This year I'm reading the Dover Thrift Editions translated by Stanley Appelbaum, but most of my quotes are copied and pasted from the Standard Ebook, click here to read it free online.
Meaning of Characters' NamesChildlike People
For Hesse/Siddhartha childlike is a positive trait. The Buddha has it; Gotama was described as "childlike" when Siddhartha was admiring Gotama.
The awakened Siddhartha had it:
The awakened Siddhartha had it:
"Beautiful was this world, looking at it thus, without searching, thus simply, thus childlike... Beautiful and lovely it was, thus to walk through the world, thus childlike, thus awoken, thus open to what is near, thus without distrust. "
The narrator suggests most people have it:
"[Siddhartha] saw mankind going through life in a childlike or animallike manner, which he loved and also despised at the same time. He saw them toiling, saw them suffering, and becoming gray for the sake of things which seemed to him to entirely unworthy of this price, for money, for little pleasures, for being slightly honoured, he saw them scolding and insulting each other, he saw them complaining about pain at which a Samana would only smile, and suffering because of deprivations which a Samana would not feel.""And at several times [Siddhartha] suddenly became scared on account of such thoughts and wished that he would also be gifted with the ability to participate in all of this childlike-naive occupations of the daytime with passion and with his heart, really to live, really to act, really to enjoy and to live instead of just standing by as a spectator."
Siddhartha tells Kamala, "Perhaps people of our kind can’t love. The childlike people can; that’s their secret.”
The standard ebook uses "childlike" 21 times in the novel, not counting the contents or chapter title. The original German by Hesse uses "Kindermensche" (childlike) 12 times, but I assume another similar word or phrase was also used.
Siddhartha admires and despises childlike people. He still carries the scorn of a samana. He sees and holds himself in higher esteem than Kamaswami and others. Kamal is "like" him, see below.
Kamala's Love
“You are the best lover,” she said thoughtfully, “I ever saw. You’re stronger than others, more supple, more willing. You’ve learned my art well, Siddhartha. At some time, when I’ll be older, I’d want to bear your child. And yet, my dear, you’ve remained a Samana, and yet you do not love me, you love nobody. Isn’t it so?”
“It might very well be so,” Siddhartha said tiredly. “I am like you. You also do not love—how else could you practice love as a craft? Perhaps people of our kind can’t love. The childlike people can; that’s their secret.”
Kamala doesn't say she agree with Siddhartha. It is very possible Kamala disagrees. Kamala may love. Her comments suggest to me she may love Siddhartha. Maybe she doesn't share her feelings because of Siddhartha's response. Unfortunately, this is too much Siddhartha's story. We don't get to know what Kamala is thinking or feeling, only what she says to Siddhartha and how the narrator sees her.
Misc
"Pleasure cannot be taken without giving pleasure."
Part I
Day 1, 20 Dec- Chapter 1: "The Son of the Brahmin"
Day 2, 21 Dec- Chapter 2: "With the Samanas"
Day 3, 22 Dec- Chapter 3: "Gotama"
Day 4, 23 Dec- Chapter 4: "Awakening"
Part II
Day 5, 24 Dec- Chapter 5: "Kamala"
Day 6, 25 Dec- Chapter 6: "With the Childlike People"
Day 7, 26 Dec- Chapter 7: "Sansara"
Day 8, 27 Dec- Chapter 8: "By the River"
Day 9, 28 Dec- Chapter 9: "The Ferryman"
Day 10, 29 Dec- Chapter 10: "The Son"
Day 11, 30 Dec- Chapter 11: "Om"
Day 12, 31 Dec- Chapter 12: "Govinda"
... "I am like you. You do not love anyone either--otherwise, how could you practice love as an art? Perhaps people of our kind are unable to love. The child-people can; that is their secret." Siddhartha is experiencing love as an art, business and society as a game, and he stands aloof. His behavior seems full of equanimity, and joyful, but the truth is, Siddhartha doesn't CARE about the outcomes beyond waiting to hear from his inner voice to press him in a new direction. He brings a measured and calm kindness, a light-hearted devil-may-care friendliness to his dealings, with his business partner, Kamaswami, just can't get. Siddhartha is about this life, looking at those who are in the game as animals or children, but not cruelly but ... factually and maybe a little admiringly, as we see in the closing quote above.
ReplyDeleteIt's both, loves and despises childlike people. He loves and despises them for what he cannot seem to do: live life, be passionate about something. Siddhartha is motivated to accomplish goals and tasks, but he can't find fulfillment. It doesn't last. He awakened, keep seeking, and is living in autopilot.
ReplyDeleteI'm tempted to say this "inability to love" is a cop out. Siddhartha wants to separate himself from others. He wants to be superior because he doesn't value their values and pursuits. But he also envies them for having passion in life. Siddhartha lumps Kamala into is other box. He is attached to her. We don't know how she responded to his claim. She may or may not accept that. How might Siddhartha responds if I said to him, "You can't really think. Otherwise, how could you practice thinking as a means to acquire money, possessions, and greed?" It's a very bad argument, Siddhartha's and mine. Kamala lives in a world with very few options for women. She has a gift that offers her freedom and wealth that very few women can attain. To assume she can't love, is irrelevant. It's the art of love or becoming some man's possession.
I wrote my reflection, after your comment, but before i read your comment. I should/might expand more later.
Kamala lives at a time when women have few options, but men have few options as well. We're talking the caste system of India. However, she's beautiful, so she goes with what others show is her strength: her physical beauty, her flirtation, her communication skills, her charisma. Her life is just as dissatisfying as Siddhartha's, we suspect, because she wants to hear and hear and hear some more about Gotama. They're both clearly attracted, he directly, and she second-hand, but the simplicity of this guru out there ...
DeleteYes, that is very true. Many men, most men, would have had less opportunities and options than Kamala.
DeleteAll things equal, men have more options than women of the same caste. Kamala probably isn't the brahmin class, and she probably can't be an untouchable either. But still how many women of any class learned to read and write? How many women could join a group of semanas? How many women could get a job from a merchant? But still, her profession is the best option for a woman like Kamala. It shouldn't limit her ability to love. Siddhartha is making a bad assumption about her. Maybe he is right, but his reasoning isn't sound.
She doesn't contradict him. Maybe she agrees.
DeleteIt's possible Kamala was testing Siddhartha to see if he loved her. And his response failed the test, so maybe she just let's him think he's correct.
DeleteIn "The Ferryman," the narrator says, "Her [Kamala] consciousness returned, she lay on Siddhartha’s bed in the hut and bent over her stood Siddhartha, who used to love her so much."
It could intend a different type of love.