the "word" aum or om.
This is due Thursday morning.
1. The protagonist of a piece of literature is the main character in the work. The antagonist is a "neutral term for a character who opposes the leading character." Does this book have an antagonist, and if so, who is it?
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2. Can you identify something in Siddhartha that functions as a symbol--something that "stands for" something else? (A symbol is often a concrete, particular thing that stands for a more abstract, general, or supernatural thing.) Explain.
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3. In your Humanities Dept. handbook, it describes the structure of a piece of fiction, including the "rising action" and the "climax." What do you think the rising action of Siddhartha consists of? Has there been a climax?
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4. Can you think of examples of imagery from Siddhartha?
19 comments:
Each step in Siddhartha's spiritual journey provides rising action, but I think Siddhartha's grappling with his love for his son stands out, approaching the zenith if you will, of the book. Siddhartha seems the most at peace with life before his son shows up, and he believes that his son will bring him more happiness. But his "blind love" for his son, and his son's lack of love in return causes Siddhartha to develop a "deep wound." This sudden change for Siddhartha effectively builds tension. This tension leads to a crisis when Siddhartha goes to find his son, but is stopped in his tracks by the river's "laughing." But, I think the true climax is when he finally truly listens to the river with Vasudeva, and hears that "everything together was the river of events, was the music of life."
Imagery is used quite a bit in Siddhartha. In this particular chapter, the river is described in great detail. "Flowing softly and gently," the imagery of the river helps the reader comprehend the metaphor or symbol of the river. The desciption of the "laughing, clear and bright" engages the reader's sense of hearing, and this also serves to clarify the river's message. The descriptions of "the lament of the knower's yearning and laughing, the screamin of the angy, the moaning of the dying," also engages the reader's senses.
prompt 1)
I think there is not a very clear antagonist but I do think that there is one. I think that Kamala is Siddartha's lover but after leaving him, she becomes an antagonist to him. I think this because she is the reason why he meets his son and then leads him in this depression kind of mode that he is in right now since the child left. Also this is not Kamala's fault but it was a bad thing for Siddartha that Kamala died in front of Siddartha because that also makes him sad.
I think that the rising climax is every stage Siddartha goes through. The biggest one I think is when his son leaves him. So much happens from this one thing. Siddartha begins to talk to his friend and he realizes that he is more than a human, supernatural, and he anticipates his leaving. Also he begins to listen to the river even more closely and learns something that brings him up to the next level, more wise, peaceful, etc. So this seems like a huge climax, or changing point in his life. This is also a changing point for his friend who leaves into the "oneness"
Overall there are many places where there is a rising climax, and I think that the most prominent ones are the ones in which he is reaching a new in level in his "sagenes""
I think that the antagonist isn't a person in particular or any one thing too specific. I think it is what is inside of him, what gets attached. I think he has gone through periods in the book wher he experiments with this antagonist and I think when he is with Kamala is when he is letting it control him the most.
The antagonist is inside of of him, and is shown by what is outside of him, but the protagonist is what is inside of him and can control what it on the inside, which is always being tempted by the outside.
-Rocco
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In terms of imagery, there are several passages that are rich and full of description.
Here are a few:
"The river flowed sloftly and gently" pg. 115
"The river sang with a sorrowful voice, sang ardently, flowed ardently toward its goal, its voice lamenting." pg. 117
"...and the water became vapor and rose to the sky, became rain and plunged down from the sky, became a source, became a brook, became a river, stowed anew, flowed anew." pg. 118
There is a lot of description in this and I notice all of these parts here are related to water and the river. It really shows the focus and contant relation to the river.
(EXTRA OBSERVATION: I notice that, although this isn't written in verse, but in prose, rather, that it rhymes an uncanny amount. It's really interesting and it almost dictates the reader to read it a certain way, making it sound somewhat poetic in its prose"-ness". I think thats a really cool thing to do. When we do readings of poetry outloud in the Writing Studio, Daniel Bosch talks a lot about how you should let the poem orchestrate you. But you never really think about prose that way...but this is an exception. I also wonder if the story of Siddhartha has ever been translated into a narrative poem...?)
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It's Hunter!
2. A symbol in Siddhartha, I think, is definitely the river. I think it stands for perfection, aka, om. Siddhartha hears the voices talking and can't exactly understand what they're saying until he really pays attention to the point of concentration. At the beginning of the year, in theater, we had to focus on each sense individually and hearing was particularly interesting. But, to get back to the blog, I definitely think that the river is a symbol.
** I'd also like to point out a connection between history and english. Although Siddhartha is Buddhist, on page 116, it says, "...that this motionless listener was the river itself, that he was God himself, and eternity himself." This, I think, is pushing towards what Mr. Gregg was talking about Daoism and how if you're good enough at it, it's possible for you to vanish, and become one with nature. Hmmm...interesting how religions connect!
4. An example of imagery in this story is on page 119.
"Bright shone his smile when he looked at his friend, and bright glowed the very same smile on Siddartha's face."
This is imagery because it puts the picture of a glowing smile, even though actual light is probably not coming off of his lips, but creates the image of a smile so full that it illuminates Vasudeva's face.
Imagery is used alot to describe the moment of Siddartha's "englightenment" if it is indeed that (I guess we find out in the next chapter.)
-Rosamund
Well I think that Siddahtha is the antogonist. BEcause the story follows him and his journey, and there is not a lot to do with others.
I feel like the rising action was the start of him off to be asamana and all the events leading up to him leaving his love , which I feel is the climax.
I think its the climax because thats the last thing before he compleaty loses andgoes his own way.
WWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
This book is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Protagonist/Antagonist – I do not think there are any antagonists in this book, HONESTLY. Siddhartha I believe is the protagonists, since he is the main character that we follow and he is obviously a “good” man. The Antagonists might be Kamala, or Kamaswami, maybe even Govinda, but STILL I do not think any of them are really BAD people or should be considered antagonists. It was just that Siddhartha was the one person to have these incredible thoughts, ideas, philosophies and most of all, QUESTIONS about life and he went out to pursue them eagerly……not every does that every day obviously, just Siddhartha was “The chosen one” in a way!!!! And now it is up to people to follow him and his belief system, find the “path” themselves or completely ignore him and the situation….and that’s the way the cookie crumbles!!!!!!!!!!!
SYMBOLISMS!!!! – I think the ferry might represent Siddhartha’s life. The ferry takes across the river many peoples of different character, mind and life struggles…..which are very interesting in an actors’ point of view!!!!!!!!!!! Relating this to Siddhartha life, Siddhartha went through many stages and experiences in his spiritual ife journey, like the ferry taking across the river many peoples!!!!!
AGREE????? DISAGREE??????????? THOUGHTS??????????
SOME QUESTIONS..
So…….hhhmmmm….this speech that Siddhartha gives about wisdom not being able to be taught, knowledge yes but not wisdom….is that speech kind of wisdom that he is telling (teaching) to Govinda???????? I am a bit confused…he is saying and believing one thing yet doing kind a/sort a the opposite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with Siddhartha about his speech about when you are seeking something your eye tends to ONLY look for that peticular thing!!! This is what Mr,. Gregg was trying to get us to realie and not do in looking at images/photos and doing analysis on them!!!!!!!!!!!!.. HISTORY CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!! But also, I (we) could argue that something against him!!!! Siddharha spent MOST OF HIS LIFE on a Spiritual journey, so he doesn’t really have any right to preach to Govinda!!!!!
Confucian belief - “He does not preach what he practices till he practiced what he preached” OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUXTAPOSITION!!!!!!!
Also, maybe the reason why Govinda never recognizes Siddharta (twice, I think in the book) is because of his seeking for something and really only seeing what he WANTS to see…..????? MAYBE????????????? Siddhartha recognizes him every time he sees/meets him….why?????? Why not GOvinda???????????
A Very interesting book….i loved it !!!!!!!!!!!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
wow......my brain hurts, my fingers hurt
cheking in (AKA...GOODNIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
the antagonist could be siddhartha because most of the struggles in this book are internal. he definatly thinks more about everything and that makes everyday life harder.
Prompt 1, with a sprinkling of prompt.
1:
The protagonist is most obviously Siddartha. He is the one the contours of whose life we follow. He is the one whose story is related to us; he is the main character. I think as the action of the story rises and falls, or rather curves and bends while rising, the antagonists differ. In the very opening, the antagonist is Siddartha's father. His father is the one standing between him, and his goal of becoming a samana. While a samana, or rather, just as he decides to leave the samanas, the chief samana stands in his way, does not want to let him pass. In a similar way, Govinda hinders Siddartha's leaving the Buddha and his monks. Then, when the plot takes a turn towards a more material way of life, when Siddartha hooks up with Kamala, and joins Kamaswami, he is attaching himself to material goods. These goods act as the action's antagonist, not bad or good, but hindering forward motion of the protagonist. Later, we see it is Siddartha's son who is the antagonist. The very nature of being a son causes the attachment and resultant child-person like blind love Siddartha suffers from so ardently. Maybe then, Siddartha's son is an image for the unseen, antagonizing consequences of blind and unstoppable love for a person. Over the ENTIRE story, though, If I were to choose one antagonist it might be Siddartha. He is the one, the ego, that stands in the way of his own inner enlightenment and peace. He is a car driving against his own road block. He must, thus, abolish himself as an antagonist in order to achieve the inner peace for which he strives.
checking in.
wow...
turner that was a really long comment and i believe if you subtract all the exclamation points, it would be way shorter..
anyways I like the way how Hunter and Renee talked about something in their arts and related it to something in one of the prompts!
and by the way, who is AlEX?
This is Sofia...
Prompt #3:
I feel that the rising actions leading up to the climax are as follows:
"The wound" or heartache that Siddhartha is feeling for the loss of his son grows until he decides to go to town and look for him. While rowing across the river, he suddenly realizes that the river is actually laughing. He stares at his reflection in the water and notices how much he looks like his father. This reminds Siddhartha and makes him realize that, what his son did to him is exactly what he did to his father. Siddhartha goes back to the hut and explains everything to Vasudeva. In doing so, he realizes more than ever what an amazing listener Vasudeva is. He feels as though Vasudeva isn't even a person, he just absorbs what Siddhartha is saying to him.
I think that the climax is when Siddhartha is told by Vasudeva to listen to the river and concentrate even more than before. He truly feels and understands everything he's hearing. He was "...utterly engrossed in listening, utterly empty, utterly absorbing." He listens to all of the voices and all different sorts of feelings-happiness, sorrow, anger, etc., and instead of hearing them all separately, he hears them as one: "om", which means perfection. He then, (and I feel like this is the really juicy part of the climax) stopped his suffering and finally truly understood.
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I agree with Rocco, that the antagonist isnt a person, its his brain. He starts to think with his brain, rather than his heart. He starts to get more self-interested and materialistic. However, his consience does take over sometimes and shows him that he is doing wrong.
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