Transformation In The Alchemist

Often in novels and stories, the main character undergoes a transformation from childhood to adulthood or from youth to maturity. This large change usually occurs through multiple steps in the stories; however, there is almost always a single pivotal moment that can be argued as the true moment of the character’s transformation. In The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, the main character, Santiago, recognizes his purpose in the world. The moment that this happens is when he decides to abandon his current lifestyle and begin his quest to achieve his “Personal Legend.” This single moment emphasizes the idea that the most important goal in life is to become self-satisfied. In the novel, Santiago is a poor shepherd who comes from an equally poor farming
By deciding to give up his repetitious shepherding career and instead adventure to find his true purpose, Santiago shows that the most important aspect of one’s life is to become completely satisfied with oneself. If this self-satisfaction is achieved, one will feel as if their life is complete and will not have any regrets. When Santiago is working as a shepherd, he understands his life. He knows which routes to take, the structures and edifices where he can sleep, how to care for his flock, and what his plans are for the following day. However, by going on the journey to achieve his Personal Legend, he enables himself to understand the purpose of his life and reach the sought after tier of
Santiago makes numerous tough decisions throughout his journey but these cannot be the single moment of his transition from childhood to adulthood because, without the preliminary, life-altering decision to pursue his Personal Legend, these later decisions would have been obsolete and non-existent. Through this preliminary decision, Santiago enables himself to become a better person and discover his true meaning. Santiago’s conflict-ridden journey serves to show that whereas the road to self-actualization is by no means easy, it is still an essential part of finding one’s true