Symbolism in Philosophical Novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Can you spot any of these common symbols in your novel? What might they symbolize? In The Alchemist, sheep are one of the main symbols throughout the book. Santiago’s sheep symbolize the characters in the novel who are blind to their personal legends. Santiago loves and cares for his sheep, but sometimes he gets frustrated because of their basic desire for food and water. The sheep quite clearly have no desire for anything more in life than what is necessary, similar to characters such as the baker and the crystal merchant, who have yet to discover and pursue their personal legend. Just as the sheep, these characters are caught up in materialistic craving and need for social acceptance. These characteristics allow them to be deprived of the ability to value different aspects of life and often are stripped of many opportunities.

Character Analysis

Santiago – Is a young, Andalusian shepherd who is determined to pursue and fulfill his personal legend. He is the protagonist of The Alchemist. Traits: Determined, Headstrong, Curious, Adventurous. Wants to learn as much about the world as he can. Loves to travel. As the story goes on, Santiago becomes more invested in understanding the soul of the world, a mystical force that inspires everything. As the novel goes on, he is taught to pay attention to his whereabouts in the world and take in all the creation surrounding him. The Alchemist taught Santiago to read the omens in nature around him, which finally leads him to connect to the wind and the sun and The Hand That Wrote All, which is a force closely associated with God.

The Alchemist – Is a 200-year-old, extremely powerful alchemist. He rides a white horse and dressed in black. He carries around with him a scimitar, the philosophers stone, and the elixir of life. Traits: Wise, Has supernatural abilities, Can teach. As the story goes on, The Alchemist guides Santiago to his personal legend, yet never gives him any direct form of instructions, as Santiago would not be able to connect with the Soul of the world this way.

Crystal Merchant – Is a struggling merchant who owns a crystal shop on top of a small hill. He is a good-hearted, devoted Muslim, but has a crippling fear of change. Traits: Scared of change, Good-hearted, Negative personality, Afraid he’ll run out of dreams. The Merchant is a flat character, as we never see his character develop throughout the novel. He doesn’t want his life to be any better and he’d rather it always be the same than have to deal with change to make it better.

Melchizedek – Is the king of Salem. He is the first Warrior of light that Santiago meets. He changes Santiago’s destiny forever. He asks for one-tenth of Santiago’s sheep to tell him where he should go to fulfill his destiny. Traits: Annoying at first, Knowledgeable, Magic. We don’t see Melchizedek’s character progress any further throughout the novel as the last time Santiago sees him is when he leaves Tarifa for Morocco.

Santiago’s Greatest Epiphany

Santiago had his greatest spiritual awakening when he met The Alchemist who helped him to understand himself and made him aware of the omens in his environment. This eventually leads Santiago to communicate with the wind and sun and The Hand That Wrote All, a force synonymous with God.

Point of View

The story is told in the third person omniscient, which means the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in the novel. The narrator mainly focuses on Santiago’s journey. The good thing about using this point of view is that we get to know what characters are thinking, sometimes things they wouldn’t say out loud. One of the disadvantages of using this point of view is that it is quite unusual and takes a while to get used to it. The author has let the readers get a more detailed insight into the different characters’ personalities. The good thing is that the third person omniscient is used consistently throughout the book and after you get used to it it is not at all confusing. Theme- The equilibrium of personal legends According to the novel, a primary theme of The Alchemist is people pursuing their personal legends. To live a satisfying life, you must follow your personal legend. Or Fate and free will Destiny and having the right to choose are major themes in The Alchemist. Although at times it is hard to see clearly

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