Evidence of Paulo Coelho’s Spirituality in The Alchemist
The Alchemist is a very unique novel written by Paulo Coelho, a rather unique person. Among other things, this singularity may be attributed to a distinctive spirituality, which is an important facet of The Alchemist and Coelho’s life. The aspects of spirituality in The Alchemist are important to analyze because they comprise a major factor of this worldwide best-selling novel. Moreover, some of the values contained in this work contradict with the values of Coelho’s Catholic faith. Coelho also expressed some rather controversial interpretations of his faith outside of The Alchemist.
The Alchemist has been translated into at least 67 languages, and it is a best-selling novel, with over
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65 million copies having been sold ("The Alchemist (novel)”). So what is it about this work that has made it so popular across such a large and diverse range of people? One thing that has greatly contributed to the novel’s popularity is the longing that people share for a life with meaning and purpose (Mattix). In The Alchemist, Coelho addressed the theme of a purposeful life through aspects of spirituality. In fact, the entire plot of the story revolved around spirituality. Characters throughout the narrative instructed Santiago to follow the omens, and they encouraged him by declaring that the whole universe would help him to achieve his purpose in life, if he truly desired that purpose. Several characters, including the gypsy woman, the crystal merchant, the oasis chieftain, and the alchemist, imparted to Santiago their spiritual views, and Santiago borrowed wisdom from each of these characters to help him reach his destiny. All these spiritual aspects make up an important part of the book, and they possibly contribute to its popularity among so many people. Spirituality has also been an important part of Coelho’s life.
Coelho was raised in a Catholic family as a child, he left the faith as a young adult, and he returned to Catholicism later in life (Frye). In spite of this, the spirituality of The Alchemist is very different from that of Catholicism. Coelho included elements of both Islam and Catholicism in the novel and combined those ideas with divination and alchemy. Throughout the narrative, Santiago seemed to accept and embrace each of these different ideas of spirituality. Despite each of these spiritual influences, Santiago seemed to learn more in the story from the Soul of the World and the Language of the World, which are spiritual ideas based in New Age philosophy (MacInnis). Additionally, Coelho expressed the idea that all things are connected and have divine power within them, and this is basically Pantheism (MacInnis). This idea played out on page 152 of The Alchemist, where Coelho said, “The boy reached through to the Soul of the World, and saw that it was a part of the Soul of God. And he saw that the Soul of God was his own soul” (Coelho, 152). However, Coelho seems to have made an exception on page 10 that contrasts this Pantheistic philosophy. On this page, Santiago mentioned that he “couldn’t have found God in the seminary” (Coelho, 10). Even though, of course, the seminary is a part of the world, and therefore should also have the Soul of the World within it, according to Coelho’s philosophy (MacInnis). …show more content…
There is one aspect of the spirituality in The Alchemist that stays constant throughout the story, without exception. This is Coelho’s depiction of spirituality as something that can be disconnected from religion entirely (MacInnis). All in all, the spirituality represented in The Alchemist is surprisingly far from that of the Catholic religion. However, that is not the only part of the book that does not line up with Coelho’s claimed religion. The main theme of the book was about Santiago following his deepest desire. Santiago was told in the book that if he desired something with all his heart, this desire was inherently good, and thus the universe would conspire to help him achieve this dream (Mattix). So in other words, the only objective that matters in life is getting what one wants. No matter how methodically Coelho supported this theme through the story, it does not change the fact that it is based on selfishness. And this selfishness blatantly goes against Jesus’ teaching in the Bible. In Mark 12:30-31 (New International Version), Jesus said that these are the two greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength … [and] Love your neighbor as yourself,” which expresses the epitome of selflessness. This is just another important example of how the spirituality of The Alchemist differs greatly from that of the Catholic faith which Coelho claimed to be a part of. All of these contradictions with Catholicism found in the Alchemist are not terribly shocking when one considers the philosophies and values that Coelho has demonstrated in his life. In an interview provided at the end of some versions of The Alchemist, Coelho said, “The danger is that every religion, including the Catholic one, says, ‘I have the ultimate truth’” (Coelho, 184). This shows clearly that Coelho opposes Jesus’ teaching in John 14:6, where Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Additionally, Coelho once said, “All religions lead to the same God, and all deserve the same respect” (Frye). While it is important to respect people of other religions, saying that all of these religions lead to the same God again goes against the truth Jesus spoke of in John 14:6. On the other hand, Coelho demonstrated a sort of admiration for Jesus. Coelho said of Jesus, “Jesus lived a life that was full of joy and contradictions and fights, you know?... So this is what I love – he is a man for all seasons" (Jeffries). In saying this, Coelho tried to depict Jesus as a person of contradictions. This was to reinforce an earlier statement Coelho made about one of his books: “…accept your contradictions… Because they aren’t curses, they are blessings” (Jeffries). However, Coelho tried supporting this opinion on Jesus by referencing a few Bible verses out of context. One of Coelho’s claims was “So Jesus says: ‘Turn the other face,’ and then he can get a whip and go woosh!” (Jeffries). The two verses Coelho referenced here were Matthew 5:39 and John 2:15. Matthew 5:39 dealt with the topic of not retaliating against those by whom one has been wronged (and one might note that this is another example of Jesus teaching selflessness). However, John 2:15 regarded a situation in which merchants and money changers were disrespecting the Jewish temple by using it as a place for their business. Jesus drove these people out so they would not continue to show such disrespect. These two verses are from entirely different contextual situations and cannot be considered in the exact same light. Therefore, since Coelho’s only support for his view of Jesus was some Bible verses taken out of context, his depiction of Jesus was apparently the one he wished to see. In the same way, Coelho addressed other subjects within The Alchemist through his own philosophy, instead of what the church or the Bible would have taught him. One could certainly appreciate The Alchemist for what it is worth as a work of fiction without regarding the spiritual facets of it.
And one could also appreciate Coelho as an author without taking his spiritual views into account. Yet, neglecting to take into consideration the spirituality of Coelho’s novel or his life does not allow one to see the whole picture. This picture truly reveals Coelho as a man of contradictions and someone who will twist words to support his own beliefs. So, it would be naïve to read and accept his works without warily 0contemplating their contents. As 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, “Test everything. Hold onto the good.” Therefore, one must analyze the spiritual aspects of the book and its author, including any contradictions present. When taking these and all other aspects into account, one can get a wider scope of what Coelho really presented to readers. This will then allow one to make an educated judgement of the work and determine if one can glean any good from it or
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(Coelho 141, 143). The Alchemist embodies the eccentric mentor – the heroism, staying one step ahead
Palmas, at this time, took the task of retelling a traditional religious tale with his own twist, and that twist allowed him to entertain as well as criticize his own material. Criticizing religious folklore with methods of “costumbrismo” was vital in teaching his Latin American audience to be able to find the humor and irony in what they absorb through literature, and that is especially important with religious text. In a time when social and political reform went hand in hand with Latin American writing, Palmas did not just want to entertain with this humorous and enthralling piece, he wanted his audience to learn to be able to challenge religion in literature, and finally and most importantly, within the government in order to form a more liberal, secular
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.
“Only time will tell”. This common phrase states that the truth and true essence of everything will be revealed as time endures. Written in 700 B.C.E, Homer’s nostalgic epic poem, The Odyssey, has inspired many writers to follow. Nearly 30 centuries later, this classic indirectly influenced Paulo Coelho's writing of The Alchemist. Despite the myriad differences on the surface, The Odyssey and The Alchemist have many connecting parallels. The protagonist in each of the examples of the hero’s journey learned countless lessons along the way that can be taught to everyone. The most prominent of which are the dangers of fear, the importance of perseverance, and the seriousness of pursuing what you love.
Curious, courageous, young, adventurous: these are all words to describe Santiago, the protagonist in the novel The Alchemist. In this novel, Paulo Coelho develops Santiago’s character as a young boy who goes on an adventure to find his life’s purpose. Through the hero’s journey, Paulo Coelho insists that both internal and external struggles often cannot stop people from achieving their goals, ultimately encouraging people to fulfill self discovery and understand who they truly are.
In The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho an Andalusian boy named Santiago leaves Spain to travel to Egypt in order to achieve his Personal Legend. During his journey he meets four people, a Gypsy, a King named Melchizedek, an Englishman and an Alchemist, all of whom help Santiago along his journey towards his Personal Legend. However, only the King and the Alchemist teach Santiago lessons that he can learn from and use along his journey. The King teaches Santiago two lessons, to follow omens and that it is not always about the destination but that it is also about the journey. The Alchemist teaches Santiago to listen to his heart for guidance, what the Language of the World is and what the Soul of the World is. He eventually arrives in Egypt after
"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.
...In conclusion, we can say that after applying Joseph Campbell's theory of The Monomyth on The Alchemist; it is noticeable that despite The Alchemist being a postmodernism wok of literature, the author Coelho used all major patterns of the hero's journey of ancient myth in his novel and this developed Santiago's journey from an ordinary one into an archetypal one.
Family is one of the most important institutions in society. Family influences different aspects of a person’s life, such as their religion, values, morals and behavior. Unfortunately, problems may arise when an individual’s belief system or behavior does not coincide with that of family standards. Consequently, individuals may be forced to repress their emotions or avoid acting in ways that that are not acceptable to the family. In the novel The Rain God, written by Arturo Islas, we are presented with a story about a matriarchal family that deals with various conflicts. One major internal conflict is repression. Throughout the novel the characters act in strange ways and many of the family members have internal “monsters” that represent the past that they are repressing. In his article, “The Historical Imagination in Arturo Islas’s The Rain God and Migrant Souls”, Antonio C. Marquez’s implicitly asserts a true idea that The Rain God is a story about repression. Marquez’s idea can be supported from an analysis of secondary sources and a reading of the primary text.
I enjoyed watching Santiago grow and learn from the experiences he gained through his journey to find treasure in Egypt. I found I couldn’t stop reading “The Alchemist” soon after I began. I had to keep reading about Santiago’s journey and his adventures.
Religion plays an integral role in The Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia. It is generally considered by most readers that the initial chapters don’t consist of the religious and spiritual makeup of the townspeople but in fact, religion is subliminally present even earlier, within the title of the novel itself. The word "Death" is integrally and inextricably linked with religious matter. After all, birth and the inevitably of death are the two most important and debatable points in religion.
There are many obstacles in everyday life, but none as detrimental to ones future as fear. Fear can cause people to not only avoid achieving their goals in life but it also forces them to think about it throughout every day. Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist shows that those who wallow in fear will never achieve their personal legend, and those who conquer fear will achieve anything they strive for. Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is a commonly analyzed and criticized piece of literature. One of these articles is Rejendra Kumar Dash’s “Alchemy of the Soul: A Comparative Study of Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha and Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist”. Dash’s article is a literary criticism of the different parts of the character’s journey in The Alchemist. He talks about, in his article, how the theme in The Alchemist is found through analyzing the different parts of Santiago’s journey and what those parts mean. Another one of these articles is Lily Hasanah’s “Decision Making in Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist”. Hasanah’s article is a literary criticism of the main character in The Alchemist, Santiago. She searches for the theme in The Alchemist through analyzing the decisions, and the outcomes of those decisions, made by Santiago. Paulo Coelho provides access to his theme, for the most part, though the actions and adventures of the main character, Santiago. Although this is the method of delivery he had in mind, Dash and Hasanah view the delivery of his theme differently.
The Alchemist conveyed the up-most truthful meaning of santiago’s personal legend by teaching him the soul of the earth. This stage helped santiago and the Alchemist are talking doing what your personal legend is and also doing exactly what your personal legend desires are when they speak in terms of listening to one’s heart. “Whenever your heart is, that is where you’ll find your treasure. Santiago takes initiative on his dreams and pursue them regardless of love affairs and the hurt that comes along with it. The stage encouraged and also motivated santiago to find his treasure and make a better life for fatima and
The supernatural has long been a confounding and controversial topic. As a metaphysical science, and something that is nearly impossible to quantify, it has often been criticized for its prevalence in today’s rational society. Criticism and social commentary of the supernatural, particularly religion, has not been restricted to theologians and philosophers as it may have been in the past. The scope of the supernatural has expanded into the literary field as well, particularly within the Gothic motifs. Religion has long been a natural partner with the gothic due to their shared importance that they place upon the supernatural. The Gothic motif of literature has always been interested in the human psyche, and religion has untold effects on the psyche. Through the prism of The Virgin Suicides, it is possible to make a correlation between the daughters’ suicides and the prominence of Catholicism within the Lisbon
As the Portuguese poet, Fernando Pessoa, said on his book “The book of disquiet” “Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life.” (116), literature has a lot of purposes in our lives, but to escape from reality the most interesting and beautiful way to use it. From myths to novels, authors have delighted us with stories that transport us to a whole other reality and act as an “hallucinogen” for people like us, simple mortals.