The Alchemist Reflection

- For me the resolution is that when Santiago realized that the real treasure is where his heart is. Also through his journey he met some people who changed his life and that they may also be considered as Santiago’s treasure.

In the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, young Santiago meets a stranger by the name of Melchizedek. After meeting, Melchizedek says to Santiago, “…whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It’s your mission on earth.” This is a notion that I agree with very much. I believe that when Melchizedek says this to Santiago, it lays the out the foundation of The Alchemist.

As humans, many of us at one point or another reflect on our lives and ask what if, what if I had done this or not done that, what would have been different or even the same if only I had done something different. In Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist, Santiago finds himself on a journey made up of personal choices and how those choices change where his journey leads each time he makes one of those choices. But, what is behind his choices, why does he make the choices that he does? Love, money, possessions, personal deities and even envy can all be powerful motivational factors in people’s lives. Most people know there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, however,

We learn that we have to have courage, to live in the present and follow, lesson to our heart. All of us have our own personal legend to follow. We know that personal legend means personal dreams and goals. Follow a personal legend is never easy we need to take risks and we need to leave valuable thing in our lives. For understand the soul we have to be at peace with the world around us. We learn that we do not be afraid of change because each experience that Santiago had, was different with his previous

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure” (Coelho 141). No one is fully fulfilled without achieving one’s Personal Legend, through some lessons from mentors, it helped Santiago, in the book The Alchemist written by Paulo Coelho, to be a better and happier person in the end because he learned that it is up to you alone to live your greatest life, the real treasure is in the journey itself, and the fear of failure is the greatest obstacle to happiness.

In The Alchemist, Santiago crosses a desert on his journey to Egypt in order to find his treasure. Ravaged by harsh weather and brutal warring tribes, the desert symbolises the difficulties and hardships that are faced by those pursuing their Personal Legends, and the danger of fear. However, Santiago accepts and listens to the desert which presents him with an omen, warning him of an approaching army. Had Santiago feared the desert completely, he would not have been presented with the warning and therefore would be unable to protect those in the oasis. Thus, individuals who are pursuing their destiny should not fear hardships and difficulties, but should accept them and continue on their journey. Alternatively, the reoccurring and dominant idea of dreams throughout The Alchemist, represents one’s inner destiny – or Personal Legend. Much like Santiago’s inner desire revealed in his dream was to find the treasure, “… The child said to me, if you come here, you will find a hidden treasure.” (pg.6), the motif of dreams teaches that one should follow their dreams in order to fulfil their Personal Legends, as such imaginings help one to realise their destiny and thus, they will be rewarded with aforementioned

In The Alchemist, Santiago sets off to find treasure, but along his difficult journey acquires wisdom instead and develops a moral code: don’t let greed blur your vision, value the journey as well as the goal, and the treasure you seek is in your own backyard. Coelho taught me that my personal fortune lies within myself, my family, and my environment.

Someone has the chance to change when a new, exciting opportunity leads to a new journey. “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho is a novel that shows that everyone has their own calling to follow. “The Human Experience” is a documentary directed by Charles Kinnane that shows that experiencing new things can really transform a person. Journeys present transformative opportunities to those who seek more in life.

As human-beings we seek out to find our true identity. Our personality, morals and disposition plays a large roll in how we shape our overall self. The choices and mistakes we make may haunt our conscious, but it is those life decisions that shape our human character. As a young male currently growing up I am seeking to find my divine place on this earth and willing to take those risks to fulfill my prophecy. Aristotle explores the notion of what human nature is and what the purpose of our human existence is on this planet. In this essay, I will be examining what is our purpose on planet earth is and how can we reach our full potential in human nature.

Here we contemplate the labor of life. What of the end and moreover the aim? The former nothing but the continuation of the latter beyond a definite point. The practical uncertainty forms a highly comical contrast to what society decrees. Universal sufferance and ruthless energy as we sink deeper and deeper into the abyss. The fallacy of the happiness ever after an illusory theory of blind rhetoric. Conformity and ignorance crippling the courage of the mind and diminishing the spirit of the soul as we cling hopelessly to the concept of justice in the face of the inevitable catastrophe. Are we but a transitory and inferior form destined to disappear into historically conditioned oblivion? With the aim a necessity and the end absolute, we penetrate

The Alchemist contains many religious elements and symbolism that stem directly from Paulo Coelho’s personal life. By incorporating a diverse collection of personal experiences to bring the world of The Alchemist alive, Paulo Coelho drew readers of all kinds to his novel. Even during his time at the Jesuit school, Paulo Coelho was developing thoughts and ideas of his own about faith and religion, ideas which are clearly reflected in The Alchemist. The variety of religious beliefs Paulo Coelho gained throughout his life significantly influenced The Alchemist.

Throughout “The Alchemist” there are various archetypes that contribute to the development of the meaning, which is to always pursue your dreams with passion, and not let any setbacks interfere with the goal in mind. Two archetypes in particular that focus on this are the quest, and the initiate. The quest, which is “a plot that concentrates on finding an object… (Wkbook 233)”, along with being “a long arduous search for something (Webster 788)” is the journey that Santiago set out on in order to pursue his dream of finding his treasure, his personal legend. This quest demonstrates how a person can set their mind to something, and as long as they have the passion and desire to see it through to the end, they will be able to overcome any setback along the way and pursue their quest until it is complete. This contributes to the development of the novel’s meaning by indicating how if something burns strong enough inside of us it can push us to reach beyond our assumed limits. The Alchemist displayed this when he told Santiago “Where your treasure is, there will also be your heart (Coelho 87).” This shows that if a person is passionate enough about a certain desire, no obstacle will be too great for them to overcome. It also reveals to the reader that when someone cares strongly enough about something that lies deep within their heart, as Santiago did for pursuing his personal legend, there is no

Do you ever wonder if you will achieve your greatest dream? In reality, very few people acquire their dream. The ones that do, purview their greatest goal and can say that they have gone through obstacles to get what they truly wanted or got what they were meant to have. Santiago was one of those very few that accomplished their dream… his dream was to find treasure. In the novel, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, Santiago learns, “Remember where your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” First, Santiago comprehends that he wants to explore and travel. Next, Santiago attains that if he cherishes something he must let it go. Last, Santiago conceives where his true treasure was.

American author Tom Bodett once said, “In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.” Life is a lesson in itself, it is a test, and it is a gift. Some people choose to learn from life and they will have achieved what many people have not, when someone fulfills their dreams and aspirations, they have also passed the test of life; this is how some people are rich and famous while others are not. In Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist the author expresses that life itself is the best mentor, it is suggested throughout the book that in order to fulfill one’s personal legend, they must experience the journey first as it is the journey, not the destination that makes a person who they are.

To illustrate, the main message of the story is to always follow your dreams when pursuing them. In the book The Alchemist , Santiago was a young shepherd who was in search for a treasure he saw in his dreams in which he kept constantly dreaming. The young boy went through a quantity of trials in order to be successful in accomplishing his goal. After all the challenges, he was able to achieve his goal and return to Tarifa.