Siddhartha:Siddhartha: By the RiverBy the River

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17 October 201317 October 2013

““By the River” opens with Siddhartha By the River” opens with Siddhartha in turmoil, heading back in the direction of in turmoil, heading back in the direction of the river – essentially doubling back on the river – essentially doubling back on himself, cycle-wise.himself, cycle-wise.

A quick review of the book’s A quick review of the book’s geography is in order here. geography is in order here.

There are forests on both sides of the There are forests on both sides of the river. river.

Siddhartha comes out of one (where Siddhartha comes out of one (where his village is located), crosses the river, his village is located), crosses the river, and moves through the other into the and moves through the other into the town.town.

Now he’s back in the woods, which Now he’s back in the woods, which (although they also represent other things (although they also represent other things here) are an archetypal symbol of loss and here) are an archetypal symbol of loss and confusion.confusion.

Siddhartha spends the first Siddhartha spends the first couple of pages praying for, wishing couple of pages praying for, wishing for, for, cravingcraving his own death. his own death.

But such a desire is silly; what’s But such a desire is silly; what’s he running from that death will he running from that death will solve?solve?

Moreover, what’s he running Moreover, what’s he running from that living can’t?from that living can’t?

There’s no plan here – he’s a 1-There’s no plan here – he’s a 1-year-old running for the front door year-old running for the front door on impulse.on impulse.

He’s about to throw himself in He’s about to throw himself in the river when he hears the sound of the river when he hears the sound of Om – the reverberation of the Om – the reverberation of the connection between all living things connection between all living things – humming in his soul and the river, – humming in his soul and the river, and he stops himself.and he stops himself.

Instead, he plunges into a deep Instead, he plunges into a deep sleep, and when he awakens, the sleep, and when he awakens, the first sound he hears is the water of first sound he hears is the water of the river.the river.

That combination – the river and That combination – the river and Om – will prove to be Om – will prove to be extremelyextremely important later, especially in important later, especially in Chapter 11.Chapter 11.

Siddhartha felt as though a Siddhartha felt as though a decade had passed when he decade had passed when he awakens; it doesn’t quite make up awakens; it doesn’t quite make up for the two decades he lost, but it’s for the two decades he lost, but it’s a good starting point.a good starting point.

Hesse slyly says “he had not Hesse slyly says “he had not slept like that for a long time,” slept like that for a long time,” hearkening back to his original hearkening back to his original awakening in the fourth chapter.awakening in the fourth chapter.

We’re now in Chapter 8, and the We’re now in Chapter 8, and the cycle’s spun ‘round again.cycle’s spun ‘round again.

““On awakening, he looked at the On awakening, he looked at the world like a new man…Never had a sleep world like a new man…Never had a sleep so refreshed him, so renewed him, so so refreshed him, so renewed him, so rejuvenated him! Perhaps he had really rejuvenated him! Perhaps he had really died, perhaps he had been drowned and died, perhaps he had been drowned and was reborn in another form. No, he was reborn in another form. No, he recognized himself, he recognized the recognized himself, he recognized the hands and feet, the place where he lay hands and feet, the place where he lay and the Self in his breast. Siddhartha, and the Self in his breast. Siddhartha, self-willed, individualistic. But this self-willed, individualistic. But this Siddhartha was somehow changed, Siddhartha was somehow changed, renewed.”renewed.”

We’re into the fourth shell now.We’re into the fourth shell now.

Gradually, Siddhartha realizes that Gradually, Siddhartha realizes that someone’s watching him: Govinda, his someone’s watching him: Govinda, his long-lost childhood companion.long-lost childhood companion.

As we’ve mentioned before, As we’ve mentioned before, Govinda’s a midwife here.Govinda’s a midwife here.

He helps Siddhartha emerge from one He helps Siddhartha emerge from one shell and come out on the other side.shell and come out on the other side.

When there’s a beginning, Govinda’s When there’s a beginning, Govinda’s there: he’s there for the beginning of each there: he’s there for the beginning of each Shell (in the forest, with the Samanas, in Shell (in the forest, with the Samanas, in Gotama’s grove, here, and at the end).Gotama’s grove, here, and at the end).

It’s just another way for the book to It’s just another way for the book to reinforce the cycle motif.reinforce the cycle motif.

For the first time in a long time, For the first time in a long time, Siddhartha doesn’t feel nauseated – Siddhartha doesn’t feel nauseated – the book’s favorite signal of inner the book’s favorite signal of inner turmoil, with one’s system rebelling turmoil, with one’s system rebelling from the inside out.from the inside out.

He realizes that he’s lost the He realizes that he’s lost the ability to think, wait, and fast – ability to think, wait, and fast – everything that once made him everything that once made him proud as a younger man – without proud as a younger man – without even realizing it.even realizing it.

Once again: Kirkegaard…Once again: Kirkegaard…

And yet he stands again as he did at And yet he stands again as he did at the end of Chapter 4, after leaving the end of Chapter 4, after leaving Gotama, the Samanas, and his village Gotama, the Samanas, and his village behind: free of attachments, free of behind: free of attachments, free of possessions, free of everything.possessions, free of everything.

Page 78 is too long to jam into a Page 78 is too long to jam into a single slide, but the whole page is single slide, but the whole page is essentially quotable; it’s a very cogent essentially quotable; it’s a very cogent summary of everything that’s gone summary of everything that’s gone before.before.

And it poses a fantastic question: If And it poses a fantastic question: If you’ve lost everything that’s come before, you’ve lost everything that’s come before, if you have to rebuild an entire if you have to rebuild an entire existence…where do you begin?existence…where do you begin?