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The Alchemist Themes

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Throughout history, every culture has believed in the soul, but not every culture has seen it the same way. Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist and the ancient Hindu texts the Upanishads have similar themes about an all-encompassing Soul. The Upanishads are a collection of transcribed conversations between teachers and students about key Hindu concepts. The Upanishadic teachers impart a vision of “a Universal Soul, or Brahman” that every person and every living thing is an essential part of (Andrea & Overfield). In the Alchemist Santiago learns about the Soul of the World and that, like Brahman, flows through and is everything. Reincarnation and karma are key ideas of the Upanishads, and The Alchemist centers on Santiago’s journey to his Personal

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