Commentary on an Extract in Siddhartha free essay sample

The passage shares the theme of condemnation of materialistic indulgence and the embracing of a life free from pleasures and desires, which, in Siddhartha’s point of view, is the only way to achieve enlightenment. It emphasizes that Siddhartha is Siddhartha and that he cannot be compared. The passage was narrated in a third person point of view and by beginning each paragraph with â€Å"Siddhartha†, is subtle creates an illusion of a greater power, a higher order majesty, an intangible sense of respect for Siddhartha. This helped to conjure a sense of detachment, a buffer zone and a very solemn, calm and composed setting. Though there’s a feeling of detachment in the sense that the readers are not very engaged in Siddhartha’s physical actions but it opens a portal to his inner thoughts and feelings through explicit description and examples. There is a certain conflict in this passage as it deals with the Siddhartha’s reaction when he walked through town. We will write a custom essay sample on Commentary on an Extract in Siddhartha or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"His gaze grew icy cold when it encountered women; his mouth curled in scorn when he walked though a town with people in lovely clothes. These are exaggerations that are just meant for figurative interpretations but it brings out the depth of abhorrence and loathe that Siddhartha felt. The repeated use of the word â€Å"everything† dismisses every way of life that Siddhartha was once familiar, with and it create a tone of condescension. It suggests that there was nothing in this world that will satisfy Siddhartha, and again, bringing about this sense of superiority about Siddhartha. In the third and fourth paragraph, there is a vivid commentary made on Siddhartha’s present state of mind, wanting to â€Å"die away from himself†. The use words that describe two extremes like putting the idea of hot and cold together, â€Å"empty of joy and sorrow† which again, eliminates everything, and words when put together in a sentence which seemingly has completely no way of comprehension like â€Å"when the entire self was transcended and extinct†¦ then the ultimate was bound to awaken†. These techniques give a very mystical illusion of another dimension that Siddhartha’s mentality has entered, and it also show the internal conflict that is present. It gives the reader an idea of what he wants but because it is intangible, there is no direct way of describing it. In this excerpt there is a twist and irony, as Siddhartha condemns what others rejoice in but he also embrace and welcome what others usually think of as torture. In the last paragraph the author included gory details of how â€Å"blood (dripped) from his burning skin, the pus from abscesses† yet â€Å"he felt no pain or thirst†. This alludes the possibility that there is a continuation, that there is more of Siddhartha’s character waiting to be revealed. This passage is significant as it tracks the change in Siddhartha’s character from a brahmin’s son to a samana and it emphasizes that what pleases others, cannot please him.