The novel by Paulo Coelho was first published in Brazil in 1988. The novel is said to be highly symbolic as it acted as a metaphor life that reflected on the eleven years he went through while studying alchemy. This book is clearly said to be a basic manifesto that today’s dreamer’s use. The author lobbies for the courage for one to believe in his or her own dream. The book teaches that one somebody believes in his dream then he is able to perceive his destiny.
The Alchemist narrates the story of Santiago a young man who is able to locate and find a treasure beyond his wildest dreams. Santiago vows to make a move from his home in Spain and plans for a journey across the Egyptian desert through the markets of Tangiers with the main perspective of meeting with the alchemist. He is a humble shepherd whose anticipation and desires are very few, he believes that roaming with his sheep with a book in his bag and some wine pocketed in his wine skin will make him feel oaky and satisfied. Hence the treasures the young shepherd encounters on his way teaches us a lot as only a few stories have done so far. The due diligence of welcoming the wisdom of listening with our hearts and having the knowledge to distinguish between bad luck opportunities that might meet us within the course of our daily life together with the acute following of our dreams are the significant lessons learnt from Santiago’s story. One may tend to ask, do we ever dream as individuals? , do we ever question ourselves what life holds for us and its very purpose? These are some of the important things that the book Alchemist tries to explain and expound on.
Alchemy (History of the Practice):
Alchemy is regarded as a philosophy and science; it helped provide the basis of chemistry and moreover gave a gate pass to the beginnings and development of the apparati chemistry. Alchemy is thus said to be that part of science that brings and about the history of people interaction with the environment and nature. This is facilitated by the humanity’s trial to harness the very power of the nature in regard to fulfilling the human needs and wants.
It began as a form of philosophic and scientific practice in actually two very distinct locations. This is proved through its development in China and Egypt without the due knowledge of each other. Amazingly in the republic of Egypt alchemy is involved with the very fertility of the great waters of River Nile and thus it is commonly known as Khem. During the fourth BCE, alchemy was basically practiced and hence was strongly connected heavily with the stories of death and life. Alchemy data was almost lost much earlier when the Christians invaded Egypt and dully burned down the library located at Alexandria.
Significance of Alchemy in the novel:
Alchemy in the novel is about offering the essence of value by turning around the most common and ordinary things around us to the most significant things with value. That is gold. Hence the very essence of the story behind The Alchemist is that of taking the most ordinary tasks in our daily life and more so life itself , and embracing them with passion with an intention to turning them around and making them more important and valuable to us.
This situation is basically evident in two areas around the novel: the journey that Santiago partakes and the events that occur within the course of the journey. The place from where Santiago began his journey ironically is the place that is perceived to hold his treasure. It is absolutely clear then that in order for Santiago to really grow his dream and achieve it , he must therefore take that step and go on with the said journey. This trip turns out to be more than it was expected in that it turns out Santiago from an ordinary being to one who believes in himself fully.
This makes him feel like an individual who has achieved his very personal legend. Thus this journey or say life per see is like alchemy, turning that common and ordinary life into something great of value like gold. It should be again noted clearly that one of the main reasons that makes Santiago’s journey successful is due to his willingness and passion to view life in a much more positive perspective. We come across a situation where his money is stolen but he makes a very bright idea to pursue his treasure rather than waste time pursuing a victim. He actually chooses to permit the different of life, be it disappointments, to just but work positively and good for him. Hence the Alchemist is said to be all about to view our lives as a process, a life that is working toward the good and that life that will thus produce gold if one chooses to henceforth follow it.
About the author:
Paulo Coelho was born from an engineer father who was known as Pedro and a housewife mother Lygia in 1947. Theirs was a middle class family unlike most other privileged families. As usual Paulo’s parents wanted him to actually become an engineer and had tried all ways out to redirect his attention from literature. Their stubbornness and his finding out about the Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller’s atomically led to Paulo’s astonishing spirit of rebellion. Thus he become stubborn too and started to go against the family’s rules often. This made his father angry and at one point had Paulo hospitalized as he thought that he had some mental disease.
Afterwards Paulo become active in theaters and started working as a journalist. At that time the theater was imagined to be a place where all kinds of immorality took place by the christiam middle class family of that time. This made his parents to confine him once more in the hospital and when Paulo was came out, the situation was even worse as he cow decided to enclose and stay all alone in his own private world. This is when the family called in another doctor to check on the situation of Paulo and thus he came up with the solution that Paulo was very sane and that he just needed to face life.
After the end of that period Paulo decided to rejoin and go back to school whereby all the hopes were now directed to him, as the parents thought that he was to follow all what they wanted. Abruptly this era was in the sixties when everybody else was all hyped up with the hippie movement taking place it is at this point that Paulo even took drugs and never used to carry his identity card. Again he tried out his passion and at this point started a magazine of which there were only two issues published then. Raul Seixas a musician and composer called on Paulo to put in writing words for his own songs. This deal went okay with Paulo and for the first time in his life he had made a lot of money.
Paulo hence in the 70’s decided that enough was enough and that he had achieved and attained quality experience in life and that he wanted to live a normal life now. He pursued for and got a job with a recording company where he would also meet his to be wife. This did not go on for a very long time since such kinds of jobs were not his type. He thus in 1987 wrote what was to be his first book, the Pilgrimage leading to the 1988 writing of The Alchemist. Currently he is a recognized writer and writes various articles for various newspapers.
The Alchemist: Literary criticism of the novel; common interpretations of the novel; the use of figurative language and devices in the novel, etc.
Common interpretation of the novel:
The author tends to make sure that we believe the fact that each one of us has a unique dream given to us by God and that he usually offer us solutions and clues to every now and then so that we can recognize our very potentials and that will make us achieve our destiny. He reminds us that challenges will always be there but we keep going and following these dreams with enormous zeal.
Literary Critics:
This book is a great literal work that bursts out loudly with great optimism. It is a unique taste that urges you to follow things no matter what and that nothing is impossible at all. This kind of work is viewed by others as a more made simpler version of the present age philosophy and spirituality. Hence this is the point where the author appeals with everybody to equate themselves to Santiago.
The Alchemist is a novel that has been basically overshadowed by poetic styles. This is a book that keeps you reading, and hence one wonders whether the boy will ever get his treasure. It keeps a person thinking whether the boy will achieve his destiny, will he loose his focus and give up his dream? This kind of suspense for the very unknown is a subject that is well adhered to.
Again it has been noted that the book is composed of various past words of wisdom that are mainly from the past. Moreover the writer has been able to embrace the Indian and Arabic philosophies altogether with the Christian philosophies winding it up all.
Philosophical Critics:
It is important to note that the various philosophical aspects undertaken by the author are of great significant value to the society indeed. These are the aspects that most people assume that they have forgotten or pretend not to know them. Hence the fact that the American culture is being adopted by many due to globalization enables the work of the author to heavily caution us against being out of touch with our goals and dreams. Thus individuals should be at harmony with their own and more so focus in reaching their goals.
It is important to note that the book embraces deeply the philosophy of liberty and unity, with the only problem being the fact that philosophy at times does not stay coherent. Otherwise it contradicts itself mostly in very immature idealism and romanticism.
Conclusion
The Alchemist is a good read for all the people be it intellectuals or non intellectuals, it is important for one to believe in his or her own being and always be that person you have always dreamt of being.
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