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Nonconformity InThe Alchemist, By Paulo Coelho

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“Freedom began on the day the first sheep wandered away from the herd.” Marty Rubin once said. Nowhere is this idea more clearly shown than in The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. The Alchemist reveals that for one to complete their pursuit of happiness, sometimes they have to march to the beat of their own drum. Coelho uses foreshadow, symbolism, and foil to further the thematic topic of nonconformity. Modern readers can take away a sense of recusancy. Through this story, they can learn that being themselves is okay, and doing what they want in order to be happy is completely acceptable. The foreshadowing in this novel prepares readers for decisions Santiago will make later on. This idea is evident when Santiago is explaining to the king why he is shepherd. "They wanted me to be a priest, but I decided to become a shepherd." "Because you really like to travel."" (Coelho 18). When the King completes Santiago's claim by saying that he loves to travel, an inference can be that he will make decisions that will keep him traveling. For example, he decides to keep going on his personal legend instead of staying with Fatima. Nonconformity is seen when Santiago tells the King that even though his parents want him to be a priest, he decides to become a shepherd. In using foreshadowing, Coelho also manages to implant symbolism in the same idea. Coelho inserts many examples of symbolism into the story. There is always a bigger meaning hidden in something that seems small.

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