<p>What motivates people to change?</p>
<p>In this day of age, change is crucial to advancement. Over the years, there have been many factors that have motivated people to change. Specifically, self-improvement and gratification have been the focus of many people; to be motivated to change. This is exemplified in great examples of literature- Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter.</p>
<p>The novel Siddhartha is a tremendous example that portrays self-improvement and gratification as engines of motivation for change. Siddhartha, the son of a well-respected Brahmin, is expected to follow in his father’s footsteps and become also a Brahmin. Having no interest in this set path and seeking true enlightenment, Siddhartha decides to embark on his own journey and set his own path. Shadowed by his best friend, Govinda, Siddhartha seeks to improve his range of knowledge and understanding as a means to improve himself mentally. Throughout the novel, Siddhartha encounters many different groups and people that represent a variety of distribution. He encounters the starving Samanas, the Buddhist monks, Kamala, Kamaswami, and Vaseduva- all of them serve as stirrups to Siddhartha’s advancement towards enlightenment. Towards the end of the novel, succumbing to the means of gratification, Siddhartha decides to leave the wealthy life and begins to learn from the River. Conclusively, Siddhartha was so tremendously motivated by the desire for more knowledge and gratification, that he was able to accomplish the feat in the end.</p>
<p>Not only is self-improvement and gratification engines for motivation in Siddhartha, but also in The Scarlet Letter. Living in a confined Puritan society, Hester Prynne is looked down upon as an adulteress. Motivated to make a new image for herself, Hester refuses to let society’s views hinder her reputation. As a means to create and gain self-respect, Hester defies all odds and commits good deeds to dispel this disgracing image that has been labeled to her. Truly motivated by self-improvement, Hester rises to the top and successfully refutes any negative image that has been concocted of her.</p>
<p>Evidently, these strong examples of literature prove that self-improvement and gratification are truly engines for the motivation to change. With Siddhartha’s desire to gain enlightenment and Hester’s desire to make a positive image of herself, readers can see that not only do self-improvement and gratification motivate people to change, but also to exceed limits and therefore, encourage others around them to be motivated to change as well. Govinda from Siddhartha and Rev. Dimmesdale serve as testaments to that. In the end, it is a battle fought within ourselves- do we truly wish to step out of the box and change the world?</p>
