Reading Blog #4 Siddhartha

After reading the last section of the book I had one connection. In this last section Siddhartha talks about how after trying to find his son, he recalls his father. He remembers how his father mourned because his son was leaving him, and now he found himslef in the same situation. He mourning the fact that his son left. I connect this to my own parents. 

Though I am just in ninth grade, they are already talking about how they are going to miss me when I leave to college and possibly to start my life somwhere else.  This quote from the text shows Siddhartha's thoughts: "Had his father not also suffered the same pain that he was now suffering for his own?" Clearly shows him reflectioning about his situation and recalling his father's pain when he left. Another thing this makes me think about is my own self. Siddhartha's father was probably mourning for him as my parents will eventually do when I leave, because he knows that Siddhartha is very independent and will leave home to seek his dream and achieve his goals. I am very similar to Siddhartha in this particular apsect. I always wanted to leave home and chase my dreams and achieve my goals. I knew that my future was simply not here in Colombia. My future lied somewhere else. Siddhartha also knew that in order to achieve what he wanted he had do depart. He had to embarck his own journey in order to experience life and work hard to reach his goal. I believe that in order to achieve your personal goals you have to work independently, but of curse with some basics and teachings before you take this bold step. Siddhartha is also like this. He believed that teachings would not make him achieve his goal so he left home in search for it. 

This last section made me think of how Siddhartha was similar to me. I found that the story of this one man could be really similar to my own. I am independent and want to leave home in search of my dreams and goals just like Buddha did. I picture myself in a little while persecuting my most wild dreams and achieving them by myself. The Enlightened-One achieved it, and I believe that anyone can if they work hard and be independent. Do not let any person tell you what to do or what to be. Be yourself, seek your own goals, chase your own dreams. This way you will suceed in life and become "Buddha" just as Siddhartha. 

Siddhartha Reading Blog #3

As I read through the third section of the book, there were many vocabulary words that emerged which I didn't know, and thought was interesting to get the definition. These are the words, their definitions and pictures that represent those words. 

1. Besmirched- to soil; tarnish; discolor. 
   
   
   
   2. Om- a mantric word thought to be the complete expression of Brahman and interpreted as having three sounds representing Brahma or creation, Vishnu or preservation, and Siva or destruction. 
   
   
   
   3. Oblivion- the state of being completely forgotten or unknown. 
   
   
   
   4. Sluggish- indisposed to action or exertion; lacking of energy; lazy; indolent.
   
   
   
   5. Sojourn- to stay for a time in a place, live temporarily. 
   
   
   
   6. Sulky- noun: a light, two-wheeled, one-horse carriage for one person. Adjective: gloomy or dull.
   
   
   
   
   7. Assiduous- constant, unremitting.
   
   
   
   8. Expiation- the act of expiating or repair.
   
   
   
   9. Gnawing- the act of a person or a thing who gnaws of chews.
   
   
   
   10. Deviation- departure froma a standard or norm. 
   
   
   
   11. Nuisance- an obnoxious or annoying person, thing, condition, practice, etc. 
   
   
   
   12. Pious- having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations. 
   

Reading Blog #2 Siddhartha

The second section that went from page 20 to page 50 was very well described. It had so many detail that it made it possible for me to visualise the situations and connect to my life again. I also had several questions about the text. 

In the last page of the first section I made a connection when it said that Siddhartha stood alone while the rest of the world was melting. This made me recall an event that I will never forget. A very wise teacher once told me that if you wanted to be something in you life you had to be the best. For instance if you wanted to be doctor well you had to sit down and work hard to be the best doctor you could possibly be. You had to surpass others, and avoid the "bubble". The "bubble" according to her was the rest of the people that were as good as you. This phrase in the text made me remember this, "At that moment, when the world around him melted away, when he stood alone like a star in the heavens..." We can infer that he got out of the "bubble" and chose his own path. He didn't follow anyone but himself. Another interesting thing during this second section was the descriptions. This made me visualise the things the author said. I could picture them so beautiful and so full of life and colour. "The world was beautiful.... The moon and the stars were beautiful, the brook, the shore, the forest and rock, the goat and the golden beetle, the flower and butterfly were beautiful. It was beautiful and pleasant to go through the world like that, so childlike, so awakened, so concerened with the immediate, without any distrust." They made me visualise the golden beetle as a beautiful insect with shinning gold, the forest so pretty and so calm with rocks, plants, trees, animals and a river crossing through the landscape.  But questions also arose. For instance one of the main questions I had was why did Kamala seak fine clothes and shoes, and money from Siddhartha in order for him to be her friend? Another question that came up was Why did Siddhartha let her insult him? Why didn't he say anything? 

The the rich descriptions, the questions that arises, and the connections made this section a delight to read. It made me get hooked with the story and intrigued to know what happens to Siddhartha. Did he achieve the three requirements that Kamala asked from him? 

Reading Blog #1 Siddhartha

After reading the first twenty pages of Siddhartha many things passed through my mind. I had  connections and predictions. I had many connections to my personal life which really amazed me. So far I thought the book was interesting due to similarities that this iconic man has with many of young men and women who look for their own path in life. I believe this book can teach people to seek their own path and their own independence. 

Some of the predictions came up right after the first page of the book. We can infer that Siddhartha will experience many obstacles during his life because it talks about the shadows that pass through his eyes. We can infer the shadows symbolize the obstacles as this part of the text states: "Shadows passed across his eyes in the mango grove during the play..." Another prediction that arises was the importance of Siddhartha's best friend Govinda. This character appeared in the first page of the book. We can infer that he will play a key role during Gautama's life. 

After reading page six, I saw that Siddhartha was a determined man which knew the path he wanted to take. He wanted to become a Samana. Though of course, his parents obviously came across this decision. Their opinion was very important and could change the path he wanted to take. But is really impressive how he insisted and didn't let anyone change his mind. This part of the text shows insistent he was: "As an hour passed by and he could not sleep, the Brahmin rose.... He looked through the  small window of the room and saw Siddhartha standing there with his arms crossed..." This connects so much with my personal experience. I want to be an actor when I grow up, but my parents and others try to break my dream apart with their comments and opinions. But I have learned to ignore them. I really want to do this as a profession and I will keep on insisting no matter what it takes. Another connection I had was with the situation of many of my friends. They want to do something in their life, but their parents won't let them. I believe that we as individuals should follow the example of Siddhartha. He fought for what he wanted and he insisted until he got it. His parents allowed him to become a Samana, and I believe parents should NOT interfere with their child's decision on what to do with their life. I think it is good for them to give advice, but not to deny, discourage, or to prohibit any career their son or daughter wants. I have many friends that have parents that prohibited the career they wanted which just makes me angry and sad for them. They had to choose something "worth doing" according to their parents. 

This first twenty pages definitely made me think about my life and of my friends. I hope the book continues to be as exciting and so related to things in my life. I am looking forward to read the next section of the book to continue the exciting journey of Siddhartha's life.