Siddhartha Notes

The plot of this passage is that siddhartha has been in this lifestyle/culture for so long and all along he has hated it and finally he has realized that he can leave and be something else. He realizes that all this time he was the only one that truely hated it while everyone else cherished it. It was as if he had started his life over. He didn't know how it would pan out at home though, how things would go with his father or what he would do with his father. He then feels very alone on the path to finding himself and very confused as to what he would do know, what would his new path bring. He was nervouse but ready. But he was finally at ease and finally happy with the decision he had made. He was excited for his new journey and ready to endure his new self.
The tone is overwhelming because for most of the passage siddhartha is unsure what to do with all his freedom and can't handle not having such structure and tradition. The tone then turns to relief, almost like a sigh or the weight of the world has been dropped, because he now has this feeling of freedom and ability to do anything, achieve anything.
Characterization is that siddhartha is in a state of confusion that is because of this major transition. It's almost like how we will be when we go to college, we go through this major change. We don't know if we like it, but we are excited and nervous and scared, but it's a whole new beginning, new freedom. When we look at it this way, it becomes very close to home and what we are all about to experience.
The theme of this excerpt seems to be self realization or taking big steps, making decisions for yourself because siddhartha finally realizes the potential of what he can become and what he can experience. It's almost a theme of growing up and doing things on your own or discovering yourself. Siddhhartha is finally discovering himself even though it seems to be against his tradition, it is who he wants to be.