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Omens In The Alchemist

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Omens date back to ancient times, they are a significant part in depicting the outcome of a novel, and they lead the character to the next event. In the novel, The Alchemist, written by Paulo Coelho, Santiago is on a quest to find his treasure with the help of many people he meets along the way. In the novel, omens are used repeatedly to change the course of the story, Santiago is told by the King Salem about omens and their purpose and this is what follows him on his journey. Throughout the novel, omens, help guide Santiago on his journey of finding his treasure, and they play a big part in determining the outcome of the novel.

The people Santiago meet, help him to continue his journey, and also give him the omens he needs to follow throughout his journey. In the beginning of the novel, the omens were positive and thus encouraging Santiago to keep going. The King of Salem, who knows about the omens, is an omen himself. He tells Santiago about omens and what a personal legend is. This knowledge is what persuades Santiago to leave his life as a shepherd and pursue his journey of finding his treasure. The King of Salem says “In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens he has left for you”(Coelho29). The King of Salem gave Santiago two stones when they had met, Urim and Thummim, and Santiago kept these with him. …show more content…

The King of Salem told Santiago about the omens, and this is what helped him to continue his journey. Through the lesson, some of the omens helped to determine the outcome of the story, such as the incident in the Crystal Merchant’s shop. Santiago’s journey helped him discover his personal legend, and helped him realize that his treasure was the journey, and his personal legend was at the start of his

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