Where is the treasure of life located? In the story of The Alchemist, a boy goes on a journey to find the answer. The boy’s name is Santiago, and he is a poor shepherd who lives in an abandoned church in Andalusia, however, his job allows him to travel all around the countryside. His parents would like for him to become a priest, but he enjoys being able to travel with his sheep. He soon meets an old king, the king of Salem, who teaches him all about finding his Personal Legend. He begins a journey to find himself and what it is that he is supposed to be in life. Throughout this essay, the ideas of how this theme fits the novel will be discussed, including specific details along Santiago’s journey which tie in with the theme of the novel. “Where is the treasure of life located?” It is located within yourself, throughout the entire journey.
The king, Melchizedek, is a character in The Alchemist whose story is told in the bible. In the novel How to Read Literature like a Professor, it explains in Chapter Seven that using a character who is actually in the bible can enhance the meani...
In The Alchemist Paulo Coelho presents a character, Santiago, torn between following tradition and his Personal Legend. Santiago tries to live true to his Personal Legend, which is a path pursued by those who strive to fulfill their purpose in life. Yet throughout the novel tradition, a motif, presents itself as a roadblock holding Santiago back from reaching his dreams. Coelho juxtaposes tradition against Personal Legend to illustrate its purely individual nature and the necessity of the acceptance of change to reach one’s dreams and goals.
In William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, the character Cassius is quoted famously for the line, “Men at some time are masters of their fates: the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.” (Act I Scene II). Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist adheres to this reference as one follows the story of a young man pursuing his Personal Legend. We find through this story that Coelho is emphasizing the message Cassius uses to manipulate Brutus, that there is a need for each of us to break away from settling and finally determine our own fates.
"The Alchemist" is a novel written by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho in 1988. It tells the story of an Andalusian shepherd known as Santiago and his journey of fulfilling his "dream" which he names his "Personal Legend". Throughout his voyage, he met many different people and was forced under many different circumstances, and we are able to experience his emotional states throughout every part of his journey. He undergoes many revelations, and we could argue he becomes wiser and more aware of the spiritual value which everything in the world possesses. He ends up finding his "Personal Legend", but despite actualizing his "dream", he was a victim to the negative emotions that come with being human, and therefore we could argue that the main conflict in "The Alchemist" is within Santiago himself.
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it” (Coelho 23), these are the words an old king spoke to Santiago. This phrase constantly runs through Santiago’s mind while on his search for his treasure. Santiago, the novel’s protagonist, begins as a quiet sheep herder who has a recurring dream about being transported to the pyramids in Egypt by a child. Once Santiago met the old king, he decides to pursue his dream, find his treasure, and realize his destiny. Throughout The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Santiago embodies curiosity, determination, and a naive nature through events that occur while on his search for his treasure.
In the novel The Alchemist it tells a story of a boy who is in search of his Personal Legend. A Personal Legend is the means in which a person can live a satisfying life, in other words ones destiny in life. As the novel states the only way to achieve perfection is if all natural things continuously undergo a cycle of achieving their Personal Legend, evolving into a higher being with a new Personal Legend, and then pursuing that new goal. This concept, that the individualistic pursuit of a Personal Legend exists as life’s dominant—perhaps only—spiritual demand, lies at the center of the unique theology of The Alchemist. As we see when Santiago must give up his flock, material success and even love pose obstacles to Santiago achieving his Personal
Throughout the years, certain writers were able to set off a deep sympathetic resonance within readers by their usage of archetypal patterns. One of those patterns is known as the hero's journey, which Joseph Campbell gave an understandable idea of in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. According to his book, while comparing world's mythology, he found that no matter how far cultures are from each other, they will still have the same structure of hero's journey in their legends (Voytilla vii).
Prologue: A massive virtual reality world called the OASIS is created by James Halliday and Ogden Morrow. When James Halliday dies, it is revealed that he hid an easter egg in the game that would give the person who found it control over the OASIS. To find the easter egg, one must find the copper, jade and crystal key and the corresponding gates and also know lots about 80s pop culture.
The idea of a Personal Legend can mean different things to different individuals based on the life they have lived. For some, their legend may be to save a life, become a doctor, or even achieve happiness. It takes some people a longer time to find and achieve this legend, but I have been blessed to have realized my Personal Legend at a young age. My Personal Legend is to lead those who are lost to Christ and project God’s love with my helpfulness, advice-giving, and overall generosity as a person. The Alchemist somewhat reminded me of God’s power as my creator.
Have you ever encountered problems while trying to fulfill a goal in your life? In the book The Alchemist, written by Paulo Coelho, a shepherd boy named Santiago overcomes obstacles to reach his personal legend. Throughout the book Santiago encounters many friends to help him fulfill his destiny. Santiago encounters many problems throughout the story. He overcomes them with the help of his friends and his wife-to-be. These problems shape Santiago into a dignified man of many traits.
In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho continuously shows how Santiago conquers fear and is greatly rewarded for it. In order to get his treasure and achieve his personal legend he must first travel through the well-known dangers of the desert. It is an extremely expensive trip that many do...
Will Santiago go after his dream? In The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Santiago has had the same dream twice. He takes it upon himself to discover what this dream means and where the treasure in the dream is located. The people and challenges he faces along the way all present him with a sacrifice. When trying to achieve his goal, Santiago sacrifices his sheep, Fatima temporarily, gold, and time.
"If someone isn’t what others want them to be, the others become angry. Everyone seems to have a clear ideals of how other people should lead their lives, but none about their own.” That is one of many deep quotes that makes the reader truly think about life in The Alchemist, written by Paulo Coelho. The book is about a young boy named Santiago, who loves travel and adventure, but he does not have the money to do so. He was raised to be a priest, but decides that he would rather be a shepherd, so that he can travel. Santiago’s father gives him two spanish coins, and tells him that he will learn one day that no place is as beautiful as the one he lives in. It seems like Santiago’s father believes in him, but not the way Santiago wants him to.
“ Where your treasure is, there also will be your heart”(159). This is what the alchemist said to the main character. The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, tells a story of a boy named Santiago, who goes on a long journey to discover his personal legend. As Santiago goes on his journey to pursue his personal legend, he is faced with many challenges, as well as left to make difficult decisions that change him forever. As Santiago travels the world, he becomes a hero. In The Alchemist, Santiago shows characteristics, as well as archetypal characteristics that make him a hero. Santiago displays kindness, bravery and wisdom; also he is considered a hero because he displays many characteristics of an archetypal hero. He displays archetypal characteristics such as: receiving supernatural help, proving himself many times and receiving an apotheosis.
My plan after high school is to complete my bachelor’s degree in English at the University of California Riverside. I intend to graduate from UCR and get my teaching credentials. Then I hope to find a teaching job at a high school soon after and be able to officially be called Ms. Garcia. I want to be an English teacher because, besides the fact that it is the only subject I am strong in, I believe that I can influence many lives through the English subject. Exposing students to writing that can have a positive impact on them, can benefit them. My goal is to be one of the best teachers anyone can have. We can read The Alchemist by Pablo Coelho (which happens to be my favorite book) and focus on the theme of fulfilling our “Personal Legend”
The Price of Success Paulo Coelho's argument does have merit. Yes, everyone has a personal calling, but not all of us are able to achieve it due to our lack of courage. In most cases such as mine, fear is the root of all my problems; it shackles me. However, this is not the case for Santiago, in the novel The Alchemist, and with that I found exaltation. In the novel, Santiago manages to overcome all the obstacles that he happens upon whether it be internally or externally. The dilemma's that he encounters, I strongly identify with because I contend with them daily: the fear of responsibility, suffering and most of all the fear of failure.