AP prep post 1: Siddhartha

1. A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel, recounts the psychological or moral development of its protagonist from youth to maturity, when this character recognizes his or her place in the world. Select a single pivotal moment in the psychological or moral development of the protagonist of a bildungsroman. Then write a well-organized essay that analyzes how that single moment shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.

I'm not going to write an essay, but I would write something about how often times, a "bildungsroman" has felt, for a while, that they don't belong in the group, family, etc. in which they were raised, and meets someone or realizes something that is their call to action on their journey. That moment shapes the rest of the meaning of the work because it makes it about finding yourself not conforming to society/others around one.

2. During his stay with the Samanas, Siddhartha did all of the following except
a. grew his beard
b. aided the poor
c. went without food
d. abjured humanity
e. meditated deeply

I can't answer this one because I've never read the novel.

3. After learning the main tenets of Gotama’s Eightfold Path, what does Siddhartha do?
(A) Questions Gotama privately about the specifics of his spiritual recommendations
(B) Acknowledges Gotama’s beliefs as making up the one true faith
(C) Insists to Govinda that they leave immediately
(D) Attempts to return to the Samanas, but fails to locate their whereabouts

Can't answer this one either

4. If you were the river, would you be enlightenment or would you know enlightenment? In other words, what's up with the river? What is it’s relation to enlightenment? What does enlightenment look like in Siddhartha? Is it a feeling? An attitude?

Again, I can't really answer this one, but I think it sounds interesting now that I know there is some sort of conscious river in it.

5. Explain Siddhartha’s journey in terms of a “quest;” at the same time explain how Siddhartha is an allegory for Buddhism itself.

Siddhartha's journey is about finding himself, and Buddhism is about focusing on yourself and reincarnation, which is a journey itself.

For the AP exam. I would have to have a lo of knowledge about other things that I otherwise  wouldn't, like Buddhism. You can't google Buddhism in the middle of an exam, so it's kind of difficult to know what you'll need to know before you take the test. You have to be able to put yourself in the shoes of the character that the question is asking about.