Form, Style, and Content in SiddharthaJoseph Mileck states in Hermann Hesse: Life and Art that Siddhartha is a perfect example of what he calls "conscious craftsmanship." For Mileck, Hesse consciously synchronized form and substance in Siddhartha to best illustrate a feeling of unity and the journey through mind, body and soul. In Siddhartha, Hesse consciously created a work unified in form, style and content, and created an atmosphere in which each of these elements perfectly complements the others. To most accurately communicate Siddhartha's inner journey through the three phases of experience, Hesse maintains appropriate pace and form throughout the novel. From a structural point of view, Siddhartha is composed of twelve chapters divided into three groups of three chapters, in which each group is subsequently followed by an interlude. The interlude has the function of dissipating and refocusing the energy built in the previous three chapters. For example, the first three chapters describe Siddhartha's experiences in the land of the spirit, and conclude with the interlude "Awakening," in which Siddhartha awakens to the idea that he is spiritually detached and must seek a new path. In three chapters, Siddhartha experiences the land of the senses and bodily pleasure. This second group of three chapters is followed by the interlude "By the river", which serves "to consolidate the experiences just passed and to prepare Siddhartha for those to come". The last three chapters are about working towards a synthesis of the spiritual and the sensual, which is achieved in the final chapter, "Om". Siddhartha is completed with...... middle of paper ......t the novel gives Siddhartha a systematic and methodical tone, and together with the consciously created form unifies Siddhartha's experiences, allowing a feeling of closure and meditation on thoughts and ideas presented there. There is certainly a unique rhythm to Siddhartha that is skillfully communicated both consciously and subconsciously. One can appreciate the "conscious craftsmanship" of the novel's structure and style, while at the same time allowing the rhythm, feelings, and experiences to penetrate the mind on a deeper, subconscious level. Works Cited: Farquharson, Robert. An Outline of the works of Hermann Hesse. London: Forum House Publishing Company, 1973. Hesse, Herman Siddhartha Publications, 1998. Mileck, Joseph Hermann Hesse: Life and Art, 1978.