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Critical analysis of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Critical analysis of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The analysis of the main character of The Alchemist
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Santiago's epiphany leads to him pushing forward and finishing his journey of achieving his ultimate treasure of hope and
Santiago then gives up and refuses to go to Egypt for his treasure. The dream interpreter does not give Santiago
While people come in all shapes in sizes, underneath it all we are still flesh and blood. Even if people have a different skin color or orientation we are all humans living on this earth. This idea, no this fact was really driven home to me when I was traveling with my family around the world. We met people in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Ecuador and though they looked and talked different they had the same needs, concerns and wants. I found a quote by Santiago, a boy in The Alchemist, written by Paulo Coelho that really explains this better than I ever could, “I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything in the universe.
Paulo Coehlo’s, The Alchemist, explores the Hero’s Journey through the story of a shepherd, Santiago. Throughout the novel, Santiago becomes more aware of his potential as he pursues his Personal Legend. He faces temptations and obstacles as he develops as a character. The hero crosses the threshold when they leave their old reality in search for a new one. Santiago crosses the threshold by selling his sheep and taking a boat to Africa.
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
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).
Santiago, a young 18-year-old man who continually has dreams of riches hidden among Egypt's pyramids. Intrigued by the dream, he becomes a shepherd to travel to the pyramids and find his personal legend. Paulo utilizes minor characters to make the novel a meaningful and interesting text. A minor character who plays a significant role in shaping the story is Melchizedek.
“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho tells the story of a young man named Santiago who is given the opportunity to find his ‘Personal Legend,’ and is given help to notice the omens around him by using two stones. When Santiago has this recurring dream about the pyramids, he decides to go see a fortune teller. After meeting with her and feeling very skeptical, he meets an old king who tells him the exact same thing the fortune teller had told him and gives Santiago the two stones to help him find his treasure. “He ran his fingers slowly over the stones, sensing their temperatures and feeling their surfaces. They were his treasure.
Santiago’s last step to completing his personal legend was walking through the desert, to find his treasure and completing it. Thus, showing the symbols and meanings behind these little puzzle pieces in the journey and being rewarded with love and treasure helping to support my thesis, through seeing and understanding symbols behind the world people can learn about their own personal legend and live life to the
Before finding his treasure, he must be courageous and clever to survive the desert and the danger that he encounters. This courage enables him to reach the treasure and fulfill his Personal Legend. The determination Santiago exhibits is what allows him to earn his fortune and decide his
The Alchemist is a famous book written by Paulo Coelho. It’s about a shepherd named Santiago who travels from his homeland Spain to the Pyramids in Egypt. He does this to find a treasure he was told about. Along his hard journey, he meets some people along the way like a gypsy woman and a king in disguise who all direct him towards his quest. He doesn’t let the obstacles stop him toward his goal and eventually he finds his treasure.
According to the American Museum of Natural History, people didn’t think much about where the earth came from, much less if animals are related to each other. It was the collective believe that the existence of the earth and its creatures originated in biblical teachings and humans where on earth to rule over animals. English people did not question if the different species were linked with each other, or how old the earth itself was. These people actually thought the earth was only a couple of thousand years old. Others had the belief humans where, just another animal since humans resemble primates (American Museum of Natural History, n. d.).
While Santiago originally sets out for his treasure of material riches, the treasure he values most has been transformed to that of knowledge and love along his journey. The theme of treasure appears early on in the story and inspires Santiago’s journey. One night while herding his flock, he dreams that there is buried treasure waiting for him at the pyramids of Egypt. After seeking advice from a gypsy who interprets his dream, she again confirms that at the pyramids of Egypt, “there you will find your treasure” (14).
The decision was difficult as both options don’t provide him a steady choice. As being a shepherd does not promise him to be with the merchant daughter and for finding a treasure he need to give up his well settled life. But at the end he chose to find treasure as it allows him to purse his personal legend or dram of travelling throughout the world. He always considers his choice before taking a decision this can be seen through this conversation of Santiago with himself, “Here, I am between my flock and my treasure, the boy thought. He had to choose between something he had become accustomed to and something he wanted to have.
He thought it’s waste of time and money. Later in the novel, the man who beats Santiago does not believe his own dream, but when he describes his dream to Santiago, Santiago recognizes it as an omen telling him where to find the treasure (Coelho 167). Thus, it’s the person loss as he ignored dream. The importance of actual, sleeping dreams parallels the importance of personal, symbolic dreams as embodied by Personal Legends. Thus, dreams require backbreaking work and determination to sacrifice anything to make it come true.
