Chapter 9: The Ferryman Feraco Search for Human Potential 18 October 2011.

Chapter 9: Chapter 9: The FerrymanThe FerrymanFeracoFeraco

Search for Human PotentialSearch for Human Potential

18 October 201118 October 2011

In “The Ferryman,” Siddhartha’s back at the In “The Ferryman,” Siddhartha’s back at the same river, looking for the same man – restarting same river, looking for the same man – restarting the cycle that he messed up the first timethe cycle that he messed up the first time

River as Exhibit A for the Three Universal Truths: River as Exhibit A for the Three Universal Truths: “But today he only saw one of the river’s secrets, “But today he only saw one of the river’s secrets, one that gripped his soul. He saw that the water one that gripped his soul. He saw that the water continually flowed and flowed and yet it was continually flowed and flowed and yet it was always there; it was always the same and yet always there; it was always the same and yet every moment it was new. Who could understand every moment it was new. Who could understand [or] conceive of this? He did not understand it; he [or] conceive of this? He did not understand it; he was only aware of a dim suspicion, a faint was only aware of a dim suspicion, a faint memory, divine voices” (83)memory, divine voices” (83)

Anicca and anatta: non-self, capacity for Anicca and anatta: non-self, capacity for reinvention, responsiveness to what’s around it, reinvention, responsiveness to what’s around it, etc.etc.

SiddharthaSiddhartha

SiddharthaSiddhartha Clothing plays an important role in indicating Clothing plays an important role in indicating

Siddhartha’s stages of identitySiddhartha’s stages of identity Siddhartha has decent clothes in the village, Siddhartha has decent clothes in the village,

trades them in for a loincloth as a Samana, trades them in for a loincloth as a Samana, gets some gets some nicenice clothes in the town, etc. clothes in the town, etc.

““Oh, you would soon lose your taste for Oh, you would soon lose your taste for [ferryman’s work]. It is not for people in fine [ferryman’s work]. It is not for people in fine clothes,” [Vasudeva replied]. Siddhartha clothes,” [Vasudeva replied]. Siddhartha laughed. “I have already been judged by my laughed. “I have already been judged by my clothes today and regarded with suspicion. clothes today and regarded with suspicion. Will you accept these clothes from me, which Will you accept these clothes from me, which I find a nuisance?” (83-84)I find a nuisance?” (83-84) In short, his old identity doesn’t “fit” him In short, his old identity doesn’t “fit” him

anymoreanymore

He’s starting from scratch, as his clothing He’s starting from scratch, as his clothing seems to indicate great wealth that his seems to indicate great wealth that his frustration beliesfrustration belies

In reality, his old life left him with nothing of In reality, his old life left him with nothing of valuevalue

Reflect back on the Kamaswami conversation Reflect back on the Kamaswami conversation to open “Amongst the People” for a to open “Amongst the People” for a comparisoncomparison

Siddhartha wishes to “learn how to handle the Siddhartha wishes to “learn how to handle the boat” – i.e., learn how to navigate through lifeboat” – i.e., learn how to navigate through life

Vasudeva wants to know why he’s “tired of his Vasudeva wants to know why he’s “tired of his fine clothes” – i.e., why he’s so eager to abandon fine clothes” – i.e., why he’s so eager to abandon his old life and identityhis old life and identity

So Siddhartha talks, and talks, and talks…So Siddhartha talks, and talks, and talks…


““It was one of the ferryman’s greatest It was one of the ferryman’s greatest virtues that, like few people, he knew how virtues that, like few people, he knew how to listen…Siddhartha felt how wonderful it to listen…Siddhartha felt how wonderful it was to have such a listener who could be was to have such a listener who could be absorbed in another person’s life, his absorbed in another person’s life, his strivings, his sorrows.”strivings, his sorrows.”

Listening implies a focus on others, Listening implies a focus on others, whereas talking implies a focus on one’s whereas talking implies a focus on one’s selfself

If you spend all of your time focusing on If you spend all of your time focusing on yourself, it’s impossible to see the yourself, it’s impossible to see the connections between yourself and the connections between yourself and the world around youworld around you


It’s one of the reasons that desire It’s one of the reasons that desire (and the consequent suffering) (and the consequent suffering) prevents people from seeing the prevents people from seeing the deeper meaning in their lives: you’re deeper meaning in their lives: you’re so caught up in what’s happening to so caught up in what’s happening to you that you miss out on the you that you miss out on the perspective that shows you what’s perspective that shows you what’s really happeningreally happening

That perspective requires you to be That perspective requires you to be aware of how you fit within a larger aware of how you fit within a larger whole; what kind of puzzle piece are whole; what kind of puzzle piece are you?you?


By continually viewing himself as By continually viewing himself as superior to and separate from others superior to and separate from others – when he really isn’t - Siddhartha – when he really isn’t - Siddhartha always misunderstands how he fitsalways misunderstands how he fits

As a result, he can’t find the peace As a result, he can’t find the peace and enlightenment he seeksand enlightenment he seeks

Notice how often characters Notice how often characters misunderstand others’ words, misunderstand others’ words, actions, or desires; they’re trying to actions, or desires; they’re trying to figure out how they fit the puzzle as figure out how they fit the puzzle as wellwell


One more thing of note: Hesse One more thing of note: Hesse exaggerates how rarely Vasudeva speaks, exaggerates how rarely Vasudeva speaks, or how little he knows; he speaks when or how little he knows; he speaks when there’s something worth saying, as seen there’s something worth saying, as seen in Chapter 10in Chapter 10

As we’ve mentioned before, he doesn’t As we’ve mentioned before, he doesn’t need to speak often – he’s enlightened!need to speak often – he’s enlightened!

In short, you speak when you’re trying to In short, you speak when you’re trying to figure things out; when you know, you figure things out; when you know, you listenlisten How different would education be if we How different would education be if we

operated the class this way?operated the class this way? Socratic methods…Socratic methods…


Vasudeva insists that he learned to Vasudeva insists that he learned to listen from the river, and that listen from the river, and that Siddhartha will learn as wellSiddhartha will learn as well

They spend a lot of time together – They spend a lot of time together – the book essentially passes over the book essentially passes over twelve years in a “montage” heretwelve years in a “montage” here You’d think this means Siddhartha’s You’d think this means Siddhartha’s

wasting his time, but he’s really just wasting his time, but he’s really just recoveringrecovering

The chapter resumes with Kamala’s The chapter resumes with Kamala’s ill-fated voyage to see Gotama ill-fated voyage to see Gotama before he passes awaybefore he passes away


She’s beholden to her son, a deeply She’s beholden to her son, a deeply spoiled child of eleven, and he’s spoiled child of eleven, and he’s essentially dragged along on the tripessentially dragged along on the trip Constantly complaining, he often pulls Kamala Constantly complaining, he often pulls Kamala

off the pathoff the path

It is, perhaps, a bitter irony that Kamala is It is, perhaps, a bitter irony that Kamala is trapped by the connections she forms – trapped by the connections she forms – she who, according to Siddhartha, cannot she who, according to Siddhartha, cannot lovelove

Eventually, his selfishness leads to her Eventually, his selfishness leads to her death: the black snake, that old symbol of death: the black snake, that old symbol of desire and temptation, poisons her while desire and temptation, poisons her while he eatshe eats


She lives long enough to see She lives long enough to see Siddhartha again, and their parting Siddhartha again, and their parting is bittersweetis bittersweet

Siddhartha still doesn’t care for her Siddhartha still doesn’t care for her as much as she does for him, but he as much as she does for him, but he reassures her in her last moments; reassures her in her last moments; in his own broken way, he does love in his own broken way, he does love herher

The chapter ends with Kamala’s The chapter ends with Kamala’s funeral pyre and burial, and the funeral pyre and burial, and the readers are left hoping she’ll have readers are left hoping she’ll have better luck next timebetter luck next time


Chapter 9: The Ferryman Feraco Search for Human Potential 18 October 2011.

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Transcript of Chapter 9: The Ferryman Feraco Search for Human Potential 18 October 2011.