Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho’s novel, The Alchemist, recounts the story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who travels from his hometown Spain to the Egyptian desert in order to find the treasure buries in the Pyramids. During the journey to Egypt, he meets a lot of people: the King of Salem, the Crystal merchant, Fatima, and an Alchemist. All of them help Santiago to towards to his destination. Throughout the journey, he learns the importance of one’s dream, the language of the world, and the soul of the world. All of the experiences he goes through help him to achieve his Personal Legend. At the end of the journey, he not only finds his “treasure,” but also finds his love, Fatima. Overall, Santiago resembles the Alchemist’s practice of transforming

Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is’” (Cohelo 21). Evidently, Santiago learns from the King of Salem that his dream is his Personal Legend. Thus, he must be active in its pursuit. In addition, Santiago learns about beginner’s luck and that hardships exist during the journey. This is the start of the process of the alchemy in Santiago’s life. Furthermore, the Crystal Merchant represents another type of people in the world: “‘[it is] the thought of Mecca that keeps [the crystal merchant] alive…[he is] afraid that if he [realizes] his dream, [he’ll] have no reason to go on living’” (Coelho 55). It shows that the crystal merchant is afraid of pursuing his Personal Legend which is visiting Mecca. He thinks that after finishing the dream, there will be no hope in his life. From the Crystal Merchant, Santiago realizes that not everyone can achieve their Personal Legend, even though they do have one. Moreover, he learns it is always better to start his dream rather than waiting. Because of these lessons, Santiago is one step closer to his destination. Finally, in the desert, Santiago meets his love of his life, Fatima: a woman from the desert who teaches him the language of the world, love; and its significance. Fatima is a desert woman, “‘and [she is] proud of that. [She wants her] husband to wander as free as the wind that shapes the dunes’” (Coelho 98). Fatima says this to Santiago

However, the author uses figurative devices throughout the whole book to emphasize the impact of the Alchemist and the King of Salem to the protagonist. Before Santiago arrives the Pyramids, he meets an Alchemist who guides him towards to the destination; helps him realizes his potential. During the journey, the Alchemist tells the chief that Santiago is an Alchemist and he can turn himself into wind. And then, the Alchemist says to
Santiago:” There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure” (Coelho 141). He wants Santiago to realizes his potential by giving him a challenge to transfer himself into wind. Through the process that he turns into wind, he not only understands the soul of the world, but also recognizes his potential. Hence, the Alchemist in the story who teaches Santiago these lessons symbolizes the people who help an individual during the journey to one’s Personal Legend. In addition, through Santiago’s journey from Andalusia to the Egyptian
Pyramids, he finds his actual treasure which makes him more than a little shepherd.