Making the best of a situation

In “The Alchemist”, by Paulo Coelho, there is a recurring theme of making the better of what one is given. In the beginning, Santiago, a young shepherd boy, learns how to guide his sheep to safety and water. For Santiago, it is his everyday life. He is accustom to the fields and pastures in which he feeds his sheep everyday. He is able to continue to entertain himself and the needs of the sheep, despite the narrow circumstances he is given. At night, Santiago uses a book as a pillow to sleep on, rather than a sheep. Later in the book, Santiago continues to use his ability to find value in seemingly plain things. This is also when he meets an alchemist, a man who can turn lead into gold. To Santiago this seems like an outstanding ability, but to the alchemist, it is just his way of making money, or what he chose to do with his life. He is able to see the value in lead, because the alchemist is able to turn it into gold. The Alchemist is another great example of someone who can see value in plain things. As Santiago and the Alchemist pursue their own personal legends, they both realize to make the best of their circumstances, and find good things out of bad. This theme recurs throughout the book, including the beginning, Santiago’s trip to Africa, and even when Santiago finally realizes his own personal legend.

In the beginning of the book, Santiago starts off as a humble shepherd. The job requires Santiago to make the best of his circumstances, because he is often hiking through the blistering cold, guiding his sheep to resources, and sleeping on the ground, in barns. To be conservative, Santiago uses a book as a pillow wherever he goes. His job requires him to be conservative. Santiago would never complain about this, because to ...

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...e ones who can find life out in the desert can find true treasure, and in the end of the book, this is what Santiago’s personal legend amounts to.

Santiago arrives to the pyramids, and breaks down crying because of the simple beauty in the pyramids. He was always able to find treasure in plain things, and now it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. With the help of the alchemist and everyone he had met, Santiago had truly gained treasure in the form of wisdom and spiritual power. He was able to pick up the messages he was given, finding treasure in plain things, and he had now fulfilled his personal legend like the alchemist did. Santiago made the best of his experiences and omens, while the Alchemist was able to make the best of his lead. Santiago had essentially turned his simple experiences into metaphorical gold, like the alchemist had done with lead.