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.
“Attaining your dreams or goals requires either suffering of sacrifice and sometimes, both.” This statement is a reflection on the idea that success in life is not easily attained and achieving that success takes lots of blood, sweat, and tears. This shows up many different times in the novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. One of the first times we see this struggle is when the main character, Santiago, hits a low point in his journey when “He was no longer a shepherd, and he had nothing, not even the money to return and start everything over” (Coelho 39). Santiago in this moment sees the suffering and sacrifice he has already gone through on his way to achieving his dreams.
It was the day before Valentine’s Day, and all of the children in the second grade classroom had joyful smiles on their faces. They ran from corner to corner, grabbing supplies for the next day’s decorations. Each person carried a pizza box, awaiting the valentines yet to come, decorated with their name and hearts. Peel and stick letters scattered the floor, and kids zoomed around excited for the coming day. In the corner of the room, next to the numerous shelves full of books, there sat three young girls.
The Importance of Perseverance At many times in people’s lives, they consider giving up. This is also true for Santiago, the protagonist in Paulo Coelho's fantasy novel The Alchemist. Santiago is on a journey to find a hidden treasure he saw in a dream. Along this journey he continues to contemplate whether he should just give up, or continue his adventure.
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.
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.
This story begins in New York City and with a girl named Mia Jones. RIght now it’s January 2nd, 2018. Mia is 15 years old and a dancer. Her parents names are Isabel and Adam Jones. Her parents have their own business.
1. In the prologue, the alchemist reads a version if the story of the death of Narcissus that has a somewhat different ending from the traditional telling, one that emphasizes the grief of the lake into which Narcissus will no longer be looking at his reflection. In beginning the book with this story, what themes and relationships is Coelho telling us to watch for throughout Santiago’s story? Do you think there may be an element of “narcissism” in the pursuit of one’s personal legend?
Santiago then tells the alchemist: “My heart is a traitor. It doesn’t want me to go on.” The alchemist replied with a smart answer and said “That makes sense. Naturally, it’s afraid that, in pursuing your dream, you might lose everything you’ve won.” A fear of uncertainty is what Santiago is feeling and he worries he’ll lose everything he’s accomplished so far.
The alchemist mainly functioned as a teacher to Santiago, though he often spoke in riddles and expected Santiago to learn more through experience than through verbal instructions. The alchemist’s wisdom connects Santiago to the soul of the world. This connection provides his supernatural abilities and allows him to guide Santiago on his own quest to understand the Soul of the world. Santiago through the alchemist’s teachings, he learned to read and communicate with the world around him. Ultimately, leading him to the treasure he seeks and to his own supernatural abilities.
Chapter One: The Beginning of The End Legends have spoken of a mythical place, a place called The Nowhere. Many travellers have dared the treacherous journey in search of eternal riches, happiness and fulfillment of any and all human desires, but no single soul has made it there thus far. The path to Nowhere takes you across green fields, deep forests, snowy mountain tops, narrow canyons and cross rivers, lakes and oceans. The path there is long and hard, but if legends hold any truth, the adventure there is worth it.
The alchemist did that for a specific reason. The boy always had asked the alchemist to show him his skills and teach him, but the alchemist was waiting for the best moment to explain his abilities to the boy. They got caught by the other tribesmen who thought they were spies. They did not believe him that they were only travelers. He took the boy’s money and gave it to their chief, but he knew that’s no enough.
In September 2016, while my life was in the least optimal state for taking the LSAT, I started my preparations for the December exam. A friend who knew the hardships I was experiencing thought a book he had recently read, Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, would put these hardships in perspective for me and sent the book as a gift. It centers on a young man, Santiago, who discovers his life goal, or “Personal Legend,” as it is known in the book. As Santiago is about to stray from his goal, he has a reoccurring dream regarding treasure that awaits him and encounters “omens” to pursue this vision. This leads the young man on an adventure to Egypt to find his treasure.
During the whole story Santiago is trying to find his personal legend, he is trying to find his purpose in life. Therefore in the Alchemist, the most important thing is personal legend. Everything is based off Santiago’s personal legend, if he wouldn’t of became a shepherd the book wouldn’t be all about him following his personal legend and trying to figure out what his was. Santiago has to figure out a bunch of new things that lend his to his personal
In the book, The Alchemist, there are many major themes but the one that I took from it and could relate to was “fear is a bigger obstacle than the obstacle itself.” Throughout the story, Santiago goes through many challenges that he is afraid of that when he finally does them he discovers that they were much easier than anticipated. Santiago feared the thought of failure, leaving his home to find his treasure, leaving the crystal shop to fulfill his destiny, and to tell the chief he can turn into the wind. I, like Santiago, have had times in my life where I feared doing things and the greater obstacle was my fear and overthinking than the activity itself. The instances I chose from my own life to relate to Santiago were; when I do a new flip on snow, the first time I flew on a plane by myself, the first time I went surfing, and self-advocating by talking to
