Santiago's Journey In The Alchemist

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In life we are faced with a multitude of choices. We make these decisions everyday; right or left, to be or not to be, to let our lives be ruled by fear or not. In the novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, the main character Santiago sets out on a journey to find a hidden treasure and along the way he discovers his personal legend, or life goal, and that all things in live are connected. Santiago starts out as a simple shepherd boy, but after a dream of treasure and pyramids which he know nothing about he seeks advice from a gypsy and a wise old man. Both tell Santiago to go to the pyramids in Egypt, where he will find his treasure. After many obstacles and lessons, he finds his treasure and much more. Santiago, and I through him, realized that fear is the only thing that can stop someone from following their dreams and that everything in the world, from humans to the desert sand, are all one. Fear is Santiago’s greatest enemy. Throughout his journey, Santiago is challenged with a feeling of self-doubt. When faced …show more content…

Santiago is shown the true meaning of Maktub, which is that there is a path we are meant to take, and the higher being that put that past for us sends signs or omens to help guide us. Though this path is completely planned for us, it is our choice to decide whether we follow the omens and reach our Personal Legend at the end of the path. Santiago meets many people who say this word: Maktub. One example of how much the people Santiago meets believe in the path their G-d has chosen for them is what Fatima says to convince Santiago to leave her in search for his personal treasure. She says, “If I am really a part of your dream, you’ll come back one day” (101). She means that is it is their destiny to be with each other forever then it will happen, if not then it was not meant to be. Fatima’s pure belief in Maktub is astounding because it is blind

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