Part 2: "Govinda" Summary

A man requests a ferry ride from Siddhartha across the river and it turns out to be Govinda, Siddhartha's old boyhood friend, whom he has not seen in many years. Govinda asks Siddhartha what knowledge he has acquired, and although Govinda at first thinks that Siddhartha's answer is very strange, Govinda begins to see that his childhood friend is now very wise indeed, like Buddha. Filled with love for Siddhartha, he watches as the peaceful face of his friend turns to thousands of faces of people, fish and animals from the present and the distant past. With tears streaming down his old face, Govinda knows now that his friend is truly holy.

Part 2: "Govinda" Analysis

In this last chapter of his book, Hesse seems to be saying that life's journey is long and hard, and no one can show...