In the fantasy fiction adventure novel, The Alchemist, written by Paul Coelho, an epic story is told about an individual named Santiago that follows his dreams and defies all odds to find a treasure that might not even exist. He is accompanied by an ally which is also an alchemist. Throughout the story, a main part was the symbolization of Santiago’s heart. His heart symbolizes the good in the world and the most pure way to get what you want.…
I thought it was extremely peculiar that Santiago had the same dream exactly one year apart. Not only did he have the same dream, but Santiago woke up at the same moment during both of the dreams. I think the author might be using the literary device of foreshadowing. Perhaps, there actually is a treasure hidden at the Egyptian pyramids, and the boy has to travel to find it. (69 words).…
2) A place to go: Santiago needs to travel from Andalusia(Spain) to Egypt, but has little resources, escalating the problems he encounters and delaying his travels. More importantly, Santiago meets thought provoking and spiritual characters, who direct him away from his original destination.…
The author shows symbolism throughout the story that relates to each of the characters. An example is the twenty-peso coin, which Robert kept half of and the other half went into the box with his wife, Beulah. The coin was a symbol of their marriage and relationship that ended due to the death of Beulah caused by cancer. The coin is a substitute for Beulah so he can remember her and connect with her symbolically. The tapes that the narrators’ wife and Robert shared, were also symbolic to them because they kept in touch for years without being face to face. Once they met and gave each other company, Robert says, “This beats tapes, doesn’t it (714)?” which distinguishes the difference between the real thing and the substitute.…
From listening to their dreams, Santiago and Siddhartha realize their Personal Legends and embark on their journeys to pursue enlightenment. Both characters need experience to help them understand what they desire from life. In the town Tarifa, Santiago is intrigued because in his dream “[a] child [takes] [him] by both hands, [ ] transports [him] to the Egyptian pyramids” and tells him that he will find treasure near the location (Coelho 13). Therefore, Santiago craves to know if his dream is significant. Without this dream, Santiago would not be able to go to the gypsy who tells him he must go to the Pyramids in Egypt to find a treasure that will make him rich. Santiago “[has] the same dream that night, a…
I have a camel, I have my money from the crystal shop, and I have fifty gold pieces. In my own country, I would be a rich man.” (Santiago, page 119). The alchemist points out to Santiago that none of those things were found at the Pyramids. Then Santiago met Fatima and he decided that she was his treasure and didn’t want to leave the oasis.…
Characters show how their fears hinder themselves from reaching their Personal Legends through their speech and dialogue. When Santiago goes to the gypsy for advice about his dream, he says “‘And what if…
This statement from Melchizedek the king of Salem is essentially telling Santiago that dreams are not silly or selfish and they should not be ignored or denied, dreams are meant to be fulfilled that is why they exist. He wants Santiago to realize that his persistent dream of him going to the Pyramids to find his treasure is not just a silly old dream it is his Personal Legend. Mr. Melchizedek explains Santiago that this desire to go to the Pyramids “originated in the soul of the universe.” He wants Santiago to go on this journey because he believes that it is his true meaning and mission on earth.…
Fatima - A beautiful and chaste young "desert woman" who lives at the Al-Fayoum Oasis. She understands that she must allow Santiago to travel in pursuit of his dream.…
| This dialogue is said at the climax of the book, when Santiago is faced with the challenge of turning himself into the wind. This is a huge conflict in the book. In order for him so save his and the alchemist’s lives he will need to transform into wind and produce a wind so strong it will blow down the whole camp. This is also teaching Santiago a very important lesson. He cannot back away from something just because he is scared of failing. If he ever gets to the pyramids and the treasure is not exactly where he thinks it is, he will have to be able to search for some sort of sign from the soul of the universe and keep searching for it.(Word Count: 126)…
The motif of reading is that santiago is reading the world.The alchemist and he believe that the world around them is written words.Santiago even says that “Well, usually I learn more from my sheep than from books,” (5). Santiago also believes than you can learn more from the world than from a book. santiago believes that the world has a language like when he said “You must understand that love never keeps a man from pursuing his destiny. If he abandons that pursuit, it’s because it wasn’t true love… the love that speaks the Language of the World.” (126)…
“The land was ruined, and I had to find some other way to earn a living. So now I’m a camel driver. But that disaster taught me to understand the word of Allah; people need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want” CITATION Pau \l 1033 (Coelho). Throughout the novel Santiago feared many things which his fear became an obstacle for him to successfully achieving his Personal Legend. He experienced several forms of fear: every since his childhood he feared the gypsy women would…
Also, in the beginning of Santiago’s journey, he meets a young man. The boy agreed to be…
look mean, nasty or poor. But, you never know unless you talk to them. Santiago pre-judges the Gypsy and Old man when he firsts meets them. Later on Santiago realizes that if he pre-judge you will not find out the truth. Paulo Coelho uses Melchizedek and the Gypsy to illustrate that you should not pre-judge.…
2. Yes there is foreshadowing in this plot arc. One example of foreshadowing occurs when Santiago tells to the gypsy about his dream of the pyramids;…