Examples Of Individualism In The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho

The 1988 book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is one of most renowned books in the literary world and incorporates a number of different themes with which many readers can identify. As found within the novel, the quote, “The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them,” encompasses one of these topics of interest. First, one must realize that this quote revolves around the idea of perspective and the process by which one can find meaning beyond the obvious. What is “simple” to one person can be something entirely different, or “extraordinary” to another. The differentiation between the two concepts can be sought out through a person’s experiences and internal thought mechanisms, otherwise known as wisdom. Examples of this theme abound throughout history and literature, and as a

Thus, individualism is one of the key components in explaining why certain people see something as simple whereas another person will find it extraordinary. “So I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them…we can still choose where we go from there,” (pg. 24). Each character in the story has his or her own unique personality. These individual traits become corporeal when Charlie gives each of his friends a gift that fits exactly what someone with their personality would want or need. For example, to an outside observer, or perhaps the reader, a particular gift may just represent what it appears on the surface. A record is just a simple black disk that has music recorded on it. But to the person giving or especially, the person receiving the gift, the record could quite possibly be a symbol of their entire relationship, for good or for bad and a most extraordinary object. Once again, simple becomes extraordinary by virtue of the wisdom, or in this case, shared history, that exists within this