The Alchemist Symbolism

An Analysis of Mirage Symbolism In The Alchemist Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist tells the story of Santiago, a young shepherd living in an abandoned church in a small Andalusian town, who is stripped of his comfortable and safe lifestyle after an encounter with Melchizedek, an Islamic king who tells him of his “Personal Legend” (21). Melchizedek points Santiago in the direction of his treasure only after taking one-tenth of his money, giving him two stones, and a lesson on reading omens. Throughout his journey, Santiago meets new friends, has everything stolen from him three times, and travels the vast and unknown Sahara Desert all while achieving personal growth and an understanding of his life’s meaning. His journey leads him to an Oasis where he meets the alchemist, a man who will lead him on to the pyramids of Egypt. When Santiago finally completes his journey and arrives at the pyramids, he is beaten by soldiers and ironically told where the treasure is truly hidden: buried beneath a tree at an abandoned church, the exact spot where he had started. Coelho masterfully works symbolism into The Alchemist to give the reader a direct picture and deeper understanding of his piece. These symbols allow the reader to gain valuable insight into the piece through background knowledge and relations to the symbol itself. One example of symbolism in The Alchemist is mirages, or hallucinations. This symbol is not used in the way a typical reader would think. Instead of meaning a picture that one sees in the extreme heat, it is used to represent a vision or aspiration. Although the term mirage is mentioned only once in the novel, it is symbolized throughout by Santiago’s struggle to obtain his treasure. His hardships in traveling give the reader a sense that the treasure itself may be a mirage, something Santiago is only dreaming of but may never physically reach. Coelho uses two separate meanings of the word mirage. The literal definition word mirage is used the one time

Cited: Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. New York: HarperOne, 1998. Print.