Siddhartha Dialectical Journal - APLit.pdf

I love your discussion of language on your last quote. Because I am a word nerd, I am always thinking about synonyms and how they don't really mean identical things. There are so many nuances in meaning. And, as you bring up, translations between languages are never the same. I was just having this discussion recently with my bf about the word "fahrvergnugen" and the volkswagen commercials from the 1990s ("Fahrvergnugen: it's what make a car a volkswagen") and how it was almost impossible to translate into English because we don't have word with the same implications. Vergnugen means way more than "comfort" or "contentment" because it's almost a state of being...) The very implications are sometimes lost in translation. And so...Siddhartha is a translated book, of course. So, how much of Hesse's intentions are accurately conveyed in English? And how much does this matter?

Holly, I liked what you said about the quote from page 58. You mentioned how in our society today there is much more to worry about than just having money and clothes. I feel like if we only had to worry about those two things our lives would be much simpler, but that's not how it is. Today parents and their kids have to focus on working hard to be able to pay off bills and put food on the table instead of worrying about other things.

I also liked your comment on page 98. I feel like I can relate to you this. The last couple of years I have tried to put myself more out there. I have joined clubs to try and meet people because I can be shy and I thought doing this would push me out of my comfort zone. I think for me It's extremely important to experience things for myself rather than just take other peoples world on things because I feel out of place or uncomfortable very easy.

I feel that even though we do see much of the inspiration and feeling that was intended with this book, I still can't get rid of the feeling that there is something I'm missing. Or something I'm understanding way too easily to be realistically true. In a way, though, perhaps the things lost in translation have created new things to analyze and feel in their absence. Experiences are the reason we exist, and perhaps this and other things like it (missed commentary in a podcast, scenes missed while taking bathroom breaks, etc.) serve just as much purpose in our world and minds as do the things we understand and see completely. It's because of this that I wish I didn't regret mistakes as much or take the value out of less-than-whole experiences. So, I continue to put myself in positions where, no matter the experience, I'm at least able to say "I did it."