The knowledge one possesses cannot simply be given to others. Rather, being guided by a familiar person allows you to acquire and interpret this knowledge. In his novel Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse tells the story of a young adult, Siddhartha, who sets out on a quest for enlightenment and fulfillment in life. Throughout the novel, Siddhartha constantly interacts with those around him, including Govinda, a lifelong friend, Vasudeva, the ferryman who is influential in Siddhartha's life, and his son, whom he meets many years after his birth. In this novel, Hesse conveys that the key to living a fulfilled and fulfilling existence is to learn and gain knowledge from others, connections, and in-depth interactions with those around them. He uses these interactions and connections of Siddhartha and those around him, including Vasudeva, Govinda, and his son, to convey this message. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The characterization of Siddhartha and those around him are important when considering how individuals do not have to learn in isolation, but rather how wisdom is guided and inspired by others. At the beginning of the journey, Govinda leaves Siddhartha to follow the Buddha. Ultimately, this leaves Siddhartha alone for part of his journey, but on the way to a small village he meets a ferryman, Vasudeva, who lives on the river. Siddhartha has no money to pay the ferryman for carrying him across the river, but the ferryman dismisses this because “Vasudeva did not expect any payment or gift from Siddhartha... Vasudeva also learned this from the river; everything comes back. Siddhartha, Samana, will also return. Now farewell, let his friendship be his reward. This part of the novel is very important for Siddhartha because it is the one in which he begins to walk a path of desires, to find his fulfillment. The kindness exercised by Vasudeva greatly reflects his character throughout the rest of the novel. Siddhartha is able to find comfort in Vasudeva's words, as he can move forward without payment. The word Vasudeva foreshadows not only the importance of the river in Siddhartha's journey, but also the fact that Siddhartha himself will return to the river. This foreshadowing and prediction is what can cause Vasudeva to be openly kind to Siddhartha, and that being said, it is the beginning of the friendship between the two. The very small connection the two have at this point allows Siddhartha to move forward and continue his journey towards fulfillment. Siddhartha's son runs away from him, and he "felt something die in his heart", sat down by the river and "sinked into the void, and let himself sink without seeing a way out". After a long time after his son had left him, Siddhartha was left alone with Vasudeva, sitting together by the river. While sitting by the river, “Vasudeva's smile was radiant; it hovered brightly in all the wrinkles of his old face... His smile was radiant as he looked at his friend, and now the same smile appeared on Siddhartha's face. His wound was healing, his pain was dissipating; his Self had merged into unity.” Human connections and relationships are necessary when your goal is to live a fulfilled and fulfilling existence. Between two individuals who may not know each other well, these connections are not that important; it is much easier to be guided by a known person, and this can be seen from the relationship that exists between Vasudeva and Siddhartha. Even so, the relationship that exists for a long period of time, such as the one with Govinda, is also important for theSiddhartha's journey. Siddhartha and Govinda are two teenagers who are inseparable at the beginning of the novel. The two have grown up together for most of their lives, which allows Govinda to "love him more than anyone else." As he became more mature, Siddhartha felt a disconnection among those around him and discontent with the path that had been paved for him. When he explains to Govinda how he will join the Samanas to find enlightenment, “Govinda turned pale hearing these words and reading the decision on his friend's determined face. Govinda understood from the first look at his friend's face that it was now starting... And he became pale as a dried banana peel." Although Govinda has always been close to Siddhartha, he does not believe that his friend has made such a decision. Since he cannot make this opinion known to Siddhartha, Govinda must follow Siddhartha's entire choice. This reaction is important because not only is it their disbelief in Siddhartha's decision, but this disbelief comes from a close friend and companion. Ultimately, Govinda knows that this day would come and that he would ultimately support Siddhartha wholeheartedly. This reaction does not end the relationship between the two, but rather strengthens it since Govinda follows Siddhartha. Even if Govinda does not fully support this idea, he must follow Siddhartha wholeheartedly, in order to keep their friendship alive, and push him forward towards the pursuit of enlightenment. At the end of the novel, Govinda, now following the Buddha, returns to the river, seeking "an old ferryman who lived near the river, a day's journey away, who may be considered a sage." To his surprise, Govinda finds Siddhartha again, and the two briefly reconcile, before Siddheartha expresses his opinion on how Govinda can seek the enlightenment the two began seeking in their youth. Siddhartha asks Govinda to kiss him on the forehead, Siddhartha smiles, “and Govinda saw that this mask smile, the smile of unity over flowing forms, this smile of simultaneity over thousands of births and deaths - this smile of Siddhartha - was exactly same as the calm, delicate, impenetrable, perhaps graceful, perhaps mocking, wise, thousand-fold smile of Gotama, the Budhha, as he perceived it with amazement a hundred times. It was thus, Govinda knew, that the Perfect One smiled." Although Siddhartha has difficulty explaining how to find enlightenment, when Govinda looks into his face, he has a sudden realization of what true enlightenment is. Siddhartha's goal to find his enlightenment is visible in his face and seen by Govinda. It is much easier to be guided towards enlightenment, rather than taught, and this can be seen through the interactions that occur between Siddhartha and those around him such as Vasudeva and Govinda, and their characterization. Even so, the relationship that exists between Siddhartha and those around him can be one-sided, just like the one that exists with his son. After the death of Kamala, the mother of his son, Siddhartha keeps his son under his wing. The relationship between the two is not the best, as the son is used to the materialistic and cynical way of living with his mother. One day, in a fit of anger, the boy says to Siddhartha: "he knows that Siddhartha continually punishes him and makes him feel small with Siddhartha's pity and indulgence... The son hates Siddhartha." Through this interaction with his son, Siddhartha learns that he cannot impose his knowledge on his son. The son constantly rejects Siddhartha, but is blinded by the eternal love he has for his son. Siddhartha is too blinded by the love he feels for his son and forgets to know that one cannot transfer knowledge to another. This outburst does not cause Siddhartha any difficulty, as he continues.