Nancy Mo

English 12
April 14, 2014
The Alchemist
Muktab means It is ritten,! re"erring e#ery soul$s preor%aine% role& 'antiago$s %isco#ery an%
acceptance o" his %estiny in (aulo )oelho$s The Alchemist,! embo%ies e#ery soul$s attempt to "ul"il its
%estiny an% the obstacles they must o#ercome i" they "olloe% "ate$s gui%ance to achie#e their %reams&
*nce e can %i""erentiate %reams an% realistic goals, e are ire% to pursue the latter+ since
there is no risk in#ol#e% an% a com"ortable li"e aaits& As e %ron in social norms, our %aily li#es
become a routine an% e start to "eel incomplete& It$s the possibility o" ha#ing a %ream come true that
makes li"e interesting&! 'antiago is a shepher% in The Alchemist,! an% he has a recurring %ream o"
treasure but he tries to suppress his curiosity& ,is sheep symboli-e the sort o" e.istence li#e% by those
ho are completely blin% to their %estiny& 'antiago lo#es his sheep but %oes not think they can
appreciate his %isco#eries in "oreign lan%s+ he e#en imagines killing them since they are so blin%ly
trusting an% hollo insi%e& /hen 'antiago meets the king+ Melchi-e%ek ho someho knos his li"e
story an% con"irms his %ream o" treasure, he "inally "eels the eight o" his %esire& The possibility o"
achie#ing a goal becomes real hen one "eels the immense e""ort o" reaching it& Melchi-e%ek an% a
gypsy encourages 'antiago$s %ream an% tells him to chase it& 'antiago reali-es that E#eryone seems to
ha#e a clear i%ea o" ho other people shoul% lea% their li#es, but none about his or her on&! /e are
surroun%e% by opinions an% empty a%#ices that un"ortunately, e "ollo& 0istening to our on hearts
an% i%eas takes secon% priority, because e begin to li#e "or others rather than oursel#es& The
Alchemist,! preaches (eople are capable, at any time in their li#es, o" %oing hat they %ream o",! an%
yet our culture contra%icts itsel"& It a%#ertises ho e must not gi#e up "or our %reams to come true,
but the ma1ority o" people are stuck in a repetiti#e sur#i#al limbo& *n 'antiago$s 1ourney , he
encounters a crystal merchant ho %reams o" making the pilgrimage to Mecca, but oul% rather stay
%reaming than make the 1ourney %ue to his "ear o" %isappointment& ,is shop sloly begins to
%eteriorate until 'antiago arri#es bringing "resh i%eas an% business& In the early stages o" li"e, the orl%
is "ille% ith our yearning "or our %reams to come true but as time passes, e become con#ince% that it
is impossible& Melchi-e%ek re#eals to 'antiago the orl%$s biggest lie e lost control o" hat$s
happening to us, an% our li#es become controlle% by "ate&! 2ear o" "ailure, high e.pectations an% har%
obstacles %ull the image o" our %reams& Again, 'antiago$s sheep represent the merchant an% all those
ho ha#e gi#en up their %reams an% "elt satis"ie% ith their material %esires an% social acceptance&
These in%i#i%uals lose the ability to appreciate certain aspects o" creation an% miss out on opportunities
because o" their limite% perspecti#es& (eople "ail to recogni-e the goo% things that happen in li"e hen
they gro accustome% to each %ay& 3reams are important because they connect us to the orl% an%
each other in the "orm o" hope& ,ope "or a "uture "ille% ith possibilities an% people e meet ho are
also pursuing their %reams& /hen 'antiago reali-e% his %ream he as tol% hen you ant something,
all the uni#erse conspires in helping you to achie#e it,! an% so he embarke% on his 1ourney&
*ne o" the greatest catalyst$s to change is lo#e an% it can be the reason one chases their %reams+
or the rear% o" the chase& 'antiago meets 2atima at an oasis an% is tempte% to stay ith her+ "orgetting
his goal, but lo#e can ne#er be the obstacle to happiness or %estiny& 0o#e can be %ecepti#e because our
hearts can be "oole% into being satis"ie% ith hat e ha#e alrea%y achie#e% on our 1ourney, ithout
e#er "in%ing the true rear%& 2atima represents an obstacle that must be %elaye% or ignore% entirely+
like the sheep, 'antiago sells to Melchi-e%ek& The king teaches 'antiago to Tell your heart that the
"ear o" su""ering is orse than the su""ering itsel"& An% that no heart has e#er su""ere% hen it goes in
search o" its %reams,! hich is #eri"ie% hen 2atima says Maktub,! meaning i" lo#e is part o" one$s
%estiny, they ill come back one %ay a"ter their 1ourney& (ersonal 1ourneys are place% in one$s hearts
by "ate an% there"ore it is a %uty to "ul"il them& I" one has to choose beteen his goal an% lo#e, then it is
not true lo#e, because lo#e %oes not stan% in the ay o" li#ing li"e to the "ullest& 'antiago$s 1ourney is
not only one about sel"4%isco#ery, but also the interconnecte%ness that all li#ing things ha#e ith the
orl%& 'antiago recogni-e% 2atima as his true lo#e ithout speaking to her, an% )oelho uses this pure
connection as proo" o" "orces at ork in gui%ing us in "ul"illing our %estiny& In lo#e, there is no time
an% e#erything is eternal& The change lo#e brings is e#i%ence, that a greater plan is being un"ol%e%
because lo#e bin%s the orl% together& /e become li#ing proo" o" mysterious "orces at ork hen e
are lo#e% an% begin li#ing "or others& 2atima an% 'antiago both sacri"ice% an% riske% their happiness "or
'antiago$s %ream, hich meant that they ere in it together& /hen e lo#e, e alays stri#e to
become better than e are,! 'antiago as #ulnerable to losing sight o" his %ream hen he "oun%
com"ort li#ing ith 2atima, but he came out unsaye% an% e#en more committe%& 'antiago stri#es to
become the man 2atima ishes him to be, a man ho "ollos his %reams an% through that+ he gaine%
courage& /hen e stri#e to become better than e are, e#erything aroun% us becomes better too&!
E#ery obstacle an in%i#i%ual o#ercomes, they learn that the orl% has many %oors aiting to be
opene%& /hen 'antiago lost his sa#ings to a thie", he as le"t in a strange lan%+ alone& Instea% o" letting
pity %e#our him, he chose to change his perspecti#e& This marke% a turning point an% here he le"t his
past i%entity& ,e embrace% the lan% as a ne,! one instea% o" a hostile place& 5n"ortunate e#ents may
lea% one to see the orl% as a threatening place, but it is only true i" one belie#es the orl% is a
threatening place& A change o" perspecti#e is the key to opening ne opportunities to thri#e an% gro,
hich lea% 'antiago to the crystal merchant& 'tri#ing to become better means being aare o" hat is
happening ithin us, because it is re"lecte% on our treatment o" others& As e are all connecte% to the
orl%, it re"lects our inner groth o" goo% an% e#il+ hich makes e#ery in%i#i%ual responsible "or
becoming better than they ere be"ore&
The Alchemist challenges "ree4ill because it is a story o" achie#ing harmony ith maktub,! a
pre4or%aine% path+ ultimately lea%ing to happiness& 2ree4ill plays the part o" choosing maktub or
pa#ing our on paths& /hen 'antiago met the crystal merchant, he as e.pose% to an un"ul"ille% li"e&
The crystal merchant %reams o" his 1ourney to Mecca but "ears losing the ill to li#e i" he is
%isappointe%& There is only one thing that makes a %ream impossible to achie#e6 the "ear o" "ailure&!
*ne can be paralyse% by "ear to achie#e their %ream an% lea% a happy an% "ul"ille% li"e& 0ike the
merchant, they ill remain %eeply unhappy& 'antiago encounters se#eral "orms o" "ear along his
1ourney+ lea#ing his com"ortable li"e an% %eparting "or Tangier an% 1oining a %esert cara#an on its ay
to Al42ayoum, all pose% as obstacles to a ne beginning& I" an in%i#i%ual chose to o#ercome their "ear
o" ne places, they oul% bene"it in the en%less possibilities an% knole%ge gaine% on their ne path&
2ear shoul% become irrele#ant+ e#en in the "ace o" %eath, i" one "aith"ully pursues their %reams&
'antiago "ace% physical "ear hen the oasis as attacke% by arme% men in a tribal ar& ,e "ace%
spiritual "ear+ hen capture% by tribesmen an% #olunteere% by the alchemist to turn into the in%+ in
return "or their release& The Alchemist,! may ha#e an e.aggerate% portrayal o" "acing "ear ith a heart
illing to "ight an% li#e, but the message to li#e your moment "ully+ is clear& Taking risks an% paying
the price is ho one truly %ies, because they ill ha#e li#e%& 2ear easily traps one in the same pattern o"
%aily li"e an% stops them "rom paying attention to e#ery moment& The %esert that 'antiago tra#els
through has harsh con%itions an% tribal ars& It symboli-es the %i""iculties that aait those ho "ollo
their "ate& The %esert$s silence, emptiness an% monotony teste% 'antiago$s character& It brought lo#e,
"ear an% %eath to 'antiago but in return "or passing these tests, he gaine% spiritual groth& 2ace% ith
the #ast emptiness o" the %esert, he as "orce% to look ithin himsel" "or the strength to silence his
petty "ears& The "ear o" %e"eat blin%e% 'antiago in seeing his role in the orl%& All li#ing things that
stri#e to "ul"il their %reams an% li#e out their pre4or%aine% role+ is one ith the orl%& )oelho uses
magical realism hen 'antiago succee%s in turning himsel" into in%, to stress that all things li#e as
one& Their "ate is a harmonious part o" the orl%& The elements are e#i%ence o" absolute harmony an%
balance an% it is hat one ants mirrore% ithin themsel#es, but can only be achie#e% a"ter
o#ercoming "ear&
/hile gui%ing 'antiago to his treasure, the alchemist points out that all natural things are
continuously un%ergoing a cycle o" achie#ing their %reams& (ursuing one$s %ream "orces them to
1ourney ithin themsel#es seeking "or enlightenment& There is only one ay to learn& It$s through
action& E#erything you nee% to kno you ha#e learne% through your 1ourney&! E#ol#ing into a higher
being ho can %isregar% "ear, the cycle begins again ith a ne goal to reach "or& E#ery 1ourney brings
one closer to the soul o" the orl% an% brings them into unity ith the natural orl%& 'antiago learns
that his soul is part o" the orl% an% it is one ith 7o%& ,e gros to un%erstan% that 7o%$s energy is
e#eryhere, in e#ery being, plant, an% mineral& 'ince 7o% is e#eryhere an% one ith the soul o" the
orl%, all li#ing beings ha#e a pre4or%aine% path in becoming one ith that soul& The narrati#e o" the
Alchemist takes place in to religious spheres, Muslim an% )hristian, e.ploring the %i""erence beteen
the to& At "irst, 'antiago re"ers to the resi%ents o" Tangiers as in"i%els,! because they are strange to
him+ but 8uickly reali-es that their spiritual concerns are similar to his on& 'antiago is neutral to either
religion an% sees the soul o" the uni#erse,! in nature hich takes the role o" 7o%& ,e also searches an%
"ollos omens much like being le% by the holy spirit& /hile the to religions are %i""erent in structure
an% teachings, they are unite% in the pursuit o" 7o%& 0ea#ing behin% his li#elihoo% an% "olloing his
pre4or%aine% path solely on "aith, is similar to )hrist$s "olloers& To "ollo )hrist an% alk aay "rom
the things o" the orl%, one$s nee%s shall be met is )hrist$s %octrine& 'antiago aban%one% his i%entity in
or%er to reali-e the promise o" "ul"ilment&
Alchemy is a "orm o" chemistry an% speculati#e philosophy concerne% ith turning baser
metals into gol%, the eli.ir o" li"e an% "in%ing a uni#ersal sol#ent& The alchemist teaches 'antiago that
e#en metals ha#e their personal legen%s to "ul"il& 9e"ore a base metal can be turne% into gol%, it must
ri% itsel" o" impurities so to achie#e a high e#olutionary state& 'imilar to this, 'antiago must ri% himsel"
o" his %esire to li#e as a shepher%, an% the %esire to li#e ith 2atima& The alchemists %isco#ere% the
puri"ication o" metals ha% lea% to the puri"ication o" themsel#es&! )oelho uses alchemy to relate the
importance o" pursuing one$s personal legen%s, alloing groth an% change ithin us an% aroun% us&
/ithout e#ol#ing oursel#es, nothing aroun% us ill change ith us&
The alchemist tells 'antiago that the many books teaching alchemy only complicates it, an%
that an Emeral% Tablet containe% all the secrets o" alchemy& The art o" alchemy parallels one$s personal
legen% in hich no or%s can %escribe the secrets on the tablet, 1ust like ho there is no instructions to
pursuing a personal legen%& )hil%ren kno hat their personal legen%s are but as they gro ol%er, they
"actor in meaningless obstacles an% gro "urther aay "rom their path& *n his 1ourney 'antiago meets
an Englishman hose goal is to meet the alchemist& ,e tells 'antiago to rea% se#eral books about
alchemy, but 'antiago conclu%es that alchemy can be learnt through his %ay4to4%ay li"e& The
Englishman represents the problem that as humans an% a%ults, one unconsciously make things more
comple. than they really are& A ma1or theme in The Alchemist,! is the con#iction that one$s "ate is
apparent in any aspect o" %aily li"e& The secret is here in the present& I" you pay attention to the
present, you can impro#e upon it&! :eali-ing one$s personal legen% helps unco#er the lost appreciation
"or each %ay an% li#ing in "aith& A seer once tol% 'antiago to be con"i%ent that 7o% lo#es all his chil%ren
an% to "orget the "uture because each %ay brings ith it an eternity& An%, i" you impro#e on the
present, hat comes later ill also be better&! To belie#e in our on li#es an% its meaning ill silence
all 8uestions e once ha% an% make us respect the unansere% ones& In the mi%st o" the threat o" ar+
'antiago as surprise% to see a camel %ri#er sho little concern& The camel %ri#er re#eale% that i" you
concentrate alays on the present, you$ll be a happy man& 0i"e ill be a party "or you, a gran% "esti#al,
because li"e is the moment e$re li#ing no&! E#en though this man le"t his "amily to gui%e strangers
sa"ely through the %esert in the mi%st o" tribal ars, he is still li#ing li"e to its "ullest&
0i#ing in absolute "aith makes %eath irrele#ant because only the present matters, alloing one to li#e a
li"e a"ter %eath&
/hen an% in%i#i%ual stri#es to "ul"il their personal legen%, there is no guarantee ho long it
oul% take& 2ear o" %e"eat is not the only crippling "actor to a personal legen% but also "ear o"
"ul"ilment& (eople learn, early in their li#es, hat is their reason "or being,! sai% Melchi-e%ek to
'antiago& Maybe that is hy they gi#e up on it so early, too& 9ut that$s the ay it is&! The king goes on
to tell a story o" a miner ho has spent "i#e years searching "or an emeral% at a ri#er to no a#ail& ;ust
hen he loses hope+ too burnt out to keep searching, he "in%s it hen he thros a rock in rage an%
"rustration& The rock breaks into to an% embe%%e% in the stone as an emeral%& *ne can be close to
"ul"illing their %reams but the 1ourney can break their ill be"ore they %o& It ill 8uestion their
i%entities an% make them %oubt the orth o" their %reams& In choosing to "ul"il his personal legen%,
'antiago learns a great %eal about himsel" an% his role in the orl%& 5nlike the crystal merchant, he is
illing to risk %isappointment an% not succumb to the "ear o" "ul"ilment&
The Alchemist$s core i%ea is maktub, meaning our paths are pre4or%aine%& ,appiness lays in
li#ing in harmony ith hat is pre4or%aine% "or one, their personal legen%& Maktub makes li"e easy,
because e#ery in%i#i%ual can "in% com"ort in their %estiny alrea%y being ritten out in the history o" the
orl%& *ne ill "eel reassure% that "ate ill cooperate ith those pursuing their %reams hich means,
hate#er ensues as meant to happen& 5n"ortunately, people easily "eel limite% in their on com"ort
an% social norms, hich lea%s to a en%less search "or "ul"ilment& *ne en%s up looking only "or physical
contentment an% li#ing ithout appreciating li"e& The Alchemist,! is not about hat one shoul%
%ream, but that one shoul% %ream& True happiness lies in seeking out a higher purpose because stri#ing
"or that goal, ill glori"y an% gi#e one$s li"e meaning&