As Ban Ki Moon once stated; “Migration is an expression of the human aspiration for a better future.” All migration accomplished by mankind has followed a consistent pattern of looking for a better living. In Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, we can see this similarity.
Migration is greatly influenced by geography. Human Geography is the study of the interaction between human beings and their surrounding environment. Such an instance was Hurricane Katrina, which forced the residents of New Orleans to migrate to economically-stable areas. The infrastructural-stability was a pull factor while the natural disaster was a push factor. Likewise, in The Alchemist, the camel driver relays to Santiago a similar tragedy. He explained of a natural disaster that made “the land (...) ruined”, and to earn a living “[he became] a camel driver” (Coelho 76).
Sustainability has aided many journeys. However, history has shown the consequences of defying it. The Dust Bowl occurred because farmers plowed up sod across the high plains when precipitation was high. This resulted in dust storms that tore across the plains-- causing mass migration. Similarly, Santiago and the caravan’s journey through the desert show many implications of sustainability. When the nights were bitter, “the travelers arranged the animals in a circle at night, sleeping together in the center”
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The hero’s journey is a search for one’s destiny. This is seen in the text as maktub, which is Arabic for ‘it is written’, or destined. Maktub is an example of an allegory, because it can be interpreted to have a hidden meaning. The author is implying through his allegory that one should embrace the future. The author describes the result as the accomplishment of one’s personal legend. The personal legend is a motif, or a distinctive theme, that defines one’s journey. It explains why Santiago embarked upon his trek towards his treasure at the