Themes In The Alchemist

Social isolation is a social issue where people avoid contact with one society. They are commonly seen nowadays preventing people from interacting with another as well as creating reliable relations, abating any chances for one to realize their destiny. This negative spiral immensely affects the opportunity for people holding a feeling of love and community toward others.

“You can always turn a bad kisser into a good one,” Laura Prepon. Santiago, the main character of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist leads a modest and ordinary life as a shepherd. Santiago travelled constantly, exploring the Andalusian terrain. In his travels, Santiago met a woman who interpreted his dreams, and told him his treasure would lie in Egypt at the pyramids. However, Santiago believed that the dream interpreter was a phony, and he continued to herd his sheep. Soon after, he exchanged words with the King of Salem, and Santiago was once again told to venture to Egypt in order to find his treasure. After careful consideration, Santiago sells his precious sheep and begins his journey. An alchemist, somebody who turns lead

     Santiago leaves his family to become a shepherd, before leaving his dad gives him money he has saved up, Santiago buys sheep with the money. As a shepherd Santiago travels around Spain. As he travels he is in search of food and water for his sheep. During his journeys he gave his sheep names and really connects with them. When he ran out of money, Santiago sold wool from his sheep for

The phrase used by the narrator implies that even when times are difficult, a person who has faith and commitment will achieve its goal. Just like the novel, Santiago runs into numerously difficult situations when trying to find the destination to the treasure he dreamed of.

First, good came after bad. For example, while Santiago is at Tarifa after he is robbed, he meets a crystal merchant who allows him to clean his shop, which results in him getting a job there. “‘When they had eaten, the merchant turned to` the boy and said, ‘I’d like you to work in my shop. Two customers came in today while you were working, and that’s a good omen’” (49). Good comes to Santiago after he goes through the bad. He is robbed, and then he gets offered a job that will pay him, so he has a chance to regain the money he just lost. Finally, since he still tries to become better, he gets a job which will help him gain money for the journey. To conclude, Santiago learns that even if something bad happens, if you still strive to become better, you will be awarded.

The merchant spoke about his dreams and the fear he had of realizing them and then being let down (Coelho 53-54). Santiago recognizes the merchant's perception of dreams and believes them to be only at, dreams. The merchant confesses that his dream is the only thing that allows him to continue living a mundane life and if it was ever realized, he would lose that hope. Santiago, on the other hand, believes that his personal legend is his life and that so long as he achieved that, mundane life would finally turn into something more. During Santiago's travel to Egypt, he meets an Englishman on the caravan who teaches him about Alchemy. The Englishman requests that Santiago reads a book on Alchemy and when he inquires about what he learned from it, Santiago responds, "'I learned that the World has a soul, and that whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of things" to which the Englishman, "...was disappointed. The years of research, the magic symbols, the strange words and the laboratory equipment... None of this had made an impression on the boy" (Coelho 83). Santiago understood Alchemy as achieving your personal legend and then, as a product of

To begin his long journey, Santiago meets a wise old king name King Melchizedek. He is in a local market when the king walks up and asks Santiago what he is reading. The king continues to say that the book he is reading is important but irritating because it describes the characters inability to choose their own Personal Legend. When Santiago asks where this mysterious stranger is from, King Melchizedek replies with “I am from many places, but I was born in Salem as I am the king there” (Coelho 64). Accepting his statement as true, Santiago continues the conversation allowing them to eventually talk about his dream of the Pyramids. The king wants to help Santiago, but for a price of six sheep. Before leaving with Santiago’s sheep he shares, “’The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon’” (Coelho 32). His message to Santiago reminds him that by following his dream he will witness beautiful sights and people, but that he should always remember the purpose of his travels. Leaving it at that, the king pointed Santiago in the direction to follow his dream.

In the book, Santiago reflects the theme in many differents ways. One ways in which santiago reflects the theme is when he meet the crystal merchant and helped him in the shop so much that it became the best crystal shop ever. According to the Merchant on page 54, santiago has change this life and himself to the best version of themselves. For instance on the book, it says, “Crystal Merchant: “I’ve had this shop for thirty years. I know good crystal from bad, and everything else there is to know about crystal. I know its dimensions and how it behaves. If we serve tea in the crystal, the shop is going to expand. And then I’ll have to change my way of life.” / Boy: “Well, isn’t that good?” / Crystal Merchant: “I’m already used to the way things are. Before you came, I was thinking about how much time I had wasted in the same place, while my friends had moved on, and either went bankrupt or did better than they had before. It made me very depressed. Now, I can see that it hasn’t been too bad. The shop is exactly the size I always wanted it to be. I don’t want to change anything, because I don’t know how to deal with change. I’m used to the way I am.” The

My personal legend is just me completing college. This may not sound like much but it relates to the four obstacles that Santiago himself face. The first one would be Pessimism I never got told that I wasn’t going to be able to go to college by anyone else it’s just me doubting myself. Not many people from my family even went to college the only one was my brother and I’m next in line so it’s a lot of pressure on me. I always think to myself am I ready for college? Or am I smart enough to handle it. But attending Serra High school gave me a better push and boost up my confidence. The second one of course would be Love, Santiago gave up love to pursue his personal legend. And it’s not easy finding love or just receiving love. I can tell I’m

Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist tells the story of Santiago, a young shepherd living in an abandoned church in a small Andalusian town, who is stripped of his comfortable and safe lifestyle after an encounter with Melchizedek, an Islamic king who tells him of his “Personal Legend” (21). Melchizedek points Santiago in the direction of his treasure only after taking one-tenth of his money, giving him two stones, and a lesson on reading omens. Throughout his journey, Santiago meets new friends, has everything stolen from him three times, and travels the vast and unknown Sahara Desert all while achieving personal growth and an understanding of his life’s meaning. His journey leads him to an Oasis

The Alchemist is a journey of exploration and self-discovery as we follow the main character, Santiago, a young shepherd who lives in Spain, on a journey to fulfill his personal legend. The novel shows us wisdoms and gentle reminders of how to change our lives from what they may be today into the life we have always dreamed of.

The Theme of “The Alchemist,” by Paulo Coelho is, always follow your dreams and listen to your heart. At the start of the novel Santiago does not know what he should do when he is confronted by his dream. But by the end of the novel Santiago completely trusts his heart to guide him though life. Santiago’s story shows him learning and living out the theme of the novel.

The Alchemist, a novel written by Paulo Coelho teaches us about the importance of self-discovery and exploration by taking us through the journey of a young Andalusian shepherd, Santiago. Paulo Coelho was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 24th 1947, to Pedro Quiema Coelho de Souza, an engineer, and his wife, Lygia, a homemaker. Paulo early on had dreamed of an artistic career and then after his surroundings in Jesuit school, he discovered his true vocation was to be a writer (Coelho 195). Upon telling his mom, she told him that his father was an engineer, a reasonable and logical man and had a clear view of the world. At the age of 16, Paulo’s opposition against following a traditional path led to his parents committing him into a mental institution (Paulo Coelho). To satisfy his parents, he enrolled in law school. However, it led him to mental illness and failing his career. After many years, he gave a shot at his dream profession and started to write. Paulo wrote The Pilgrimage: Diary of Magus which described his experiences and his discovery that the extraordinary occurs in the lives of ordinary people. He was the recipient of numerous international awards, amongst them the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum. The Pilgrimage was published in 1987 and The Alchemist was published in 1988, a year after. Both novels appeared on the best sellers list but The Alchemist continued to sell more copies than any other book in Brazilian literary history. The Alchemist,

As Santiago continues to find his Personal Legend, and travel he begins to feel lost without his sheep. Santiago spent his entire life with his sheep, and never had a real home. However, when traveling without his sheep for the first time, it becomes clear that Santiago’s sheep symbolize his home: “When I had my sheep, I was happy, and I made those around me happy” (42). Homes represent a place for comfort and happiness. Santiago spent all his time with his sheep, and never had a single place he called home. Since homes provide a place of happiness and comfort, and so Santiago’s sheep do the same, the sheep symbolize Santiago’s home. Santiago longing his sheep or being in a familiar place explains how his mind is not entirely focused on completing his Personal Legend. Santiago needs to let go of the strings that hold him back from his goals if he wants to continue. As Santiago works with the crystal merchant, these ties to home begin to sever. When Santiago leaves the merchant, he does not say goodbye. Santiago learns to move on without looking back for his own benefit, and strengthens his grasp on the idea

Some writers have the power to relate their audience into their works. The novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is about a young man named Santiago. Santiago is a shepherd who goes on a journey to the Egyptian pyramids to find his treasures at the end of his Personal Legend. With nothing but his sheep and the guidance of others, Santiago makes his way to the pyramids and learns life lessons along the way. Coelho gives the novel an unknown time period and lacks mentioning Santiago’s name which forces the audience to become a character and guides the reader to unearth their unique Personal Legends and along the way.