.
After leaving the Buddhists, Siddhartha admitted that he still did not know anything about himself.
What reason did he give for his failure?
11.
How did Siddhartha feel after he came to the conclusion that he must learn from himself?
Part II, Chapter 5: Kamala
12.
How do you interpret the dream Siddhartha had at the ferryman’s hut just after leaving the
Buddhists?
13.
Why did Siddhartha cut off his beard before presenting himself to Kamala?
14.
In what ways did Siddhartha reveal his naivete during his initial conversation with Kamala?
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Part II, Chapter 6: Amongst the People
15.
How did Siddhartha distinguish between lacking possessions and being in need? Was Siddhartha
completely truthful when he told Kamaswami that he was not in need?
16.
Was Siddhartha a good businessman? Explain.
17.
What values did Siddhartha derive from his experience as a businessman?
18.
Was Siddhartha a good lover? Explain.
Part II, Chapter 7: Samsara
19.
What is the meaning of Hesse’s simile about the potter’s wheel?
20.
In what ways are wealth and riches made to seem contemptuous goals for one’s life?
21.
Throughout this chapter and occasionally in other chapters, Siddhartha referred to the ordinary
people of the world as children. What did he mean?
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Part II, Chapter 8: By the River
22.
Why did Siddhartha want to kill himself?
23.
Why did Siddhartha eventually reject suicide?
24.
In the development of the novel, what purpose was served by the episode which first united
Siddhartha and Govinda by the river?
25.
Why did Siddhartha feel so exuberant when he awoke from his long sleep by the river?
Part II, Chapter 9: The Ferryman
26.
What is the significance of Vasudeva’s occupation as ferryman?
27.
What was the significance of Kamala’s accidental meeting with Siddhartha?
28.
How did Kamala know that Siddhartha had found peace?
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Part II, Chapter 10: The Son
29.
Why did the river laugh when Vasudeva asked what to do about Siddhartha’s son?
30.
What human emotion did Siddhartha discover as a result of his experience with his son?
31.
Why did the son say he would rather become a thief and murderer than be like his father?
32.
Why would Hesse describe Siddhartha’s emotional anguish over his son as a wound?
Part II, Chapter 11: Om
33.
After the experience with his son, how did Siddhartha change his view of ordinary people?
34.
How did Siddhartha differentiate between the wise man and the ordinary man? How did he define
wisdom?
35.
How was Siddhartha’s wound eventually healed?
36.
How significant was Vasudeva to Siddhartha’s quest? Explain.
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Part II, Chapter 12: Govinda
37.
Compare Govinda’s first and second reunions with Siddhartha. What did Siddhartha mean when he
said that Govinda was too much the seeker?
38.
What did Siddhartha tell Govinda when Govinda asked him to pass on the knowledge, doctrine, or
beliefs that guided his life?
39.
How did Govinda react to Siddhartha’s thoughts about life?
40.
What is the significance of all the forms and faces Govinda saw when he kissed Siddhartha on the
forehead?
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