Personal Themes In The Alchemist

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In the novel, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, there are many different themes that can be interpreted throughout the story. However, I found that the prevailing theme that stood out the most and was mentioned often is the importance of following one’s dreams, and staying true to our hearts. In the beginning of the book, we meet Santiago, the protagonist. He sets off on a journey to follow his Personal Legend, a concept that is introduced to him by Melchizedek, the King of Salem. When Santiago asks what a Personal Legend is, Melchizedek explains, “It’s what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is” (Coelho 21). Melchizedek also tells Santiago that a mysterious force often deters…show more content…
In the prologue, he says that “If we have the courage to disinter dream, we are then faced by the second obstacle: love. We know what we want to do, but are afraid of hurting those around us by abandoning everything in order to pursue our dream…. We do not realize that those who genuinely wish us well want us to be happy and are prepared to accompany us on that journey.” (Coelho vi) This idea aligns quite well with Fatima, who Santiago meets and falls in love with at the Oasis. He is prepared to give up everything for her, to stop following his Personal Legend, but she encourages him to continue on his path and to find his treasure, assuring him that she will be there waiting when he returns (Coelho 97). By providing us with some of his own beliefs prefacing the story, Coelho gives us insight into why certain occurrences and characters in the novel appear the way they do. Though having completely free reign to interpret a story the way I perceive it is always rewarding and interesting, being given some background information about the author and their beliefs allows me to further my understanding and enhance my analysis of the characters, events, and symbols and of the novel as a

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