QuinnScrapbook2

=Quinn's Journal=

The Assignment
To get a feeling for how the Samanas, Indian ascetics that are found in the novel //Siddhartha//, try to reach enlightenment, we gave up something we enjoy for a week. I chose to give up video games because they take up a lot of time that could be used for something more productive.

Beginning of the Week
The Friday that we got the assignment we went to my grandma's house in Crozet after school so I did not have the ability to play video games. I took a nap instead and went to bed early when we got home so I could get some sleep. The second day I felt like Siddhartha when "his mouth twitch in contempt when he passed through a town of well dressed people" (Hesse 7). I felt this way because I read a lot of reviews and watched a lot of videos about games that I wanted to play.

Middle of the Week
The middle of the week was the easiest time for me because I had lots of homework and had to study for a history test. I also went to my dad's house Sunday so I did not have video games there except I did help my sister for a few minutes in one of her games. I felt like Siddhartha when he "learned how to take paths away from self" because I used doing other things like studying to distract myself. This was the easiest part of the week because I had the most other things to do, like homework and after school practice. It was around this time that I started looking forward to being able to play video games again. I was also looking forward to a new game coming out next week, so I tried to stop reading articles about it to prevent spoilers.

End of the Week
The end of the week was more difficult than the middle because I had less homework and more downtime. I stayed after school on Tuesday and Wednesday for practices, but I still did not have much homework. I didn't ever play games in this weak and I felt like Siddhartha when he "felt the torment of the cycle that was imposed on him" because my homework works like a cycle, having more then less then more then less on different days. I felt that it was harder to not play games on days without homework because it was harder to distract myself from going to them.

Analysis
I chose to draw the way I did because of the way the book described Siddhartha being awakened to the world. When Siddhartha "looked around, as if he was seeing the world for the first time" (Hesse 21) he saw color, so I drew color on the side that Siddhartha was looking towards, but he did not see color before, so I did not draw it in the grove. Siddhartha also "felt that in this grove his past life also stayed behind and left him", so I drew three figures in the background in the grove, Govinda, the Buddha, and Siddhartha's past life (if you look closely one is frowning to show that Siddhartha was unhappy). Siddhartha also felt that "all of it was beautiful, all of it was mysterious and magical". I incorporated this into my picture by making the new part of the world to him in color, but the old world stayed in black and white.

Kamala
Name: Kamala Location:The Grove Eyes: Dark Hair: Black

About me: I am a beautiful young girl. I have a "very soft, very clever face" and "bright-red lips like a newly opened fig" (Hesse 28). If you like my picture you should give me a call.

Hobbies/Profession: I am a courtisan. I try to charm people to fall in love with me and then turn them away, but don't worry, I won't do that to you.

Looking for: I want a man who treats his body with respect and wears nice clothes. I want him to be rich and stay clean. If you aren't rich you shouldn't even bother with me!

My Daily Life
1. Wake up. 2. Eat breakfast. 3. Go to school. 4. Go to class. 5. Go to more class. 6. GO home 7. Get home. 8. Study. 9. Go to bed.

The Grateful Dead - Big River
media type="youtube" key="meQKenN_JiM" height="315" width="420" Lyrics: "Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky. And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River. Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die."

Quote: "No, there were no longer any goals, nothing left but the deep seated, sorrowful, longing to shake off that entirely chaotic dream" (Hesse 47) Analysis: This song tells the story of a man as he follows a girl down the Mississippi River, being rejected at several major landmarks along the river. After each stop he feels sad and wants to die, just as Siddhartha did when "there were no longer any goals, nothing left but the deep seated, sorrowful, longing to shake off that entirely chaotic dream" (Hesse 47). The singer wants to get the girl, but cannot, so he gets sad, but continues to chase her until reaching the Gulf of Mexico, where he gives up.

The Doors - Yes, The River Knows
media type="youtube" key="i27t5txCrwg" height="315" width="420"

Lyrics: "Please believe me The river told me Very softly Want you to hold me, ooo

Free fall flow, river flow On and on it goes Breath under water 'till the end Free fall flow, river flow On and on it goes Breath under water 'till the end Yes, the river knows

Please believe me If you don't need me I'm going, but I need a little time I promised I would drown myself in mysticated wine"

Quote: "His eyes closed, he was dropping to his death" (Hesse 47)

Analysis: This song has many similarities to the river chapter in Siddhartha. The singer of the song is aparently trying to commit suicide by drowning, evidenced by the lyrics "Breath under water 'till the end" (Morrison) and "I'm going, but I need a little time, I promised I would drown myself in mysticated wine", much like Siddhartha did when "His eyes closed, he was dropping to his death" (Hesse 47). The song has a dark tone, much like the beginning of the chapter of the book. Jim Morrison, the lead singer and songwriter of The Doors, was also known to have been well-read, and could have gotten inspiration for this song from Siddhartha, as it had come to the US by the time this song was written. The book also uses wine as imagery for poison, much like the song's lyrics do.

The Beatles - Moth Nature's Son
media type="youtube" key="8rRCxRfpQk8" height="315" width="420"

Lyrics: "Sit beside a mountain stream, See her waters rise. Listen to the pretty sound of music, as she flies."

Quote: "he understood himself in his misery and his maze of error." (Hesse 48)

Analysis: This song is about the beauty of nature and how wonderful nature is. Siddhartha realizes how great life is after he tries to drown himself in the river and becomes closer to mother nature. After going to the river "he understood himself in his misery and his maze of error" (Hesse 48), thus becoming closer to the natural world after realizing his old life was not working.

Om Siddhartha and Govinda Quinn LeGallo-Malone Herman Hesse’s novel __Siddhartha__ is a story about a man, Siddhartha, who goes on a spiritual journey to achieve enlightenment. Siddhartha’s friend, Govinda, also plays a large role in the novel. Siddhartha and Govinda are the best of friends at the beginning of the novel, shown by the quote “He [Govinda] loved Siddhartha’s eyes and pleasant voice, he loved his gait and the perfect propriety of his movements, he loved everything Siddhartha did or said;” (Hesse 2). After Siddhartha and Govinda leave with the Samanas and meet follow Gotama, their paths diverge. Govinda stays with Gotama and becomes a Buddhist monk, whereas Siddhartha goes on several different paths in an attempt to find enlightenment. I would say that Siddhartha represents the change in life; he is a dynamic character and goes on several different paths to find enlightenment, until he finally finds one that works for him. Govinda is a static character who only listens to others to reach enlightenment, but is ultimately unable to until he is reconnected with his old friend, Siddhartha. In the book Siddhartha is a free-thinking dynamic character. He is a leader who does not do what other people want, but rather what he wants. Siddhartha’s goal throughout the book is to achieve enlightenment and be happy, and he tries many different ways of achieving this goal, but none work until he follows his own path. Although Siddhartha learns much from each path he takes, he is not happy until he combines his knowledge and becomes a ferryman. The quote “”I do not desire to walk on water,” said Siddhartha. “Let old Samanas content themselves with the arts of that kind.”” (14) shows that Siddhartha cannot be happy unless he follows his own path. Govinda is a much more static character than Siddhartha, and is a Buddhist for the majority of the book. Govinda is a follower, compared to Siddhartha, who is a leader. Govinda accepts much of that which is taught to him, but also follows Siddhartha for the first part of the book. When Siddhartha is leaving the Samanas Govinda does not want to leave telling Siddhartha: “you have learned more from the Samanas than I knew. It is difficult, it is very difficult, to cast a spell on an old samana. Truly, had you remained there, you would have learned to walk on water.” (Hesse 14) This shows how Govinda wanted to stay with the Samanas, believing everything that they said, but also wants to follow Siddhartha, which he ultimately does do. Govinda does stay with Gotama for the majority of the book, but meets Siddhartha several times on his journeys. Govinda meeting Siddhartha shows that both have gone on separate paths of life since they left each other, but still feel a close connection from when they were close friends. Siddhartha leading Govinda to enlightenment at the end of the book shows that Siddhartha could only achieve enlightenment by following his own path, whereas Govinda could achieve it by reconnecting with his old friend and being taught how to be happy. Siddhartha and Govinda are two very different characters, but are best friends. Their relationship shows that people do not have to be similar to be friends, and that people can remain friends even when they are apart for a long period of time. Their close friendship allows them both to reach enlightenment through different means.