Siddhartha is a highly respected son of a Brahmin who lives with his father in ancient India. Everyone in their town expects Siddhartha to behave like his father and be successful. Although he lives a life of the highest quality, Siddhartha is dissatisfied and together with his best friend Govinda wants nothing more than to join the group of wandering ascetics called Samana. This group starves, travels almost naked and must beg for the food they survive on. This group of people believes that to achieve enlightenment and self-realization: body image, health, physical and material desires must be thrown away. Although this is the life Siddhartha wanted for himself, he soon discovers that it is not the right choice for him. Near the wasteland, Siddhartha comes across a river where he hears a strange sound. This sound signifies the beginning of the life he was born to: the beginning of his true self. Hesse uses many literary devices to ensure Siddhartha's goal of self-realization and creates an appropriate path for that success. Hesse uses the setting which greatly influences the variety of factors that influence the plot. Siddhartha travels far from home to gain knowledge and during his travels; comes across many different settings. The settings encountered not only influence Siddhartha individually, but the story as a whole: they help support the purpose of Siddhartha of Hesse's travels. The first section of the novel discusses various settings that symbolize the difficulties Siddhartha faces in finding enlightenment. In the first chapter it is stated that Siddhartha's house is located in the quiet and peaceful environment of an Indian village. This is described in the first sentence of the novel “In……middle of paper……nt. The river does not in itself guarantee this illumination; its purpose is to direct Siddhartha's thoughts to someone who is ready to listen to him and help him on his journey. Instead of simply explaining the facts of the novel, authors use literary elements to make the reader think about what they are trying to convey and to make the text more memorable. From allegory to the tone of the writing, these elements will influence the plot and the characters associated with them. These elements can be used in many ways, but for Hesse they were used to help Siddhartha on his journey to enlightenment, introducing him to settings, characters, and objects that would ultimately help him discover himself. Works Cited Hesse, Hermann, Siddhartha, New Delhi: Rupa Publications, 2003Quote by Siddhartha http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/4840290-siddhartha