The Personal Legend in Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist"

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The Alchemist is the story of a young man ""Santiago"" who finds a treasure. He is shepherd. He wants to be free to roam with his sheep, to have some wine in his wineskin and a book in his bag. Early into his journey, he meets an old king named Melchizedek or the king of Salem, who tells him to sell his sheep so as to travel to Egypt and introduces the idea of a Personal Legend.

Your Personal Legend ""is what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. He adds that ""when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."" This is the core theme of the book. Once in the caravan, Santiago meets an Englishman who has come all the way to Africa to seek a renowned alchemist. While they travel, they begin to hear rumors of a coming tribal war. When they finally arrive at oasis –the home of the titular Alchemist–Santiago meets a beautiful girl named Fatima with whom he immediately falls in love. He discovers that love, like the Personal Legend, comes directly from the Soul of the World.

Santiago considers staying at the oasis with Fatima, but the Alchemist finds Santiago and tells him that he will lead Santiago to his treasure. Once again on the move, the Alchemist teaches Santiago to listen to his heart. Almost to the pyramids, Santiago and the Alchemist are taken prisoner by a warring tribe. The Alchemist tells the tribesmen that Santiago is a powerful magician who can turn himself into the wind. The tribesmen are impressed and will spare the lives of the men if Santiago can do it. The only problem is that Santiago has no idea. First he asks the desert, then he asks the wind, then he asks the sun and, finally, he asks the Soul of the World. Immediately, the wind whips up, and Santiago disappears and reappears on the otheside of the camp.

The Alchemist takes his leave of Santiago, who continues on to the Pyramids. Santiago continue his journey to pyramids where he attacked by thieves. He is robbed but learns accidentally from the leader of the thieves that the treasure he seeks was all the time in the was back in Spain the entire time.The story moves forward into the time Santiago finds the gold under the tree enough for him and Fatima to live happily.

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