The Western World

When reading Siddhartha, it seemed like the author wanted the reader to create their own own interpretation of what the story meant. It encouraged the reader to go out and find themselves as opposed to letting someone tell you who you are. This could be the reason why it's hard for westerners to comprehend the philosophy behind the allegory. Westerners are so used to their parents, teachers, etc. telling them who they should be, and how to be successful in life, which is almost the exact opposite of what Siddhartha was trying to get across.