Are You Sure You Are Made For This? (With the Samanas & Gotama)

What a weird and unexpected end result. Who would've thought that after pestering his father so much he wouldn't of stuck to the Samana way of life? Well, I certainly didn't see that one coming. But, this is Siddhartha after all. What less could we have expected? I mean, not even my sister (who takes at least 45 minutes to choose an outfit), is that indecisive.

After pushing to become a Samana so much, Siddhartha sure didn't know what he really wanted. First of all, he decides that Samana will become his life and that it is what he wants and will always want. What happens when he gets there? Nothing works out like it was supposed to. Sure, he learns quite a few thing from them, like how to lose yourself and then find yourself again, but it wasn't enough for him. "What I have so far learned from the Samanas, I could have learned more quickly and easily in every inn in a prostitute's quarter...", Siddhartha page 13. What a sensible way to put it in. Samana is so last summer to Siddhartha.
Oh, and wait for it, Govinda is still following him around like a lost little puppy, "At his side lived Govinda, his shadow..." Siddhartha page 12. Does Siddhartha care at all? Probably not. He decides that a new turn in his religious life is needed so, naturally, he finds a new option. Buddhism. A normal person would've ditched a "friend" like Siddhartha by this point (no one likes to be dragged around by someone else), Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley don't count, but Govinda just couldn't, could he?
Everything was relatively fine at the beginning, but Mr.Everything-Revolves-Around-What-I-Want wasn't satisfied. When is he ever? So he does what he does best, find flaws in things. He wasn't conformed with the teaching. Some he approved of, some he thought were practically pointless. All of these little things lead to a bigger thing, Siddhartha wants to start the search of a new set of morals that would fit him better.
Surprisingly enough, Govinda doesn't follow. I guess they all have to leave one day, don't they? "The Buddha has robbed me... He has robbed me of my friend, who believed in me and who now believes in him..." Siddhartha page 29.    

       

A Unique Friendship and a Complicated Stand Up (The Brahmin's Son)

I can connect Siddhartha with Gilgamesh. Both Gilgamesh and Siddhartha have philia love in their lives. They both have friends that really care about them, almost bordering on a more than a platonic relationship. Maybe even exceeding the line a bit.

I believe Govinda is the more noticeable one. “He loved the way he walked, his complete grace of movement; he loved everything that Siddhartha did and said, and above all he loved his intellect, his fine ardent thoughts, his strong will, his high vocation…”, Siddhartha page 2. I am no expert, but I am pretty sure that those are things you like and think about someone else when you like them as more than a friend. Also, it didn’t only happen in that occasion. So far, every time Govinda refers to, or thinks about Siddhartha there is a hidden awe and strong bond behind what he is saying, no matter the train of thought. 

One of the other things that surprised me about the story was how Siddhartha decided to approach his father's denial and how his father eventually conceded. "Will you go on standing and waiting until it is day, noon, evening? / I will stand and wait.", Siddhartha page 8. It was very unusual to see the amount of commitment Siddhartha had to his decision and to his beliefs. Nowadays it is very hard to find someone who is so strong willed that they will just stand there and not move for an entire day. People would rather suffer and lead a life they never wanted instead of fighting and going for what they really want. I think that is why Siddhartha stood up to his father. He was one of the few people that had the courage to stand up for what they believed, especially at that time. He wasn't only facing his father and his friend, he could also have been facing social rejection. He probably wouldn't mind, but it would always be there, hidden in a deep dark corner.