About The Novel The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

Many people in their lives are surrounded by influential people that have a significant impact in one’s life, for example, parents, friends, etc. Just like in the novel the alchemist, Paulo Coelho introduces a character named Santiago who was influenced by various characters that had a significant impact in his life which includes: Melchizedek, The Alchemist, Englishman, and the desert. Throughout the novel, these characters greatly impacted Santiago’s life in to helping Santiago to achieve his personal legend. Therefore, in the novel the alchemist, Paulo Coelho illuminates the theme that individuals are influenced by significant people in their lives allowing one to keep believing in their dream, help one to gain hope in achieving their dream, thus leading to a better future.

Coelho in the beginning of the book introduced Melchizedek to Santiago and characterized him as the king of Salem displaying magical powers. This is supported through the quote ‘… he read things that he wrote that he never told anyone.

’ Coelho’s utilization of magical power as a part of what Melchizedek possesses is significant because it allows Santiago to believe that he is the one that he should trust which will ultimately guide him to his personal legend. This is supported through the quote ‘These stones are called Urim and Thummim and they can help you read the omens.’ In this quote, Coelho establishes a symbolism of the stones to signify its importance and the role it played throughout his journey. These stones ultimately helped guided Santiago to his dream in his search of the treasure.

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The ‘magical powers’ Melchizedek possesses is proved by the stones since they are different and unusual than other stones that you normally find, due to the fact that these stones (Urim and Thummim) allow Santiago to use them to make a choice whenever he is confused. This forces Santiago to believe that because of this, he is one that he should trust and believe in whatever he says in achieving the dream. Also, Coelho’s symbolism of the book is significant throughout the book because it helps Santiago in the long run. To add on, Coelho implements a personification in the quote ‘When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.’. Through the context of this quote and the use of personification by Coelho, Melchizedek motivates Santiago to follow his dreams no matter what, even if anything prevents you from doing so. Coelho personifies this by elaborating how whenever one follows their dream everything around will fall into place with it to achieve one’s personal dream. Ultimately, Coelho introduced Melchizedek to Santiago to help keep him motivated into believing in his dream and provide hope for him into achieving it.

Another important character that greatly impacted Santiago’s life was the Alchemist. Coelho signifies the importance of the alchemist as a character and how big of a role he plays in Santiago’s life. Coelho illuminates this through the quote ‘…listen to your heart…’ (pg. 88) which exemplifies a personification explaining how the alchemist wants Santiago to think deeper in himself. He wants Santiago to learn the importance in following your personal legend and thinking positively throughout their journey when they meet. The personification that the alchemist stated to Santiago clarifies how his heart will ultimately guide him to his personal legend. To add on, it informs us to how the alchemist wants Santiago to think deeper into himself and never give up in achieving his dream. In the novel, The Alchemist use of persuasion to help motivate Santiago has a huge impact in his life.

Throughout Santiago’s journey, he believes that this is impossible and wants to give up into following his dream, however, the alchemist informs him that he is wrong. This is supported in the quote in which the alchemist stated, ‘There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve which was the fear of failure.’ Through this Santiago shifts point of view and ultimately believes in what the alchemist says and continues to follow his personal legend. This is supported through the quote ‘…. the alchemist asked me if he transformed anything lead into gold…’ The alchemist explicates how as an alchemist he is able to change objects from lead to gold. Coelho implements this because the change between lead to gold shows how it fulfills its purpose. To add on to that the lead resembles in the beginning of Santiago’s life in which he did not want to follow his personal legend and the gold represents him achieving his dream of finding the treasure near the end of the novel. This exemplifies a change in Santiago of following his dream just like how the lead turns into gold. Throughout the book, the alchemist impacted the most out of Santiago since he helped guide and motivate Santiago to his personal legend thus giving his name as the title of the novel.

Another important character that impacted Santiago’s life was the Englishmen. He studies alchemy and when both meet he introduces it to Santiago. Coelho implements alchemy in the novel to show the significance of destiny and how you should follow your personal legend. He also helps teach Santiago about the soul of the world which is something that you always wanted with all your heart. Coelho utilizes this since it helped motivate him to find the treasure and not to look down on it. The Englishman also brings the fact about omens and how it is everywhere in life. Coelho illuminates a motif through the quote ‘everything in life is an omen.’ He describes it as how it is the universal language that was understood by everyone. The omens influence Santiago because omens it allows one to achieve their personal legend. Without the omens, Santiago wouldn’t have learned the life lessons of achieving your personal legend taught by Melchizedek, alchemist, etc., and would have ultimately led to Santiago living his life as a shepherd and forgetting about his personal legend. The omens in the novel show a significant amount of importance throughout the novel since it guided Santiago to his personal legend.

The desert also had a significant impact during Santiago’s journey in achieving his personal legend. In the novel, the desert served as an obstacle/challenge that Santiago had to overcome in order to achieve his dream. This is supported through the quote ‘The desert is a capricious lady and sometimes she drives men crazy.’ In this quote, Coelho illuminates a metaphor, in which he contrasts the desert to a capricious lady, in order to portray the alluring effect the desert imposes on the people. This effect may lead one to a variety of obstacles that drives the men into insanity. Coelho through this contrast exemplifies the unpredictable shifts in mood of the capricious lady that was compared to the desert which illustrates many different obstacles one attempts to overcome at various times. Furthermore, this increases the chances of facing numerous hardships when pursuing of one’s dream the same way Santiago faced during his time in the desert.

Throughout the novel, Santiago’s life was greatly impacted by characters such as Melchizedek, The Alchemist, Englishman, and the Desert. These characters ultimately motivated Santiago into achieving his personal legend and never give up. Without these characters, Santiago would just live a normal life as a shepherd, forget about his personal legend and all the life lessons he was taught of throughout his journey. Coelho illuminates the theme that individuals are influenced by significant people in their lives allowing one to keep believing in one’s dream, help one to gain hope in achieving their dream, thus leading to a better future.