Personal Legend: The Alchemist and a Race for Dreams

Introduction

In the book The Alchemist, there is a lot of underlying themes and messages to grasp from it. But I think that the biggest theme and message in The Alchemist is to keep dreaming and carry out those dreams, especially in the pursuit of one's personal legend in The Alchemist. I think this because the main character Santiago has always dreamt a dream where every time, he sleeps under a tree that is at the ruins of a church. So, after struggling with the dream, Santiago decides to get his dream interpreted by a gypsy and she tells him to go to Egypt where lies his treasure. So, Santiago takes a risk and follows her advice and starts his journey to Egypt. I think this a perfect example of following your dreams even if they may seem impossible like in Santiago's case where he must travel a far place he doesn't know to fulfill his dream and find his 'treasure'. One quote that helps show this is 'It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting'(13) and this quote shows that Santiago hopes that the sheer possibility of his dream becoming true will make his life interesting and full of experiences that will change his life. Another reason I think that following your dream is the main theme of the book is because Santiago is told by the old man in the village that 'when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it' (24) and this quote shows that when you want to do something so bad the universe will do anything to help you fulfill it. Like in Santiago's case, he believes in The Soul of the World and that pushes him to fulfill his journey.

Santiago's Personal Legend in The Alchemist

Santiago's legend and journey helped him become more open to fulfilling his destiny through his adventures and experiences that he experienced on his way to his to find the treasure. A personal legend of a person is something that the person truly desires to accomplish. The book shows that the only thing that is important in life is to pursue your dreams even if it means making sacrifices on the way. In Santiago's case, this means leaving his home and the relationships he makes along the way will be lost. But there were many things and events that helped Santiago complete his journey even after his sacrifices and through his hardships. For example, the first event that helped urge Santiago to even go on his journey in the first place was when the gypsy interpreted Santiago's dream and urged him to go to Egypt to find his treasure. We see this on page 17 when the gypsy says 'And this is my interpretation: you must go to the Pyramids in Egypt. I have never heard of them, but, if it was a child who showed them to you, they exist. There you will find a treasure that will make you a rich man.' This event eventually sparked the beginning of Santiago's journey to find his treasure. The second event that helped Santiago become open to fulfilling his destiny was when he fell in love with Fatima. We see this on page 98 when Santiago says to Fatima 'I came to tell you just one thing,' the boy said. 'I want you to be my wife. I love you.' This quote shows that Santiago felt true love when he met Fatima but he didn't let love stop him from pursuing his dream and so he left her behind to fulfill his destiny. This event urged Santiago to finish his journey to find his treasure so he can go back and be with Fatima. Also, this event shows how loyal Santiago is to fulfill his Personal Legend to the point that he must leave the supposed love of his life behind. The last event that urged Santiago to be open about fulfilling his destiny was when the old man told Santiago about the Soul of the World on page 24 'It's a force that appears to be negative, but shows you how to realize your destiny. It prepares your spirit and your will because there is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth.' This quote shows how Santiago came to learn of the Soul of The World and this belief of the soul kept him going through his whole journey. For Example, Santiago always kept in mind of the soul and how it was always there to help him fulfill his journey, in theory, this urged to complete his journey. In conclusion, many things helped Santiago to keep going and to eventually find his treasure.My life and Santiago's life have clear differences. For example, I have never traveled across the Sahara to find some treasure, but Santiago's life isn't full of social pressures like mine. Like in my life I must deal with school and the social pressures that come with it, but Santiago must deal with things that threaten his life like robbers or natural factors. But we both know what we want our futures to look like and will do anything to achieve them.

Pursuing Personal Dreams in The Alchemist

The book The Alchemist is full of inspirational quotes that all talk about following your dreams and completing your journey. But one quote I could connect to other books is on page 126 that reads 'So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.' This quote shows the theme of destined lovers and that Santiago believes that the universe wants him to return to Fatima and let nothing stop him to return to his lover. I can connect this quote to Romeo and Juliet because as we all know that Romeo and Juliet's theme is star-crossed lovers. Star-crossed lovers are lovers destined to be together by the universe but there is something in the way of letting them be together. So, I think that this quote and Romeo and Juliet really connect because in Santiago's case he believes the universe wants him to be with Fatima so it will do anything to allow him to return to her but for the moment his journey is in the way of that and for Romeo and Juliet's case is that they really love each other and want to be together to the end but they are from rivaling families so they can't be together.

A Personal Legend is an act of completing one's destiny. Personal Legends are different from person to person, but a Personal Legend is fulfilled by going on a journey whether that being a mental or physical journey and fulfilling what you're destined by the universe to do. So, a question comes up and that question is it possible to live a fulfilling life without completing your Personal Legend. I think it is possible to live a good life, but you wouldn't feel fulfilled in your life per se. For example, the crystal merchant lived a good life and had a successful business, but his legend was not one that was fulfilled. His legend was to travel to Mecca, but he chooses not to. He ran out of motivation to fulfill his journey and eventually ended up forgetting about it, but even though he didn't fulfill his legend he didn't live a terrible life but lived with the curiosity of what would have happened if he would of went to Mecca.

The first quote is a very inspirational one, in my opinion, this quote is 'remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.' This quote is very meaningful and could have a variety of interpretations. But I think that the best interpretation is whatever you desire in life you can find inside of your heart. Along Santiago's journey, he achieves more than his Personal Legend. He finds love within himself to Fatima, he learns about a philosophy that he inherits, and he ultimately fulfills his legend. Also, he learns how to listen to his heart and learns about the idea of the Soul of the World which ultimately is what pushed to fulfill his destiny. The quote shows the theme that with enough dedication and support you can achieve anything if you use your heart.

The second quote delves into character development and what happens to Santiago along his journey. The author writes, “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” This quote means that the more you better your life and yourself the more you will improve the lives of people around you. The energy you give off to other people can change their lives and they may follow in your footsteps. In the book, we learn that every decision you make to better your self will help the Soul of the World in return it will reward you. In conclusion, bettering yourself does more than just helping yourself, it helps the people around you like your friends and family.

Conclusion

In conclusion, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho conveys a powerful message about following one's dreams and fulfilling their personal legend. The journey of Santiago exemplifies the idea that the pursuit of dreams requires dedication, courage, and the willingness to face challenges head-on. Through Santiago's experiences, we witness how dreams, when pursued with passion, can transform a person's life and lead them towards self-discovery and fulfillment. Santiago's story reminds us that the universe conspires to support those who are determined to achieve their aspirations. The notion of personal legends is central to the narrative, illustrating the importance of understanding one's destiny and taking meaningful steps to realize it. The journey not only involves external trials but also internal growth and the development of wisdom. As Santiago's journey unfolds, he learns to listen to his heart, recognize the signs of the universe, and embrace the Soul of the World. The book's themes of destiny, love, and self-discovery resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds, reminding us that the pursuit of our dreams is a journey worth embarking on. Just as Santiago's journey led him to uncover treasures within and beyond the material world, our personal journeys can lead us to uncover the treasures hidden within ourselves.

Works Cited

1. Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. HarperOne, 2015.
2. Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Penguin Classics, 2000.
3. Thoreau, Henry David. 'You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.' Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/8738-you-cannot-dream-yourself-into-a-character-you-must-hammer.
4. Harris, Jose N. 'When you find your path, you must ignore fear.' Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/730690-when-you-find-your-path-you-must-ignore-fear-you.
5. Lee, Bruce. 'If you follow the classical pattern, you are understanding the routine.' Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/199315-if-you-follow-the-classical-pattern-you-are-understanding-the.
6. Bible, English Standard Version. 1 Peter 5:8.
7. Choelo, Paulo. 'There is only one way to learn...It’s through action.' The Alchemist. HarperOne, 2015, p. 125.