The Alchemist Reflection

I first heard of The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho while undergoing cancer treatment. A couple of patients were raving about the book, and I wanted to know what was so special about this book, so decided to read it and I’m glad I did. This book uplifted me and empowered me to fight, and not give up the journey. The Alchemist is an amazing book and should be read by everyone because the characters and conversations in the story will change your view of life. There are lessons of truth and wisdom in this story and it was a pleasure to read. It's about reaching your goals and following your dreams. Alchemy is the act of transforming any base metal into gold and in relation to the story, you can turn your life into gold by using your gifts, whatever

The crystal merchant had few customers, but once the crystal was cleaned, a larger crowd was attracted to his storefront. Santiago would receive a much needed meal, as well as a job offer. Freshly cleaned crystal attracted many customers, which caused the crystal merchant to offer Santiago a full-time position, with pay. Like an alchemist, Santiago went from being in poverty, to being successful. Santiago also turned a negative into a positive for the crystal merchant. The crystal merchant’s shop did not appear inviting to potential customers, but Santiago rectified it, which in turn, caused the shop to receive more customers and generate a greater profit. Santiago is a metaphorical alchemist. He turns the worst into the best, just as an alchemist turns base metals into gold.

     Santiago needed money and food, so he asked a man who owned a crystal shop, if he could clean all his crystal pieces for some food and money. The man liked the Santiago’s work, so gave him some food, and told him he could work for him if he wanted to. Santiago took the job, and ended up working

Santiago’s entire life revolves around his recurrent dream and his journey to find his hidden treasure. The crystal merchant, on the other hand, is the opposite of Santiago. Coelho portrays him as a good man who gave Santiago food and shelter just when the boy needed it the most. It’s ironic that the man who rescued Santiago would be the one least likely to help him. The crystal merchant symbolizes the result of a Personal Legend not followed. The crystal merchant wants to go to Mecca, but he couldn’t accept the change. He insists“...if my dream is realized, I’ll have no reason to go on living” (Coelho 48). The crystal merchant gave into one of the major obstructions in following a Personal Legend – fear. The alchemist and the army general later in the story both look down on those who show fear. Santiago enjoyed doing business with the crystal merchant and they each

M.M. said that “The Alchemist” played an inspirational role in her life. “Usually your treasure is under your head but you do not recognize it until you do a journey of self-discovery.” She said that she felt the novel reflected over her past 15 years. Reading it, she had a new appreciation for following one’s early

“Alchemy is any magical power or process of transmuting a common substance,usually of little value, into a substance of great value.” Paulo Coelho’s novel is about Santiago a shepherd who is on the expedition for hidden treasure. Before he knows it the journey he’s on developes into a mission to pursue his Personal Legend. Personal legend is described in the book through the main character Santiago,this young shepherd boy must give up his flock and leave

The Alchemist written by Paulo Coelho, is an inspirational masterpiece filled with life lessons. It is a story about a young shepherd boy named Santiago who has a dream about treasure by the pyramids. Santiago meets an old king who gives him advice and sets Santiago on his journey that would lead him to fulfill his Personal Legend. Santiago learns many life lessons along the way, finds love, and perseveres to find his treasure. Throughout Santiago’s adventure Paulo Coelho focuses on several main themes for readers to learn from his book.

The Alchemist is a philosophical story by Paulo Coelho about a boy named Santiago who follows his dreams. He sets off on an arduous journey to the Egyptian pyramids and learns many valuable lessons as he attempts to uncover hidden treasure. With the aid of a number of inspiring individuals who provide valuable insight on their personal beliefs, Santiago seeks to fulfill his main obligation in life. If Santiago did not have the assistance of significant figures in his journey, he would have never achieved his Personal Legend.

This essay is going to be on the book the alchemist, written by Paulo Coelho. Some say that the alchemist is one of his greatest books. This is due to all the the ideas of having a dream, or Personal Legend, and going through obstacles to conquer it.

Santiago helpied the man grow his buissiness and at the same time he helped him selve.The boy leared alot in his time there he learied that not all people realize their dreams in the same way.The boy felt like giving up and returning to his old life style ,but he continued to push foeried .Since santiago had egought money to countine he decided to cross the desert with a caravan where he met an englishman.He learnied that the englishman wantied to become a Alchemist ,but he was mostly looking for the philosopher stone . santiago was on his was to AL-Fayoum ,one step closer to his goal.when he arrived to this destination santiago met the Alcamist who was teaching him truley understand the unviersal language of the world,inadiition he also taught his the soul of the world.Santiago ment this women named fatima who he fell in love with ,but he learned to recongize that his love for her could wait,his destiny/dreams coundn’t .One of the things santiago learned from the alcamist was that a hores was more trust worthey ,because a camel could walk forever and die but the horse would give you signs of his death .The alcamist lead santiago to the pyramid teaching him all he neeied to know .Without knowing it the boy was becoming and alcamisht hiselve

A dream was bothering Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd. He has the dream every time he slept under a sycamore tree that grows out of an abandoned church. In the dream, a small boy tells him to look for treasure at the bottom of the pyramids in Egypt. Santiago talked to a gypsy to interpret the dream, and told him to go to Egypt. An old man called Melchizedek claimed to be King of Salem, and repeated what the gypsy said; that it is his ‘Personal Legend’ to go to the pyramids. Melchizedek convinces Santiago to sell his sheep and go to Tangier. When Santiago arrived, he’s robbed, forcing him to work for a man that sells crystals. The merchant taught Santiago lessons, and Santiago encouraged him to take risks with his business. Santiago finally became wealthy.

The story forwards a few days when he has the same dream again. He decides to go to Tarifa where he knows lives an old woman who can interpret dreams. When he finds the dream interpreter (who in fact is a Gypsy), he tells her his dream; a child takes him to the Egyptian pyramids and tells him it is where his treasure awaits him, without showing him the exact location. In exchange of one tenth of his future treasure, the Gypsy tells him he has to go to Egypt and find the treasure, much to his disappointment. The rising action starts when Santiago meets Melchizedek, the wise and magical King of Salem. In trade for one tenth of his sheep, he tells him how to pursue his Personal Legend: travel to the Egyptian Pyramids and find his treasure by following the omens. After selling his entire flock, he decides to travel to Tangier, where he is robbed by a port thief and left to work for a grouchy crystal merchant. During the eleven months working for the man and helping his business thrive, he gathered enough money to return to his homeland as a wealthy shepherd. Yet, when he found the two stones given to him by the king to aid him, Urim and Thummim, he regains the ambition to go after his Personal Legend and used his

The main characters in the book is Santiago a Shepherd boy, the protagonist of The Alchemist. He goes on an adventure traveling from Andalusia in southern Spain to the Pyramids of Egypt in search for a treasure that he has seen in his dreams. The protagonist is not mentioned much, because I believe that we are supposed to represent the main character, and by stating his name we distinguish that the main character and the audience are two different people. When the wise king is giving

Santiago meets the real alchemist in the oasis, and Santiago decides to follow him. On their way to the pyramids, the alchemist teaches Santiago more things about alchemy. He tells Santiago that the most important thing for him to do is follow his heart. His heart knows the language of the world and his heart knows everything.

First, when Santiago first arrives at the crystal shop, he spends one year working hard to earn back his lost money. For instance, as Santiago is finishing his first year at the shop, the crystal merchant gives his thanks to Santiago: “‘ I am proud of you’ he said. ‘You brought me a new feeling to my crystal shop’” (63). As Santiago continuously works for one year, he is able to earn back his lost money as well as improve the merchant’s shop, providing easier living for the merchant and the customers. Santiago provides the merchant with an on-going line of customers and a great profit. To add on, the customers are able to feel the luxuries that are bought with the crystal glasses. But, most importantly, Santiago is able to learn some very important life lessons that help him throughout the rest of his journey. Ultimately, as Santiago strives to earn back his stolen money, he is not only improving his life, but he is a also improving the lives of the merchant and customers.