Study Guide for Siddhartha
English II – Mr. Sexton
The Brahmin’s Son
1. Why is Siddhartha unhappy?
2. Why is Govinda willing to follow Siddhartha?
3. How are the Samanas described?
4. How did Siddhartha convince his father? Why didn’t Siddhartha just go?
Thought question:
5. Why, in the center of this chapter, does Siddhartha string together 20 rhetorical questions?
With the Samanas
6. How does Siddhartha act when he is with the Samanas?
7. What is his goal?
8. How does Siddhartha meditate?
9. What frustrates Siddhartha?
10. Complete the quote: “I could have learned more quickly and easily…”
11. Who is Gotama?
12. What does Siddhartha do with the oldest Samana?
Thought questions:
13. When Siddhartha out-meditates the old Samana, how does the author show Siddhartha’s power?
Gotama
14. How is Gotama different from the Samanas?
15. How do Siddhartha and Govindarecognize Gotama?
16. Why does Govinda choose to join Gotama? Why won’t Siddhartha?
17. According to Siddhartha, how will he find enlightenment?
18. Gotama asks Siddhartha if his (Gotama’s) followers will also find enlightenment. How does Siddhartha respond?
19. What has the Buddha robbed from Siddhartha? What has the Buddha given?
Thought question:
20. Is Siddhartha arrogant? Explain.
Awakening
21. What does Siddhartha decide to study?
22. How is that the one field he has been ignorant in?
23. Siddhartha compares himself to a star. How is that so?
24. How is Siddhartha different now?
Thought question:
25. Why do you suppose the third sentence of the chapter is so long?
Kamala
26. How has Siddhartha’s point of view changed?
27. What dream does Siddhartha see?
28. What does Siddhartha think of the Ferryman and of the river?
29. Why doesn’t Siddhartha “ascend the tree” with the woman across the river?
30. What simile is used to describe the woman’s (Kamala’s) mouth? Why use that image?
31. How does Siddhartha prepare for Kamala? What does he want from her?
32. Why might the portrayal of Kamala be politically incorrect?
33. What three things can Siddhartha do?
34. When Siddhartha receives his first kiss, what price does he pay?
35. Who is Kamaswami?
Thought question:
36. How does Siddhartha compare himself to a stone?
Amongst the People
37. How does Siddhartha take control of the interview with Kamaswami?
38. In the end, does Kamaswami hire Siddhartha?
39. In your own words and thoughtfully, what did Kamala teach Siddhartha?
40. What makes Siddhartha good at business?
41. What does his four-day trip to the village show about Siddhartha?
42. What do you suppose a “Samana heart” is?
Thought question:
43. How are Siddhartha and Kamala similar?
Samsara
44. Does Siddhartha have a bad life?
45. What important things had Siddhartha learned?
46. What happened when the property finally became “a chain and a burden?”
47. How does Siddhartha’s dice playing echo his real life?
48. What was the Bird dream about?
49. Why does Siddhartha feel dead?
Thought questions:
50. Why is it important that Kamala is pregnant?
51. What are at least three of the major symbols or similes in this chapter?
By the River
52. Why does Siddhartha wish to kill himself?
53. What sound does Siddhartha hear? How does he react?
54. Who is sitting with Siddhartha when he wakes up?
Thought question:
55. How does the river work as a symbol (or archetype)?
The Ferryman & The Son
56. Kamala has a pretty weak role. How would the story be different if she were stronger? How would that change Siddhartha’s life and/or family?
57. What about Siddhartha would make him a lousy father?
58. How does young Sidd take advantage of the father?
59. Why doesn’t Siddhartha punish the boy (his son)?
60. Why is the river laughing?
61. How can love be “Samsara?”
62. Why does the son hate the father?
63. Why was the oar broken?
Thought questions:
64. In losing his son, what might Siddhartha have gained?
65. It’s OK to laugh at Siddhartha’s troubles in these chapters (I did). But what is ironic about his losses?
Om
66. What “wound” does Siddhartha have?
67. What is Siddhartha’s biggest change since becoming a ferryman?
68. What does the river do when Siddhartha goes to see his son? Whose reflection does he see?
69. Siddhartha and Vasudeva listen very, very closely to the river. What do they hear?
70. Where does Vasudeva go? (Not just to the woods.)
Thought question:
71. Although there is one more chapter left, the ultimate realization has come in this one. What is it?
Govinda
72. Why is there still restlessness in Govinda’s heart?
73. What is wrong with seeking, according to Siddhartha?
74. How can wisdom not be communicated?Can you communicate knowledge?
75. What is the symbolism of the stone?
76. How can Nirvana and Samsara be the same?
77. What does Govinda see Siddhartha do? What does this show of Siddhartha’s final change?
Thought question:
78. Could Siddhartha have become Buddha while sitting next to a freeway instead of a river?