I find it completely hilarious that Hatterr, who is repeatedly hoodwinked, learns absolutely nothing time and time again. Interestingly, none of these conditions are as tragic as that of which he cries for his mother. In his cry, "I haven't had my mother to love me... I have no relations, don't you see? I am afraid, can't you see?" (p. 223) I think this paragraph is significant, or is included in the novel, because it begs sympathy from readers. Someone who is starved of affection, we are inevitably obligated to understand where his insecurities originate from.
He also mentions that he suffered an injury to his head and may "develop mental disorders" (p. 222) - the reason for him carrying a list of doctors' phone numbers at all time in the case an accident should ever occur. That illustrates such an obsessive-compulsive person, but if Hatterr successfully gains our sympathy, does that make his journey that much more respectable? Do we respect him more because he's willing to undergo these experiences post-head injury? Personally, for those very reasons, I felt more obligated to sympathize with him when he failed time and time again. Note, that does not mean that I admire his character whatsoever.
I believe that, for those very reasons, the quest becomes more respectable (almost endearing) because his quest is to search for Truth (i.e., a hope to one day reunite with his mum). It was also bittersweet to read because, even though being orphaned, he hopes God continues to watch over his mother. I was just surprised that he didn't hate his mother for orphaning him off.
In his search for truth, Hatterr truly feels he has learned from the school of life. The greatest truth he learns is what we've already discussed in class: the truth that "Life is contrast" (p. 166). The philosophy to accept 'contrast' is truly important, something Hatterr emphasizes, because it's almost a kind of motivation that allows Hatterr to hold onto this faith to continue on with his quest - to gain more experience, to add to the contrast of life.
I think the point you make about sympathizing without Hatterr is kind of interesting; I never really would have thought of it myself. Honestly, I had actually kind of forgotten about the scene in which he discusses being dropped on his head. For some reason I think I had kind of dismissed this explanation he had made for why his situation might be so problematic. It kind of seemed to me like something he might have just made up to throw out there (along with a lot of the other crazy things he mentions). As someone in class mentioned it being difficult to distinguish many of his accounts between dreaming and reality, I also found it somewhat difficult to distinguish much of what occurs in terms of truth and falsity.
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