At the heart of these themes is timelessness, a state attained through true enlightenment. Hesse skillfully integrates all elements of nature, including their physical forms and mental and spiritual aspects, into the idea of suspended time. Each character or element is archetypal—Siddhartha's father, his mother, the everlasting river, the wisdom of Buddha, and Siddhartha's own rebellious spirit—presented in a structured, formal way. This extends to the book's straightforward, prayer-like language, which feels almost ritualistic.