Key Themes In The Alchemist

Section #8: Theme(s) In the Alchemist, the theme of the journey being just as valuable as the destination is demonstrated throughout the story as Santiago learns about himself and others, which is recognized as the real treasure. When Santiago goes on his journey to find a valuable treasure hidden in the Pyramids, he learns many things from his experiences. When Santiago was asked to follow the omens he was reminded that “the secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better.” (Coelho pg. 108) What Santiago learned throughout his journey benefited him in the end. The wisdom he gained was much more valuable than the gold. He realized at the end of journey that the best things in life are those that could be felt within himself, not the things he could hold in his hands. Unlike gold, wisdom cannot be lost or stolen, which makes wisdom that much more cherishable. Santiago was told that “wherever your heart is, that is where you’ll find your treasure.”(Coelho pg. 128) Santiago was on a quest to find treasure, which would make him happy. He thought the treasure would be an actual object, but instead he realized his true treasures were the ones he felt along the journey, especially when he found Fatima. Love and knowledge will always have more

The Sycamore tree, one of the oldest trees found in Ancient Egypt, was very useful to the Egyptians,“It’s wood had great economic importance.”(Pliny, Natural History Book) and “Physicians used the fruit for calming the vessels.”(Pliny, Natural History, Book XIII, chapter 14) People needed the tree and saw the plant as a benefit for their use. Egyptians found the tree comforting and helpful. When Santiago got to the tree to get his treasure he recalls “the