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Symbols
The Buddha has a serene smile when Siddhartha first sees him, and this smile is symbolic of the man’s perfection, his childlike love for the world and his tranquility, and becomes a symbol of the ideal state of enlightenment that all the novel’s characters are searching for. As Siddhartha’s measure of spiritual wisdom changes and matures, thanks to the natural world, he sees the smile again on Vasudeva’s face, showing that enlightenment can come with listening and living and isn’t reserved for philosophers. In the final chapter, faced with his past and present and at ease with everything, Siddhartha smiles with this perfect smile and shows Govinda that he has reached his goal.
The Smile Quotes in Siddhartha
The Siddhartha quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Smile. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Part 1, Chapter 3
Quotes
I have never seen anyone gaze and smile like that, sit and stride like that, he thought. Truly, I wish I could gaze and smile, sit and stride like that, so free, so venerable, so concealed, so open, so childlike and mysterious.
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Part 2, Chapter 11
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Radiant was Vasudeva’s smile, it hovered, luminous, over all the wrinkles in his old face just as the om hovered over all the voices of the river. Bright shone his smile when he looked at his friend, and bright now glowed the very same smile on Siddhartha’s face.
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Part 2, Chapter 12
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He no longer saw his friend Siddhartha’s face; instead he saw other faces, many, a long row, a streaming river of faces, hundreds, thousands, which all came and faded and yet seemed all to be there at once, which kept changing and being renewed, and yet which all were Siddhartha.
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Get the entire Siddhartha LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Smile Symbol Timeline in Siddhartha
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Smile appears in Siddhartha. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part One, Chapter 3 – Gautama
The Buddha’s peaceful smile is unwavering . He warns Siddhartha to be careful of his own cleverness. Then he goes smiling...
(full context)
Part Two, Chapter 12 – Govinda
...he can understand, to take with him when they part for the last time. Siddhartha smiles still . Govinda’s face is full of angst and seeking. Siddhartha tells him to come close...
(full context)
