Themes

• Spiritual Enlightenment:
  • The main theme of the novel was the search for spiritual enlightenment and the many places it can be found.  People all over the world have different ways of filling that hole that is inside of them.  Throughout the novel, there are people who try wisdom, self-deprivation, and the Eight Fold Path, in order to obtain enlightenment.  Some people find it; others spend their entire lives searching for it. Siddhartha tries many different ways, but eventually reaches Nirvana when he finds it within himself. 
• Learning vs. Self-Discovery
  • Throughout the novel, Siddhartha meets many different people and learns their ways.  He gains wisdom from the Brahmins and learns how to fast from the Samanas.  He also hears the philosophies of the Buddha and gains wealth in the world.   He does all of this in order to find spiritual enlightenment from others.  His best friend Govinda becomes a monk and follows the Buddha in order to find enlightenment.  In the end, however, enlightenment cannot be given.  It is something that must be discovered independently.  Some of the most important things in life cannot be taught, one must learn about them on his or her own.

• Unsatisfaction
• The tone given throughout the novel is the feeling of unsatisfaction.  Siddhartha and others in search of spiritual enlightenment are never happy with who they are because they always have that feeling of missing the last piece of the puzzle. They are all incomplete.  The characters spend their lives searching for that one missing piece.  Some find it, and the puzzle is complete, but some die searching and the entire picture is never seen.