Mature Vs. Imature

    Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse possess a motif of the idea that, people are children. Throughout the book Siddhartha constantly describes the average people he meets as immature and ignorant. Siddhartha first makes this metaphor after meeting the ferryman. “ All are grateful, although they themselves deserve thanks. All are subservient, all wish to obey and to think little. people are children.”(49) In this scene, Siddharth is pleased of the kindness of the ferryman and it reminds him of Govinda. In return of the ride, the protagonist gives friendship to the ferryman. This scene is a reference to how everybody wants to be Siddhartha’s friend. In this case people are like children because children who meet are almost instantaneous best friends. They are ignorant without a care in the world. and just go with the flow, much like the people Siddhartha encounters. The second time Siddhartha makes this analogy when he has become disgusted with what he has become,” This wish, this childish wish had grown so strong within him: to find peace by destroying his body.” (89). Siddhartha acknowledges the fact that it wasn’t himself to act this way, drunk, and obsessed with money. This is childish because maturity comes out of realizing what is truly important. Not money, nor power is important and Siddhartha fell down this path. “I changed from a man into a child”(96) Here, Siddhartha is again questioning himself. He has lost the power to think, to wait, to fast.  These were the signs of his maturity and now he has become and average person but with absolutely nothing to give, but the clothes off his back. This motif reveals a theme that with maturity come the realization that more is not better in the tangible world.