The Spiritual Journey In John Steinbeck's The Alchemist

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Alchemist follows the spiritual journey of Santiago, who is a shepherd. He travels from Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the pyramids. On his journey, he meets a Gypsy woman, a king, and an alchemist. These people help Santiago to find treasure, and demand a price. The treasure is unknown, and he finds love along the way. The Alchemist is a wise book, which combines spirituality, religion, dreams and power. Santiago is the main character, and goes on a journey. He believes in his dream, and despite his father's disapproval at first, he goes on a journey of a lifetime. Santiago's name is rarely mentioned throughout the book, which I found odd in a positive way. He is a kind and respectful young man, and I admire his determination. He falls in love with an Arabian woman named Fatima, and asks her to …show more content…

The book advocates one of the most popular ideas of our decade. Or as Rhonda Byrne calls it the “secret”. You guessed it right; it’s the law of attraction. You attract what you think. Santiago’s story is not a new one. We have all lived this in some way. From class 10th boards to our present institution, it’s been a journey. We all might have had the Fatima of the dreams but she soon went away in the winds of time. We all have our personal legend. Be it to become a writer or to become a dancer! We all face the thieves which is the metaphor for failure. These thieves are meant to bring us back to the present moment. The holy present moment is what we experience when we are in a crisis. Think of it. Think of the moment which could have been the end of who you are, not qualifying an exam? Not winning that title? These are the things that make us who we are. Our dreams, our desires and our love towards the world is what gives us the sense of

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