Showing Knowledge and Wisdom with Symbols.
Herman Hesse's Siddhartha is about a boy who, by gaining wisdom from experiences, is able to reach nirvana. While on his journey, Siddhartha must learn the truth about the world (maya) around him. After following the teachings of the Samanas and seeing the Buddha, Gotama, himself, he realizes that the path to nirvana cannot be taught, but must be found by one through their experiences. He experiences many things in his journey such as love and desire, the business world of merchants, being a father, and a simple ferryman by the river, all of which he gains much wisdom. Hesse uses various symbols to reveal how knowledge can be communicable, but wisdom must be gained through experience.
One of Hesse's symbols is the separation of Siddhartha and his father and Siddhartha and his son. The Brahmins have taught everything of their knowledge and Siddhartha feels he must leave the Brahmans in order to find his own path to nirvana. He encounters a group of Samanas, and decides to join them on their journey, even though he sees they are thin, worn-out and strange. Siddhartha's father reluctantly allows him to leave because he feels a displeasure in his heart. Siddhartha remained standing for several hours until his father realizes "that Siddhartha could no longer remain with him at home-that he had already left him"(9). Later in the novel Siddhartha's wife, Kamala, dies and he is left to take the care of their son. The son, being raised in a rich environment with his mother, does not like the simple life of Siddhartha, and takes every opportunity to disobey him. After a few months of ongoing arguments the son flees from home. Despite his friend, Vasudeva's advice, Siddhartha tries to pursue his son but finally realizes "that the desire that had driven him to this place was foolish, that he could not help his son, that he should not force himself on him"(103).
