AP PREP POST 1: SIDDARTHA

Q1. If you were the river, would you be enlightenment or would you know enlightenment? In other words, what’s up with the river? What is it’s relation to enlightenment?(http://www.shmoop.com/siddhartha/questions.html)
A1. I would definitely be enlightenment. When I look at a river I see a ever-changing life. Like in Pocahantas, "...the thing about rivers is you never step in the same river twice." It shows a constant flow of movement and life. It never is the same. You should always live your life like this. Although having a schedule is good, changing things up is truly living life.

Q2. What does enlightenment look like in Siddhartha? Is it a feeling? An attitude? (http://www.shmoop.com/siddhartha/questions.html)
A2. In Siddhartha, enlightenment is more of an attitude. You can always feel or see enlightment, but that never means you may ever change your ways. Enlightenment is definitely a way of being. Not just feeling it but actually being it.

Q3. What purpose does self-denial serve in Siddhartha? What about self-indulgence?(http://www.shmoop.com/siddhartha/questions.html)
A3. It gives the reason for why we all need to find ourselves. We will always be blinded by self-denial and feeling like we will never achieve what we like. This serves as the direct purpose to achieve such enlightenment and truly become ourselves.

Q4. What is the conflict in Siddhartha?
(http://www.enotes.com/siddhartha/q-and-a/what-conflict-resolution-siddhartha-364172)
A4. Discovering the true meaning of existence in the world.

Q5. How is rebirth represented in Siddhartha?
(http://www.enotes.com/siddhartha/q-and-a/how-rebirth-represented-story-different-from-377988)
A5. Rebirth is presented as the continual state of the cyclical nature of life in this novel.

I think these questions show me that definitely will need to quickly read of this novel again. The last time I actually truly read and understood this book was almost 3 years ago so I'm definitely going to need some brushing up. There were questions I found(which I didn't post due to the fact that I obviously didn't know the anwswers) which I had no idea the answers to. This shows me that I will certainly need to read over any novels used in the AP Exam maybe once or twice more.