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How Does Santiago Follow The Omens In The Alchemist

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All By Myself… With Everyone Else All people are codependent, that’s just the way it is. We wouldn’t have our world if just one person tried to create it. That’d be physically impossible. However, we often come across the stubborn ones who “can do it themselves.” According to Paulo Coelho, they can’t. In Coelho’s, The Alchemist, Santiago and the people that he meets upon his journey, prove that you can not achieve your dreams independently. Santiago meets many impactful people throughout his journey, starting with King Melchizedek who shares the truth about how Santiago would need to get to his treasure. “In order to find the treasure, you will need to follow the omens. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens that he left for you” (29). Omens were monumental for Santiago to move forward towards his Personal Legend. If the King had not taught Santiago to follow the omens then he wouldn’t have interpreted them the way he had. Specifically, when he saw that the hawks were flying above the desert he took it as an omen and then told the desert army that war was coming to them. This omen led him to go with The Alchemist and further his journey. Fatima was the woman he met once he reached the oasis, he immediately fell in love with her making her a very …show more content…

Although the crystal merchant did not go to achieve is dreams of visiting Mecca, he was able to decide whether or not he should try with the help of Santiago. “‘Before you came, I was thinking about how much time I had wasted in the same place, while my friends had moved on’” (57). The crystal merchant shows how you won’t achieve your dreams by yourself. He says that he hadn’t even considered it until he met Santiago. This shows how without other people to guide you, you will not be able to even decide how you want to go about the rest of your life and the fulfillment of your

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711 Words | 3 Pages

Santiago's temptation is when he has the choice whether or not to stay with Fatima and abandon his Personal Legend. After leaving Fatima he has a difficult time coping with the separation, even if Fatima is a woman of the desert, who knows he will return. The Alchemist offers him a sole piece of advice, “love never keeps a man from pursuing his Personal Legend.” (120) Santiago’s heart is aching for the loving arms of Fatima. He realizes that he needs to focus on what he needs, pursuing his Personal Legend and not what he desires to be with Fatima.

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503 Words | 3 Pages

During his journey, Santiago receives knowledge that he treasures and uses on his behalf when he hopes to achieve his personal legend. During his time with the Crystal merchant Santiago learned the five sacred obligations of all Muslims, and he learned that the Pyramids were not nearly as close as he thought when he arrived in Africa. During his time with the Alchemist he learned how to find life in the desert, and how to

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648 Words | 3 Pages

He starts working for a crystal merchant. The merchant explains to him that it was pointless. That even if he worked for an entire year, he would still not have enough money to make it there. That made Santiago want to abandon his personal legend. He started focusing on making money to move back to Spain and return to being a shepherd.

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532 Words | 3 Pages

While at the Oasis of Al-Fayoum, the elder chieftain of the oasis tells Santiago the story of Joseph of Egypt. Joseph was enslaved for being a dreamer, but he persevered and managed to become an important counselor to the Pharaoh of Egypt. This Personal Legend could have suited Santiago because of his connection to the Soul of the World. The Soul of the World is a spiritual unity that binds all forms of nature together. Santiago knew he wanted to follow his dreams; it was helpful when he learned that “When you want something, all the universe conspires to help you achieve it” because he knew he was now destined to complete his goal, and not somebody else’s (Coelho 64).

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1451 Words | 6 Pages

During his journey he encountered many obstacles along the way, like being robbed and taken by a warren tribe. Once he makes it to the pyramids, he realizes that the treasure is not buried there and it is buried at home under a tree. He realizes that this journey was meant to happen to reveal his personal legend. Santiago’s journey in “The Alchemist” is significant because it shows the importance of pursuing a personal legend and the inclusion of the spiritual themes, Greek myth, the Narcissus, and many symbols.

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640 Words | 3 Pages

Their lessons and advice teaches Santiago that he should never give up on his dream or finding his personal legend and it might be hard now but in the end it will be worth it. Santiago also has natural mentors like the sunrise, wind, dreams and the desert. These mentors teach him lessons not through words but through nature and experiences. The sunrises teach him that he “couldn’t have found God in the seminary” and he has to explore the world to really understand God's teachings (Coelho 13). This teaches him to respect the natural wonders of the world and that he can't learn everything he wants in traditional

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825 Words | 4 Pages

By not changing his ways, the crystal merchant set an example to Santiago by telling him his regrets in life. The crystal merchant confides in Santiago explaining, “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”(Coelho 60). The merchant not wanting to change goes back to the personal legend, because people might still have dreams but they don’t want to pursue them. Unlike the merchant, Santiago is still pursuing his dreams. Another teacher Santiago comes across is the Englishman, who tells him about the pursuit of knowledge and the study of alchemy.

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689 Words | 3 Pages

" He understands the forces of nature. And he wants to show you his extraordinary powers"(139). Because of what the alchemist said, Santiago temporarily had a form of disguise. But it turned out to not be much of a disguise, as Santiago spoke the Language of the World and became the desert wind.

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Santiago is a young boy who yearns for adventure and purpose in his life.from a young age he knows he wants to see the world and becomes a shepherd to experience new places. Santiago still struggles to find meaning and purpose throughout his many years of travel though. It's not until he goes on the journey to follow his personal legend that he truly develops as a character. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, challenges readers to acknowledge their self-worth and realize they are strongest when they love themselves.

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511 Words | 3 Pages

He is robbed at the beginning of his journey and must work hard to earn back the money he lost. Then, he is able to travel into the desert, facing more peril along the way. This is where he meets the Alchemist, who tells him, “You must not let up, even after coming so far” (113). The wise man teaches him things unknown to most people. With his instruction, Santiago survives his travels in the desert, even while faced with war and threats of death.

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883 Words | 4 Pages

This is illuminated when the Alchemist says, “‘There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure’” (141). This particular moment shows that even though Santiago has both the ability and the knowledge to achieve his dream, it is impossible to attain it if he fears even attempting to reach it. Consequently, this fear acts as his enemy and a barrier that stands in the way of the meaningful and happy life he is destined to accomplish. Furthermore, another one of his fears is the fear of losing what he believes he has already earned. ” He reminded himself that he had been a shepherd and that he could be a shepherd again.

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482 Words | 2 Pages

Santiago wouldn’t have obtained his treasure if it wasn’t for the people he met along the way. One importan man he met was the alchemist who spoke on love and how it impacted lives. He spoke of how love completed our lives and santiago was in love. He met a desert girl in the oasis named fatima. While fatima had become a part of santiagos life she wouldnt stop him from reaching his treasure.

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668 Words | 3 Pages

He travels in a caravan to an oasis, and meets Fatima, who he asks to marry. Out in the desert, he reads the omens and warns tribe of an impending attack. He is correct, so the alchemist comes to talk to him. The two walk out into the desert, and talk about omens and the soul of the world. When they are captured by a military camp, Santiago is forced to turn himself into the wind.

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486 Words | 2 Pages

You just have to read the omens that he left for you” (29). The King, is actually an omen himself. He was put in Santiago’s path so he could start to realize what omens are. If the King had never told Santiago about omens, he would have remained where he is comfortable as a sheep herder. The King of Salem also reminds Santiago that everyone should pursue their personal legends.

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522 Words | 3 Pages

Santiago was in fear that there wasn’t a war coming and that he might die. Later in the book Santiago was asked to turn himself into the wind. The Alchemist said “He is going to transform himself into the wind, just to demonstrate his powers. If he can’t do so we humbly offer you our lives, for the honor of your tribe” (Coelho 144)

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