Siddhartha
Chapters 1-2
Chapter 1
 What perspective is the book written
from?
 What are three characteristics that
embody Siddhartha thus far in Chapters
1-2?
 How does Govinda feel about Siddhartha?
 On page 5, find elements of
personification. To what does Siddhartha
compare what to? Why?
Chapter 1
How is Siddhartha feeling? What is
he missing in life?
What does Siddhartha question as
he analyzes the fact that his quench
for knowledge might be insatiable?
What do you think he means by,
“your soul is the whole world?” Do
you agree? Disagree? Why or why
not?
Chapter 1
What does Siddhartha do to
quench his thirst?
Why do you think Siddhartha is
so stubborn with his father?
What gives his father the
motivation to grant his request?
Samana
One who lives a life of piety and
self-denial, free of possessions and
desires.
Referred to as the aesthetics
Samanas are prevalent in both
Buddhism and Hinduism
The ones in the book are from the
Buddhism tradition
Non self
The concept of ridding yourself of
worldly desires and needs to get out
of yourself so that you can better
understand these questions:
Do I have a self? What am I? Do I
exist? Do I not exist?
If there is no self, what is the cause
of suffering? Who does the suffering
Who receives the results of karma?
Cause of suffering according to
Buddha
 Difference between skillful and unskillful
action
Skillful action leads to longer term
happiness
Unskillful action leads to suffering
 The non self allows people to stop
suffering because they are not taking on
actions themselves. They are out of
themselves.
Chapter 2
 What did Siddhartha have to do in the
beginning of Chapter 2 with the Samanas?
 What was Siddhartha’s goal in becoming a
Siddhartha? How do you see this same
goal play out in modern society?
 What is he talking about when he
embodies/compares himself to various
animals? Why does he do so?
What do you make of this
passage?
 “…all were not worth a passing glance, everything lied,
stank of lies; they were all illusions of sense, happiness,
and beauty. All were doomed to decay. The world tasted
bitter. Life was pain” (Hesse 14).
 What do you think of this passage? Do you agree? Do
you disagree? Why or why not?
What leads to suffering?
What causes you to suffer? What
frustrates you in your life? Why do
other people suffer in the world?
How do people cope with suffering?
Journal for ½ page
With your shoulder partner, share
your response
As a class, let’s discuss
Chapter 2
 What did Siddhartha learn from the
Samanas?
 What does Siddhartha question about the
Samanas? Why does he want to leave?
 Why is the Buddha gaining popularity?
Why does the eldest Somana question his
legitimacy?
 What does Siddhartha do to the eldest
Samana? What does that reveal?
Homework
Tomorrow we will meditate
“Awakening” and “Gotama” chapters
due for Wednesday (through page
42)
There will be a quiz over part one of
the book on Wednesday
Homework for tomorrow
 Read Chapters 8-9 (to page 100) for tomorrow
 There will be a quiz over Chapters 7-10
 Multiple Choice
Chapter 5
 What is the dream with Govinda symbolic of? What is its
larger meaning?
 How does Kamala compare what she is doing to a
Samana?
 What is Kamala’s character like? What are some positive
and negative characteristics?
 What does Siddhartha like about the material world?
How does this change/reinforce our understanding of
him as a character?
Chapter 6
 Why does Siddhartha emphasize, “I fast, I think, I wait”? What does
he mean by this? What does this mean to you?
 What did Siddhartha learn from the business world? What was he
actually interested in learning about? What did he gain from this
experience?
 Did he feel fulfilled in it? Did he ever feel fully connected to these
people? Why do you think that is?
 What did he despise in the material world? Why?
 On pg. 69, paragraph 2 (first full paragraph) Why do you think
Siddhartha is so harsh in this paragraph? What does that reveal
about his mental state or his character?
 Do you think that only “ordinary people can love?”
Chapter 7
 To what does Siddhartha compare his soul to? Why? What does he
mean?
 What did he envy about the people in the material world?
 What did he learn from the people in the material world?
 Why do you think Siddhartha believes that passion is so closely
related to death? What is his reasoning? Do you agree or disagree?
Why?
 What did Siddhartha lose in the process of being in the material
world?
 How is Siddhartha like the song bird at the end of the chapter? Why
is this figurative language used?
Chapter 8
 How did Siddhartha feel after he woke up? How did this differ from
before he fell asleep?
 Does Govinda recognize Siddhartha in the beginning? What is the
significance/purpose of them crossing paths this way?
 What realization does Siddhartha come to after seeing Govinda?
 What phase of life does Siddhartha put himself in after his long
sleep?
 What is the irony with the river? What does it symbolize?
 Does Siddhartha feel purpose in his journey so far?
 What is Siddhartha saying when he refers to the bird within himself?