Applyiing How to Read Literature to the Alchemist

-Santiago is the main character in The Alchemist. He has been working as a shepherd for the past two years. He is in the Andalusia region of Spain at the beginning of the novel.

“People are capable at anytime in their lives, of doing what they dream of.” In the novel The Alchemist, Santiago goes on a journey to find and fulfill his “Personal Legend”. Santiago displays admirable traits throughout the book. Throughout the novel, Santiago faces obstacles that he could have never imagined happening to him but he pushes through them with determination and persistence. This most beneficial trait allows him to find the best way to handle situations and overcome his problems.

“The Alchemist” is a novel written by Paulo Coelho in 1988. Regarded as Coelho’s best novel, it captures the elixir of life through the view of a sanguine Spanish Shepard. Set in a forsaken church in Spain at night; the young Shepard Santiago tastes the exquisite sensation of a compelling dream. He dreams that a young lad tells him about a hidden treasure nigh the Egyptian pyramids. After the dream relapses more than once, Santiago opts to confer an old man and an old woman who tell him that his dream is oracular and that he must abide by its directions. Santiago then decides to pursue his vision and sets off on the venture of a lifetime with a set purpose of locating the fortune hidden near the Egyptian pyramids. In the course of his quest, he meets several people who act as figures that succor him and elevate his experience. As well, he comes into contact with the diversity of human emotions, as he experiences sorrow, pain, elation, agitation and love. In addition, he learns about the mechanism of the universe and the earth’s way of sending

The Alchemist taught Santiago how to find the Soul of the World. The Alchemist told Santiago that when he believes in something with all of his heart and follows his dreams that is when he is closest to the Soul of the World. Santiago needed to learn this so he could complete his journey and find the treasure, but also he needed to learn this so he could turn himself into the wind. The Alchemist didn’t tell Santiago how to turn himself into the wind but he had to find the Soul of the

Many people have dreams throughout their lives, but not very many people are able to achieve them. Santiago had dreams and throughout The Alchemist, he was fate. First, the boy's parents wanted him to be a priest. Santiago knew that, that's not what he wanted to do. Santiago wanted to travel the world and with the help of his sheep, he was able to. Second, the boy meets Melchizedek, who is the king of Salem. Melchizedek told Santiago about the Personal legends and about his treasure he was having dreams about. The king, however, would not tell Santiago how to get to his treasure unless he sold one- tenth of his sheep. Third, while the boy was traveling through Tangier, he worked for a crystal merchant. The longer Santiago worked for the

Santiago recalls when he first discussed with his father his “desires to travel” preferring it to the path of priesthood that his parents desired for him (Coelho 9). It is at this time that Coelho reveals that Santiago's father had also desired to travel but was too frightened by the idea to realize his ambitions. Santiago's father becomes a symbol of what occurs when dreams do not become realized due to the paralyzing effect of fear; he essentially becomes the antithesis to the character of the alchemist mentioned later in the

To explain, on p.g 40,41, & 42 in The Alchemist, explains how Santiago met a person, who he thought was his “friend”, but when this guy had saw that Santiago had money, he waited for Santiago to get distracted in the plaza of Tangier and took his money and disappeared with it. Then it goes on to say, that was all of Santiago's money, and his key back home, so he lost everything, and he had nothing, not even his sheep. Rather than sitting around and doing nothing about it, Santiago was able to persevere through it, to explain on p.g 48 & 49 it explains how Santiago was able to figure out how he was going to earn his money, and that was from cleaning crystal. Santiago,was the definition of persistence, because

The quote, “Maybe the world had other hidden treasures, but he had a dream, and he had met with a king” explains why Santiago decided to continue on his search for his Personal Legend (67). Although Santiago had many mentors throughout his journey, he ultimately decided to continue his journey based on his original dream of his treasure and his passion to find his Personal Legend. The dream in which Santiago saw the Egyptian pyramids was later interpreted by a gypsy and then a king as his Personal Legend. Throughout his journey, he sometimes turned to omens to help guide his decisions and journey, even through unforeseen events. Similar to Santiago following his Personal Legend, alchemists must find the meaning of the Emerald Tablet themselves through their own knowledge and experiences.

This meaning that he can talk to the wind and make the wind blow a huge gust of wind. So they hear that he can do such a thing so they bring Santiago and the Alchemist to a cliff and Santiago was taught earlier by The Alchemist to connect with with his heart and nature one of them being is to turn yourself into the wind. From here on Santiago starts talking to wind and trying to get him to give a huge gust of wind like no other. And eventually the Desert Men start to get doubtful of the young boy but he tells them to stay and does not give up up no matter what and gives them the huge gusts of wind he has always wanted and it blows the whole camp down and also impresses the Desert Men very much.

Santiago, a shepherd boy from a small Andalusian town, is the main character of The Alchemist. Curious and determined, Santiago was born an explorer and wanted to learn about the world. In the beginning of the Alchemist, Santiago went against his parent’s wishes to become a priest and chose to instead work as a shepherd so he could travel throughout the country. Despite his thirst for adventure, Santiago remained satisfied with his lifestyle until he had numerous dreams of uncovering treasure hidden in the Pyramids of Egypt. At first, Santiago is hesitant about pursuing his dream, even going to a gypsy to define what his dream meant. His confidence still wavered, until receiving a second opinion from Melchizedek, a mysterious old man who claims to be the king of Salem. After Melchizedek informs Santiago about the mystic ways of the world, Santiago becomes interested in fulfilling his Personal Legend and sets off to Egypt.

He convinces himself to continue his quest across the Sahara Desert and joins a group traveling with the desert caravan. One of the travelers is an englishman who studies alchemy. Both the Englishman and Santiago are personally committed to pursuing their Personal Legends so they quickly become friends. The Englishman is on the caravan to Al-Fayoum because he wants to become a great alchemist. He will be studying with a successful and famous alchemist who has been rumored to be very old and have special powers, for example the ability to turn any metal into gold. Santiago is introduced to alchemy and receives much knowledge from the books that the Englishman reads. The Englishman is dedicated to becoming a well known alchemist and has devoted much time into

The final, most noteworthy figure that assisted Santiago is the alchemist. The alchemist was key to helping Santiago complete the last part of his journey. The alchemist pushes Santiago, even more than the old king had, and unlike the shop owner and the Englishman who had unintentionally helped Santiago, the alchemist deliberately endeavors to have Santiago achieve his Personal Legend. The alchemist tested Santiago’s courage, and teaches him the most important lesson that Santiago learns in the desert, which is, “ ‘Listen to your heart. It knows all things, because it came from the Soul of the World, and it will one

The Alchemist is a novel that represents a physical and mental journey of boy who travels to the Pyramids of Egypt to find hidden treasure despites the risks. Santiago character grows throughout the plot as he experiences more events that shape his thoughts on himself and his surrounding world. At the end, Santiago finds the treasure and looks back on what he learned in the process, In real life, many people often dream about following their Personal Legend, or fantasies, and leaving their current unsatisfying life. However, they must struggle and bear through the problems that comes with achieving their goals. For example, a student who dreams of becoming an artist must practice hard and have the talent to actually become who they want. As

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is an enchanting book about shepherd boy named Santiago who travels out into the desert searching for treasure to find an Alchemist and learn much more than he ever expected. The book conveys lessons and themes in which can be applied to our own lives, and I will focus on three. The three themes I will focus on are unity, fate, and love. One of the big themes in The Alchemist is unity.

The alchemist tell the boy, “What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way” (136). Santiago is striving to reach his personal legend and become a better person. As he goes on his journey, he helps many people. He shows a crystal merchant his full potential in his shop and as a person. The boy helps an Englishman follow his Personal Legend of becoming an alchemist and pushes him to actually try. Santiago even kept an oasis from going under attack by listening to his heart so he could save the love of his life and everyone else who lived there. The boy also became a better person and learned many life lessons throughout his travels. While Santiago is helping people follow their dreams and find their full potential, He learns many things and becomes a better person.