Self Doubt In The Alchemist

In the novel “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho there is a young shepherd named Santiago who is in search for his personal legend. Santiago’s personal legend is to find the treasure at the pyramids. Throughout his journey, there are a lot of emotions especially the emotion fear. Santiago encountered a lot of challenges like crossing the desert, being in a war and turning himself into the wind. He learned the different levels of fear; fearing fear, being in fear, and overcoming fear. In the end, he overcomes the fear, challenges, and tasks to reveal his treasure.

Through talks of Abraham and the Quran, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho has an overlying theme of religion. The book follows the life of shepherd named Santiago and his journey throughout life as he wants to travel around the world, where he meets many people that give him advice on his journey. Like the prologue Narcissus story, The Alchemist itself has a message that is concentrating on oneself can unite a person to nature and the spiritual world. Only through single-mindedly attempting to reach his Personal Legend does Santiago learn the mysteries of the Soul of the World, for instance. Throughout the book, Santiago must put his attention first repeatedly, as when he decides to be a shepherd preferably than a priest and when he leaves the haven to continue on his journey. However, through disregarding everything but his dream, Santiago understands his real potential. In this way, he inserts to the Soul of the World. With this under consideration, many questions can be brought up. What is the attitude of The Alchemist towards material wealth and individualism, and how does this relate to significant religions?

throughout Santiago’s story? Do you think there may be an element of “narcissism” in the

At many times in people’s lives, they consider giving up. This is also true for Santiago, the protagonist in Paulo Coelho's fantasy novel The Alchemist. Santiago is on a journey to find a hidden treasure he saw in a dream. Along this journey he continues to contemplate whether he should just give up, or continue his adventure. By continuing he finds his true inner strength. In the story, the author shows the importance of perseverance, and how to face the many obstacles that people are presented in their lives to complete their goal.

Santiago is a young boy who yearns for adventure and purpose in his life.from a young age he knows he wants to see the world and becomes a shepherd to experience new places. Santiago still struggles to find meaning and purpose throughout his many years of travel though. It's not until he goes on the journey to follow his personal legend that he truly develops as a character. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, challenges readers to acknowledge their self-worth and realize they are strongest when they love themselves.

This is illuminated when the Alchemist says, “‘There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure’” (141). This particular moment shows that even though Santiago has both the ability and the knowledge to achieve his dream, it is impossible to attain it if he fears even attempting to reach it. Consequently, this fear acts as his enemy and a barrier that stands in the way of the meaningful and happy life he is destined to accomplish. Furthermore, another one of his fears is the fear of losing what he believes he has already earned. ”He reminded himself that he had been a shepherd and that he could be a shepherd again. Fatima was more important than his treasure” (95). Santiago is willing to drop everything

Paulo Coelho, the author of The Alchemist tells the story of Santiago a Shepard whose life changes once he finds out about a treasure from his frequent dreams and meets a strange man who helps him to start his personal legend. On Santiago’s journey he starts to see the hidden meanings behind daily life creating the thesis that through seeing and understanding symbols behind the world people can learn about their own personal legend and live life to the fullest.

Therefore in the Alchemist, the most important thing is personal legend. Everything is based off Santiago’s personal legend, if he wouldn’t of became a shepherd the book wouldn’t be all about him following his personal legend and trying to figure out what his was. Santiago has to figure out a bunch of new things that lend his to his personal

Internal Conflict- Santiago struggles with whether to pursue his personal legend and find his treasure or to give up. Another thing Santiago struggled with is finding his inner connection with nature to turn himself into wind within three days.

Santiago wanted to the fatima to know that he had fallen in love with her and he didn 't want her to forget about him,but she wanted him to know that for years she dreamt of having to have the hope of a loved one coming back home,and that he had to do what every male in the desert did and go find his treasure,and all she did was stay home and hope for him to come home. He came upon so many challenges along the way with the alchemist,and he had the enough knowledge in order to overcome them,but needed a little push. His heart was always with him talking to him about fear but also excitement about traveling to the pyramids,and when they came upon tribesmen santiago never gave to turn himself into the wind which was their only way out. When he got to where he treasure was a refugee man from tribal wars told him that he would live,and that exact same spot he had the same dream two years ago,but that he should have learned that a man wouldn 't be so stupid to cross an entire

He is constantly slammed with adversity, he gets a job at the crystal shop after losing his money. ““I can clean up those glasses in the window, if you want,” said the boy. … “you did not have to do any cleaning,” he (the shopkeeper) said. “Koran requires me to feed a hungry person.” … “Do you want to go to work for me” the merchant asked.” (Coelho 45 5, Coelho 46 4 9) When santiago losses his money he does not give up he learns and finds a man to help in exchange for food and in the end gets a job that he can do while learning the language of the locals, finding a way to egypt and developing his identity. This job allows him to make money and the strength to carry on in his journey. Later on in his journey he is faced even greater adversity and the same thing happens he is dejected and lost but picks himself up and preservers. “ “he is going to transform himself into the wind, just to demonstrate his powers. If he cant we humbly offer our lives for the honor of the tribe.” … The boy was shaking with fear, but the alchemist helped him out of the tent. … the alchemist continued, “usually the threat of death makes people a lot more aware of their lives.”” (Coelho 140 6 8, Coelho 142 2) Just like before Santiago is afraid and doesn't know what to do in a situation of adversity. But he does not give up he perseveres and developes

In the Islamic faith they believe that there is no one greater than Allah. This idea has greatly impacted Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist. The main character, Santiago, goes all over Northern Africa in search of his personal legend, or his life goal. On his journey, Santiago must face many challenges and get in touch with the soul of the world; everything is connected. Santiago runs into many Islamic traditions and people and these things help him along his way. Although many religions, such as Hinduism, have an impact on The Alchemist, Islam has the greatest effect.

The challenges, temptations, and abyss are what change initiates into heroes and show if they are up to the challenge. Edmond Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo, Odysseus from The Odyssey, and Santiago from The Alchemist, and all face a number of challenges, temptations, and an abyss throughout their hero's journey and they all overcome these hardships, proving their heroicness.

Santiago has an epiphany when he realizes that if you never change and take risks you will never move forward. He wants to find his “personal legend,” or true desire, and to obtain this he needs to change his own nature. He must be willing to give up whatever is necessary to achieve this goal, including freedom. On Santiago’s journey he becomes employed by a crystal merchant that never achieved his personal legend. The merchant resisted change and never accomplished his dreams. From the crystal merchant’s experiences Santiago realized that his dreams might not come true if he waits too long. Santiago ultimately learns to realize his dreams, change is needed to be successful and achieve your

“The boy’s name was Santiago” (Coelho 3) was the first and last sentence to ever mention the protagonist’s name in The Alchemist. In this novel by Paulo Coelho, the reader follows the journey of an Andalusian shepherd named Santiago, to find his Personal Legend. Along the way of his journey he encounters several people that help him in his search of his Personal Legend. These people include a Gypsy woman that interprets his dream, a mysterious old man that calls himself “The King of Salem”, and a 200 year old alchemist. After reading Part One of The Alchemist, the reader can conclude that the motif of it is that you must lose something in order to move forward in life through the author’s use of quotes.