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The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (Book Analysis)
Themes of alchemist by paulo coelho
Themes of alchemist by paulo coelho
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Recommended: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (Book Analysis)
In the beginning of the Alchemist, Santiago is in Spain looking across the strait to Africa, and the wind blows from Africa. And he says: “The levanter increased in intensity. Here I am, between my flock and my treasure, the boy thought” (pg 30). The diction implies the opposition of security by Santiago deciding not to stay with the sheep who represent those who do not wish to achieve their Personal Legend and chooses to realize his Personal Legend. The levanter increasing also created a frantic tone as the decision approached, and his heart made the decision for him in the moment resulting in the realization of his personal legend and his true happiness. The only way for someone to achieve happiness in one’s life, one must complete their
Suffering and sacrifice is never easy, but it is necessary for Santiago go through both in order to make his dreams come true. In The Alchemist, Santiago has to sacrifice his sheep so he can travel in search of the Pyramids. Santiago is hesitant to give up his sheep because he is afraid of leaving behind something he knows so well. “He had to choose between something he had become accustomed to and something he wanted to have” (Coelho 30). He is
Curiosity drives the decisions Santiago makes to understand his personal legend. Even in the beginning of the book Santiago shows curiosity by becoming a shepherd. Santiago’s father wanted him to become a priest, but Santiago’s desire and curiosity to travel motivated him to become a shepherd since Santiago did not have much money to travel for fun. During Santiago’s travels, he has a recurring dream and curiosity led him to try and get an interpretation of his dream by meeting with the gypsy. While meeting with the gypsy, he ignores the negative reputation gypsies have in order to understand his dream due to his naive and curious nature. In addition to that, the old man offers to help Santiago if the old man receives half of his flock. Driven by curiosity, Santiago sells his sheep and gives the old man half of his flock in an effort to understand his dream and discover his personal legend. If Santiago was not curious, he would not have sold his sheep in an attempt to become closer to his treasure. When Santiago first met the alchemist, he shouted, “Where do you live?...The hand with the whip pointed to the south” (Coelho 117). Soon after this occurrence, Santiago went off in search of the alchemist’s home. Once Santiago found the alchemist, Santiago accepted the alchemist’s welcome into his house. Santiago’s curiosity led him into the alchemist’s tent with very little contemplation.
Have you ever encountered problems while trying to fulfill a goal in your life? In the book The Alchemist, written by Paulo Coelho, a shepherd boy named Santiago overcomes obstacles to reach his personal legend. Throughout the book Santiago encounters many friends to help him fulfill his destiny. Santiago encounters many problems throughout the story. He overcomes them with the help of his friends and his wife-to-be. These problems shape Santiago into a dignified man of many traits.
In The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho an Andalusian boy named Santiago leaves Spain to travel to Egypt in order to achieve his Personal Legend. During his journey he meets four people, a Gypsy, a King named Melchizedek, an Englishman and an Alchemist, all of whom help Santiago along his journey towards his Personal Legend. However, only the King and the Alchemist teach Santiago lessons that he can learn from and use along his journey. The King teaches Santiago two lessons, to follow omens and that it is not always about the destination but that it is also about the journey. The Alchemist teaches Santiago to listen to his heart for guidance, what the Language of the World is and what the Soul of the World is. He eventually arrives in Egypt after
In The Alchemist, Coelho begins Santiago’s journey with an overview of Santiago’s life as he lives the “joys of carefree wandering[s]” as a shepherd. (Coelho 7) Zusak, however, starts his book out with these words: “Here is a small fact. You are going to die.” (Zusak 3) This observation at the very beginning of the book gives the book gravity and starts to set the atmosphere for the rest of the story. The development of the atmosphere is furthered when Liesel’s brother dies and his funeral is held. Santiago’s shepherd life is a stark comparison to Liesel’s bleak situation. When Liesel grieves over her dead brother, Santiago is feeling the uncertainties of love. Their journeys are initiated with a choice and each of these choices will each have many consequences and rewards. Santiago’s choice is to go hunting for treasure. Liesel’s choice is to steal her first book.
What is more important, the journey or the destination? , Well… the destination is similar to the journey but your going towards one thing. That one thing could be a goal, a personal legend, or a family ritual. The journey has more than one obstacle, more than one goal, and a personal legend. Would you choose the journey or the destination?
Will Santiago go after his dream? In The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Santiago has had the same dream twice. He takes it upon himself to discover what this dream means and where the treasure in the dream is located. The people and challenges he faces along the way all present him with a sacrifice. When trying to achieve his goal, Santiago sacrifices his sheep, Fatima temporarily, gold, and time.
The Alchemist conveyed the up-most truthful meaning of santiago’s personal legend by teaching him the soul of the earth. This stage helped santiago and the Alchemist are talking doing what your personal legend is and also doing exactly what your personal legend desires are when they speak in terms of listening to one’s heart. “Whenever your heart is, that is where you’ll find your treasure. Santiago takes initiative on his dreams and pursue them regardless of love affairs and the hurt that comes along with it. The stage encouraged and also motivated santiago to find his treasure and make a better life for fatima and
Curious, courageous, young, adventurous: these are all words to describe Santiago, the protagonist in the novel The Alchemist. In this novel, Paulo Coelho develops Santiago’s character as a young boy who goes on an adventure to find his life’s purpose. Through the hero’s journey, Paulo Coelho insists that both internal and external struggles often cannot stop people from achieving their goals, ultimately encouraging people to fulfill self discovery and understand who they truly are.
"If someone isn’t what others want them to be, the others become angry. Everyone seems to have a clear ideals of how other people should lead their lives, but none about their own.” That is one of many deep quotes that makes the reader truly think about life in The Alchemist, written by Paulo Coelho. The book is about a young boy named Santiago, who loves travel and adventure, but he does not have the money to do so. He was raised to be a priest, but decides that he would rather be a shepherd, so that he can travel. Santiago’s father gives him two spanish coins, and tells him that he will learn one day that no place is as beautiful as the one he lives in. It seems like Santiago’s father believes in him, but not the way Santiago wants him to.
On his journey to learn more about the soul of the world, Santiago met the old King of Salem, Melchizedek. He introduces several of the key concepts that we see repeated throughout the novel, The Alchemist. For example, he tells Santiago about Personal Legends, the Soul of the World, and Beginner’s Luck. The King also gives him Urim and Thummin, which represent “yes” and “no” to help guide him on his journey. Melchizedek is the first character to display magical powers that convince Santiago to pursue his dream of finding a treasure. The King once said, “Never stop dreaming, and follow the omens,” (Coelho 64). Two years later, these words helped him continue on his journey to fulfilling his destiny.
“ Where your treasure is, there also will be your heart”(159). This is what the alchemist said to the main character. The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, tells a story of a boy named Santiago, who goes on a long journey to discover his personal legend. As Santiago goes on his journey to pursue his personal legend, he is faced with many challenges, as well as left to make difficult decisions that change him forever. As Santiago travels the world, he becomes a hero. In The Alchemist, Santiago shows characteristics, as well as archetypal characteristics that make him a hero. Santiago displays kindness, bravery and wisdom; also he is considered a hero because he displays many characteristics of an archetypal hero. He displays archetypal characteristics such as: receiving supernatural help, proving himself many times and receiving an apotheosis.
To begin with, the fear of losing beloved things or people presents people with dilemmas that influence the continuation of their journey and they can only bypass these dilemmas by getting rid of the fear altogether. To begin, Santiago’s fear of losing everything he already earned makes him second guess his plans and therefore discourages him to continue his journey. Santiago expresses his doubts by stating that his “‘heart is a traitor…it does [not] want [him] to go on.’ ‘That makes sense,’ the alchemist answered. ‘Naturally it [is] afraid that, in pursuing [a] dream, [a person] might lose everything [they] [have] won’” (Coelho 145). Throughout the novel, Santiago learns to always listen to his heart, but in this situation if he did, it would result in abandoning his journey. The alchemist encourages Santiago to move on from this fear by stating that it is normal to feel scared, but not normal to give up on a dream because of a feeling. Santiago’s best solution in this situation is to conquer his fear of loss altogether and erase the doubts in his mind for a smoother journey. Next, the fear of losing life in the midst of the journey makes Santiago wonder if it is appropriate to risk his life to pursue a dream. Santiago learns how to handle this situation as “the camel driver had [once] said, to die tomorrow [is] no worse than dying on any other ...
The Theme of “The Alchemist,” by Paulo Coelho is, always follow your dreams and listen to your heart. At the start of the novel Santiago does not know what he should do when he is confronted by his dream. But by the end of the novel Santiago completely trusts his heart to guide him though life. Santiago’s story shows him learning and living out the theme of the novel.
In Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist the story of the shepherd boy Santiago and his journey to fulfill his Personal Legend unfolds from beginning to end. On his journey Santiago meets several significant male characters that play very important roles in the development of his character, his journey, and his story. There are only a few female characters in The Alchemist, as men dominate the story; however, one of these female characters also plays a very significant role in Santiago’s story. Santiago falls in love with Fatima and this forever changes both of their lives. On the surface, the development of Fatima’s character seems to come from and speak for a male chauvinistic point of view and perspective. Not much is revealed about Fatima or her life other than her love for Santiago. Fatima fully supports Santiago’s quest and encourages him to leave her in search of it. Fatima seems to define herself by her love and support of Santiago, but this does not mean that Fatima’s character is written as such to emphasize a sexist point of view concerning the role of women. This narrative, with the use of Fatima’s character and her role in Santiago’s life, speaks volumes about the role and power of both women and love.