People often find the need to seek the meaning of life. They feel as though there has to be more to life or that they are blinded to something vital in the grand scheme of things. Different people use different means, some go on grand journeys hoping to find some sort of wisdom in their experience. This is where we find a parallel in the lives of Chris McCandless and Siddhartha, the main characters of Into the wild by Jon Krakauer and Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. In both stories the main character lives a well off life but becomes dissatisfied by societal conventions. This leads them to stray from their homes and what they know, and is also where we draw our first difference. Being that it is 400BC India, Siddhartha asks his father to let him leave his home. He wants to go with …show more content…
McCandless meets an electrician who he works for, for a period of time, who tries to talk him out of his plans. Although he ignores this advice he was still an influential figure in his life. As Siddhartha and McCandless both realized this life of materialism was not for them they took on lives of poverty and faced many hardships: hunger and near death experiences. However they also differ in many ways. Siddhartha always had a clear goal, a clear path. He had an idea of how he was going to achieve his goal right from the start, this helps his journey meet a positive end. McCandless never really had a clear idea of what he was trying to achieve. In the end it can be said that these stories compliment one another in a sense that reading McCandless’ story really brings a relatability to Siddhartha that it didn't have before. Into the wild really pulls Siddartha into modern terms and you realize that both characters really had the same goal in mind: to escape the constraints of materialism and worldly desires in search of a greater understanding of true
Siddhartha was an exemplary man who was loved by all. He was well educated, strong, handsome, and graceful. He pleased everyone, but he himself was never content. He did not find peace because the teachings of the elders and the customs of his culture were never enough for him. The quote is metaphor
There are many similarities between the book Siddhartha and the movie Groundhog Day. Siddhartha is a spiritual novel by Herman Hesse, that documents the journey of main character Siddhartha and his friend Govinda. Siddhartha goes through many phases of life, from young samana to old and wise riverman. Finally, he reaches enlightenment towards the end of his life. Groundhog Day is a more upbeat movie about an arrogant weatherman named Phil who finds himself suddenly caught in a time loop, where the same day is repeating over and over again.
Chris McCandless was a young, determined man whose goal was to escape society’s values that he believed deprived humanity of it’s true happiness. In the book Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer he describes how people label McCandless as ruthless and careless for not knowing the basics of surviving in Alaska and for abandoning his family. However, McCandless was an educated, intelligent man. He wanted to live in peace in order fulfill his life with happiness he thought was correct. McCandless saw many flaws in society.
He had a passion to discover adventure even if it was something insane. Krakauer writes, “The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon” (Krakauer 57). Part of Mccandless’ adventure was starting over with is life. He is changing his view of the horizon to something new.
McCandless focuses his life around himself and is egotistical. The reason he may think only of himself is due to his ability to detach himself from society’s norms. He was in a position to do so by returning to nature and leaving cities and industries behind. It was his own choice to become an independent individual and break free from the chains of society. McCandless “tried to follow” his “dream” and realized them (Krakauer 96).
The words of many authors, poets, and songwriters can influence certain aspects of a person’s life. One may simply admire the work because of the inspiration or beauty behind the piece, but others take the words to heart and live their lives by it. A fan of many transcendentalism authors Chris McCandless wanted to live his life with the same simplicity they did. After finding the inspiration in the works of Jack London and Henry David Thoreau McCandless ventured out into a two-year-long journey to find happiness in the Alaskan Wilderness. McCandless had the bravery to follow his own dream and was willing to risk his life for true happiness.
Some argue that his rejection of societal norms and materialism was misguided and that his journey was ultimately a selfish and irresponsible act. However, it is important to consider the context of McCandless's journey and the societal pressures that he faces, as well as the larger themes of the book, which challenge the values of modern
Throughout the book, it is a constant roller coaster of Siddhartha experiencing joy but then also enduring suffering. As a young boy, Siddhartha had everything. "There was happiness in his father's heart because of his son who was intelligent and thirsty for knowledge; he saw him growing up to be a great learned man, a priest, a prince among Brahmins" (Hesse 4). It was until Siddhartha asked his father to leave his home and go out on his own.
Each individual embarks on his or her own hero’s journey in life, some finding peace and enlightenment while others suffer greatly. In Hermann Hesse’s novel Siddhartha, the author slowly shows Siddhartha’s path towards finding the self and enlightenment through conflict and resolution. Finding himself is difficult, but once he does, Siddhartha is released from sorrow and depression, which finally enables him to reach enlightenment and peace. Hesse portrays Siddhartha’s spiritual hero’s journey by using unique conflicts to reveal his true self through independence, mindfulness, and responsibility.
McCandless didn’t want to live a life full of unhappiness and he felt that the only way to avoid that was to get away from his family and go into the wild. McCandless was raised in a wealthy family and he had all the opportunities that came with that. He was a bright student and had a bright future ahead of him. He wanted to live a simple life and experience nature. So he left everything behind and went into the wild.
Society is a limitation, often preventing many from following their dreams or beliefs. Some may forsake these dreams and ideals and forget who they are in an attempt to conform. Into the Wild, written by Jon Krakauer narrates the story of Christopher McCandless, a young man from Virginia. McCandless hitchhiked to Alaska in 1992 to follow his beliefs and managed to live off the land for four months until he met his death in the wilderness. His story gained a lot of publicity and it has led to debates about his sanity and heroic qualities.
The story of Siddhartha tells the tale of a boy who grows up in a wealthy Brahman family. He grows to be intelligent and handsome and is loved by all his family and friends. Siddhartha seems to have everything he could want but eventually becomes frustrated with his life. He seeks enlightenment and believes that the elders in his community have nothing more to teach him spiritually. Much to his parent’s frustration, Siddhartha decides he needs to leave home and find the inner peace he seeks.
Each of these influences show elements of the 4 noble truths in Buddhism, the core concept of the novel. These three influences are connected with each other and show Siddhartha that desire causes suffering but that it is necessary to feel in order to make your way towards enlightenment by getting rid of it. The influences for Siddhartha are what allow him to more clearly understand how to come at peace in oneself and finally acquire enlightenment. Without them, Siddhartha would not have become enlightened and continue to live a life of suffering and misunderstanding until his
And Herman Hesse shows this by showing their trust for each other. When Siddhartha first leaves home he experiences many trials and tribulations From being a Samana, to going to the city, to almost committing suicide. Who was always there? The Ferryman. Siddhartha trusts him almost like a father, he understands all that he has gone through.
King Siddhartha didn’t give any clue to his wife and son of his renunciation of knighthood and left alone to seek a salvation to misery and agony encountered by the Individuals. If determined, he would have ruled his state until his last breath because there was no brother to challenge his