Personal Legend or Off Chance Dream? A shepherd and an alchemist seem to be stark opposites. A poor sheep herder who lives from the land, alone with his sheep compared to an Alchemist. Rich, powerful, and highly sought out. However, the two have more in common than you might think. They both live with a goal, or a “Personal Legend” (21) as the Alchemist may have put it, that gives them a reason to keep going until they achieve that goal. In the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, the main character is named Santiago, who happens to be both, a shepherd and and alchemist. Santiago’s Personal Legend is to find the Egyption Pyramids that will give him treasure. Many people help him along the way to achieve this Personal Legend,however there is …show more content…
But suddenly, when his trip is led off the beaten path, he ends up meeting another girl named Fatima. He explains his love to Fatima on the second day that he sees her by saying, “I want you to be my wife. I love you.” (95). After this we don't hear another reference about the merchant's daughter. However, this encounter may not be so odd. Since he met Fatima in an oasis at the well there is water around them. He has entered a rebirth or baptism and his view and outlooks have changed. He soon forgets about the other woman and has his mind set on this woman. Since water is involved it is baptism, as Foster would say in his, “If She Comes Up it’s Baptism” chapter. He uses the example of, “A young man sails away from his known world, dies out of one existence, and comes back a new person, hence is reborn”(155). This quote perfectly describes how Santiago's views changed in the sense that he jumped out of his shepherd, merchant's daughter life and into the quest seeking, Fatima …show more content…
When reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor along with The Alchemist, or any book for that matter, readers are able to dig deeper between the lines and come to conclusions that are not so obvious. Knowing how to digest literature can prove to be helpful since connections inside and outside of the text can easily be seen. The Alchemist sends us different messages throughout the end, leaving the reader to decide if the message is to follow our Personal Legends, or to realize it is just a dream. After reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor thoughts are directed to the follow your Personal Legend since Foster tells us to use Biblical clues to unearth the truth, as well as character actions that point to certainty. When you have an extra reading device to help interpret, the text seems to come alive. Through Fosters ideas I have come to the conclusion that the alchemist referred to on the cover of the book is not the alchemist that we meet in the center of the novel, but rather Santiago and becoming an alchemist is his personal
In The Alchemist Paulo Coelho presents a character, Santiago, torn between following tradition and his Personal Legend. Santiago tries to live true to his Personal Legend, which is a path pursued by those who strive to fulfill their purpose in life. Yet throughout the novel tradition, a motif, presents itself as a roadblock holding Santiago back from reaching his dreams. Coelho juxtaposes tradition against Personal Legend to illustrate its purely individual nature and the necessity of the acceptance of change to reach one’s dreams and goals.
The representation of human nature in literature can reveal an author’s or director’s views on the flaws in the characters and societies. This is evident in the texts, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Mystery Road by Ivan Sen, as they both make interpretations on the deadly sin, Greed. There are many character traits that make up human nature; greed is one such example, representing a flaw in people that drives an intense, destructive and selfish desire for something. Through Shelley’s characters, Victor Frankenstein and Robert Walton, she portrayed examples of greed and selflessness through their unabated obsession for knowledge and intention to help others. Shelley has used allusion and characterisation to portray their human nature. Similarly,
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.
Paulo Coelho shows that Santiago is determined in The Alchemist. No matter what he does, he always has his mind set towards achieving his personal legend. "I'm an adventurer, looking for treasure"(162). Along his journey, Santiago encounters 4 emotionally obstacles. Santiago was told at a very young age that its impossible to achieve your personal legend. He meets the King and Santiago is told that once you learn what your personal legend is, you will not be afraid to go out and dream. Santiago and the Alchemist run into a tribe of Arab soldiers, who hold them captive and the Alchemist tells them that Santiago can turn himself into wind and destroy everything. Santiago doesn't believe he can do it and the Alchemist tells him the only thing
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
To begin with, Santiago meets and begins to work for crystal merchant. First of all, Santiago learns about the merchants dream and religious obligation, to make a trip to Mecca. The merchant wants to live off his dream instead of making it come true. Santiago understands but sees that that is not what he wants to do. Next, Santiago sees that while change is useful, it is important to be yourself. He is filled with
In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho continuously shows how Santiago conquers fear and is greatly rewarded for it. In order to get his treasure and achieve his personal legend he must first travel through the well-known dangers of the desert. It is an extremely expensive trip that many do...
Reality versus Desire Characters in "The Alchemist" Desire to be changed so they can realize their dreams. This is an ordinary human aspiration, yet these characters try to take shortcuts, to get something in vain. Jonson demonstrates the audience their own weaknes when they attempt to be something they are most certainly not. Just Drugger the tobacconist seems to have desire in line with who he is. He needs tips for enhancing his shop and business.
Santiago is a young boy who fits into the flawed hero archetype. His story tells of his journey to find his Personal Legend and the many new people and experiences he encounters. Santiago is flawed in the way that he does not have enough confidence in himself to complete the task set out in front of him. He is constantly putting himself off track and avoiding what he has to do. In the beginning of his journey, he faces a setback and his money gets stolen. While finding a solution and a job, he gets distracted loses sight of his dreams. A couple months into the job, he thinks, “...Egypt was now just as distant a dream as was Mecca for the merchant…” (Coelho 58) and he glorifies his new plan to “disembark at Tarifa as a winner” (Coelho 58) with his improved flock of sheep. However, he continues his journey two years later, despite his break in confidence. When Santiago reaches the Oasis during his journey across the desert, he gets sidetracked once more by a woman. This woman’s name is Fatima. The second time they meet Santiago speaks without thinking and says, “‘I came to tell you just one thing...I want you to be my wife. I love you.’” (Coelho 98). This alone demonstrates his rash actions of an inexperienced hero who causes his dreams to be postponed. However, Santiago is also a successful hero despite his flaws. He still continues his journey, no matter what, and eventually reaches his goal. Even through
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
"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.
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
A life changing book. A story worth sharing. After walking a pilgrimage from Spain to Santiago de Compostela, Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian lyricist, who is most known for his book, The Alchemist, teaches multiple extraordinary lessons throughout his award-winning novel. The novel is based on a boy named Santiago who lives his life as a shepherd, until he meets a king who tells him to follow the omens, which will lead to his destiny. Throughout his journey, he learns a variety of life lessons, as he overcomes different challenges. Along his destined path, he meets the alchemist, who helps him learn the language of the world. Of the lessons described, one of the most important is the idea of following your heart and to not be afraid of the consequences
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 the second section of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, my favorite part was the fact that Santiago was realizing that he had the wrong dream in mind. This can be expressed through the quote, “ He had worked for an entire year to make a dream come true, and that dream, minute by minute, was becoming less important. Maybe that wasn’t really his dream.” Santiago got mixed up along the way and thought that he should be saving for more sheep, when he realized that what he really wanted was a trip to the pyramids. My least favorite part of this section was that the merchant had really little faith in Santiago's ideas to increase business. His religious beliefs get in the way and he keeps saying, “ Maktub” which means it is written. The merchant