AP PREP POST 1: Siddhartha

1. 
2. In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence. Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write an essay in which you show how such a character functions in the work. You may wish to discuss how the character affects action, theme, or the development of other characters. Avoid plot summary. (Essay prompt from 1994 AP Exam) 
3. How does enlightenment relate to or have to do with knowledge?
4. Herman Hesse’s novels before Siddhartha focused on alienated young men who rejected the cultures of their upbringings. However, these other novels did not feature the spiritual elements of Siddhartha. How do the spiritual elements of Siddhartha make it different from any other story of an alienated youth?
5.  Consider Siddhartha’s relationship with Govinda. How are they similar, and how are they different? What are the narrative functions of Govinda’s reappearance throughout the novel? How does their relationship impact the novel’s ending?
   These questions tell me that the test is in depth and covers a wide range of topics and concepts.

I had a difficult time finding questions on Siddhartha that were official AP questions. But a few of these I think are worth looking at. I can only answer some of these questions vaguely, because I have not recently read the novel.

1. In this passage, Siddhartha describes what it feels like to be in that pivotal moment from ignorance to enlightenment. This is a key point in the novel because of its Buddhist theme and he reaches the goal that all of the followers of the Buddha spend their life trying to obtain.
2. "The Illustrious One" is what Siddhartha calls the Buddha. This wise man is only encountered for a short period through the book, however has the most profound effect on Siddhartha's life. Through him Siddhartha reaches enlightenment. 

 3, 4, 5. I do not remember enough of the book to answer these questions. You would need to know           the major themes of the story and have examples to properly answer these.

These questions reveal that you need to know specific examples and characters from the test to properly answer the question. The tone and major themes of a story are easy to remember and those are good for composing a thesis. However, to support that thesis you need specifics.