The Alchemist (1988)
Written byPaulo Coelho
Who has also done The Pilgrimage and Veronika Decides to Die
Inspired byJorge Luis Borges’ Tale of Two Dreamers
Characters
Santiago
Old King (Melchezidek)
Fatima
The Alchemist
Introduction
The Alchemist was originally written in Portuguese and has since been translated into 67 languages, winning the Guinness World Record for most translated book by a living author. It has sold more than 65 million copies in more than 150 countries, becoming one of the best-selling books in history. Since its publication the novel has received nearly universal praise, making it to the top spot on best seller lists in 74 countries and winning prestigious awards in Germany and Italy.
“Of books that I can recommend with the unshakable confidence of having read them and been entranced, impressed, entertained or moved, the universal gift is perhaps a limpid little fable called The Alchemist... In hauntingly spare prose… it follows a young Andalusian shepherd into the desert on his quest for a dream and the fulfilment of his destiny."
I learned that the world has a soul, and that whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of things. I learned that many alchemists realized their destinies, and wound up discovering the Soul of the World, the Philosopher’s Stone, and the Elixir of Life. But above all, I learned that these things are all so simple they could be written on the surface of an emerald.
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Reviews
A Powerfu Parable by Kevin JosephJune 21, 2006
More parable than novel, "The Alchemist" uses the story of young shepherd Santiago's search for his Personal Legend as an allegory for everyman's struggle to break from the comfortable confines of conformity and pursue his life dreams. Along the way, of course, our young everyman is beset by all manner of setbacks, testing his resolve and forcing him to become attuned to the Soul of the World in order to survive. By paying attention to the details in the world around him, which serve as omens guiding him towards his goal, young Santiago becomes an alchemist in his own right, spinning unfavorable circumstances into riches.
Aside from the ubiquitous theme about the power of perseverance, my favorite part of the book was its glorification of simplicity. Like the pared-down manner in which the story is presented, Santiago's rare ability to get in touch with the Soul of the World comes not from the procedures described in arcane tomes pursued by traditional alchemists, but rather from a simple honesty and observance of the workings of the world. While the lack of character or plot complexity precludes this minimalist work from being considered a great novel, it will be a satisfying read for those seeking inspiration of the purest sort.
The Alchemistby Gauray PandeyMarch 31, 2007
I picked up this book in a book storefive years ago. I reluctantly went through the first few pages thinking I’ll find something to justify the kind of reviews the book had got. As someone who was
never a keen reader, I don’t know what kept me hooked to that book.
As I continued to read I started to develop some interest in the book whichgrew with every page I read. After finishing the book, Ithought for hours about the things said in the book. I got a purpose in life that day. I realized the dream that I had long forgotten. The book did to me exactly what the reviews had promised. It changed my life.
The Alchemist is the story of a young shepherd’s journey to find his treasure. He goes through all the hardships in search of something which no one knows exists. The tale takes you through a beautiful ride filled with hope, romance, myth and ecstacy. It’s a remarkable story which reaffirms your faith in your own dreams and capabilities. This seemingly ordinary story instills in you the kind of faith and belief that can do wonders. It gives you an inspiration, an inspiration to have a dream and go all out to fulfill it.
Life is a mystery. We all live with the flow and spend endless hours in doing things we don’t want to do. The search for a better job, the need to have more money, the desire to live in a better house...... Years come and go, a lot of us achieve material things, but how many of us die happy? The reason for all the unhappiness in the world is mankind’s reluctance to listen to the heart which results from the lack of faith in one’s ability. The Alchemist shows you a way. Ittells you thatyour treasure lies whereyour heart is. It gives you a dream. It helps you to be one with your real self and break all the shackles of fear and uncertainty. And I think for this very reason this book has stood the test of the time. Like all masterpieces, The Alchemist will continue to inspire millions like me. I rate this bookhighly for the simple reason that it has the power to change your life.
Allusions, References and Noteable Notes
Narcissusis a character in Greek mythology, widely known for his beauty. There are various version of Narcissus’ story. One tells of Narcissus admiring his reflection in a pool of water, falling in and drowning. Another says he refused to date any girls, including many of the nymphs who fell in love with him, and as punishment, one of the gods cursed Narcissus to fall in love with his own reflection. This adoration caused him to stare lovingly at himself until he starved to death.
Narcissus’ story lives on in a few modern traditions. Typically in reference to people who are self-absorbed. The word is usually used as a pejorative (disapproving, critical) term. Another reference is the flower, which was said to spring up where the hero died, or, in some versions, the form Narcissus was punished to take after denying the advances of Echo (a nymph).
Another is the idea of narcissism, a term used for vanity, conceit or egotism.
Mental health professionals recognized Narcissistic Personality Disorder as a diagnosable disorder in 1980. It is described as “a pattern of traits and behaviours which signify infatuation and obsession with one's self to the exclusion of all others and the egotistic and ruthless pursuit of one's gratification, dominance and ambition” (mentalhelp.net).
The Sycamore tree is known for growing where other trees fail. Its ability to shed its bark and reveal new growth makes the Sycamore a symbol of progress and life.
The fruit of a sycamore is considered a humble food: “modest, unassuming; feeling or showing respect and deference toward other people; relatively low in rank and without pretensions”
The Biblical prophet Amos, a shepherd of Tekoa (a town near Bethlehem) mentions the sycamore in the verse:
I was no prophet, neither did I belong to any of the
brotherhoods of prophets. I was a shepherd, and looked
after sycamores: but it was Yahweh who took me from herding the flock, and Yahweh who said, "Go, prophesy to My people Israel' (Amos 7:14-15)
The sycamore is also mentioned in the Bible store of Zacchaeus, who is too short to see Jesus over the crowd and climbs a sycamore tree in order to get a better view. In this story, Zacchaeus goes in search of the truth and climbs a sycamore tree.
In Egypt, the sycamore is the Tree of Life.
The Sycamore tree was of special significance in Egyptian religion. It was the only native tree of useful size and sturdiness in Egypt, and perhaps very significantly, most often grew along the edge of the desert, which would have also placed it near or in the necropolises (large cemetery or burial place, for example, the Pyramids).
Santiago(Saint Jacabo – or Iago – was shortened to Santiago) The name James/Jacob means supplanter
(to trip up, cause to stumble, to supersede another through treachery or force, to take the place and serve as replacement for).
St. James the Apostle was one of the first followers (along with his brother and fellow fisherman, John the Evangelist) of Jesus Christ and is mentioned throughout the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is said that the Virgin Mary appeared to him on the bank of the EbroRiver at Caesaraugusta upon a pillar. During his life he preached the Gospel in Spain and the Holy Land (Middle East). James was beheaded for his Christian beliefs by order of king Herod Agrippa in AD 44. There is a shrine to St. James located in North- West Spain. Pilgrimages to the tomb of “Santiago” became an international destination by the 11th Century AD. St. James is the patron saint of Spain (also of pilgrimage due to the popularity of pilgrimages to his shrine). He is also related to the Reconquista (English: Reconquest) of Spain. This was the seven-and-a-half century long process by which Christians reconquered the Iberian peninsula (modern Portugal and Spain) from the Muslim and Moorish states which had ruled the area from 711-1492.
Melchizedek (King of Salem)The name Zedek means my king/my king is righteous; always behaving according to a religious or moral code, correct, justifiable, good, outstanding.
Canaan was the ancient name of the Holy Land (Syria, Lebanon, Israel – the area on the Eastern coast of the
Mediterranean Sea). The people living in this area were called Canaanites.Melchizedek was the name of a Canaanite deity (his name meant Justice) and of the chief god of the Jebusites (one of the Canaanite tribes).
In the Book of Genesis in the Bible, Melchizedek is also referred to as king of Salem (believed to be the name of
ancient Jerusalem) and priest of El Elyon (meaning the most high God, or Yahweh).
In the Tanakh (Hebrew or Jewish Bible),Melchizedek brought bread and wine to Abraham after Abraham's victory over the four kings who had besieged Sodom and Gomorrah and had taken Abraham's nephew Lot prisoner.
Melchizedek is also described as blessing Abraham in the name of El Elyon and in return for these favours, Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe (literally, ten percent) from the spoils gained in the battle.[Genesis 14:18-20]
Islam is a religion based on the teachings of the 7th Century prophet, Muhammad. The world Islam means submission or surrender of oneself to God (in Arabic, Allah). A person who follows Islam is called Muslim (one who submits); there are around 1 billion Muslims in the world (it is the second largest religion after Christianity).
There are two major sects of Islam – Shi’is and Sunnis. While these two groups differ in some of their practices and beliefs, both groups follow the core tenants of Islam. (A comparable difference would be the differences in practice and belief between Catholics and Lutherans, for example).
The religious text of Islam is the Qur’an (or Koran), which is believed to have been revealed to Muhammad, the final prophet of God; Muslims do not believe that Muhammad started the religion, but rather, that he restored the religion that began with the prophet Abraham (of Jewish and Christian tradition) and which was continued through other prophets such as Moses and Jesus.
The practices of Islam described in The Alchemist are as follows:
Women with faces covered p 34
Modesty is a very central belief of Islam.
The hijab (an Arabic word meaning cover, curtain or veil) is an article of clothing worn by devout Muslim women that covers their entire body except for their hands and eyes.
This garment it meant to safeguard the modesty and dignity of women (men also have similar expectations for modest dress in Islam).
Priests that climb to the top of towers and chant p 34
There are no “priests” in Islam in the same way that there are holy figures in Christianity. Leaders of Muslim prayer are called imams.
V
Different Muslim groups hold varying opinions of the role of the imam: Shi’is have a raised or exalted view of Imams and believe the leaders have divine guidance; other Muslim groups may view the imam as simply a religious leader and teacher.
Muslims are required to pray five times daily (in Arabic, prayer is called salat). In Muslim countries, imams will climb to an elevated area and call the faithful to prayer. This call to prayer, adhan, is done from a rooftop or high place in order for the sound of the adhan to carry.
The adhan is as follows:
Allahu akbar (four times)God is most great
Ashhadu an la ilaha illa allah (twice)I testify that there is no god but God
Ashhadu anna muhammadan rasul allah (twice)I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of God
Hayya ‘ala al-salat (twice)Hurry to prayer
Hayya ‘ala al-falah (twice)Hurry to success (or salvation)
Al-salat khayrun min al-naum (morning, twice)Prayer is better than sleep
Hayya ‘ala khayr al-‘amal (Shi'is: twice)Hurry to the best activity
Allahu akbar (twice)God is most great
La ilaha illa allah (Sunnis: once, Shi'is: twice)There is no god but God
The Koran requires me to feed a hungry person p 46…Believe in one true God, pray five times a day, fast during Ramadan p 54
There are five pillars of Islamic faith that all Muslims are expected to follow. These are the minimum obligations of a faithful Muslim and these basic doctrines as collectively called iman, or faith.
- Shahada – the profession of faith
La ilaha illa Allah. Muhammad rasul Allah.
(There is no god but God. Muhammad is the messenger of God.)
To speak these words once in your life, of your own free will and with belief in their truth, is enough to be become a Muslim. Unlike the other pillars of Islam, the shahada is the only one that deals with orthodoxy (right belief) and not orthopraxy (right practice).
- Salat – the worship service
Ritual prayer is the foundation of Muslim devotion; Muslims are expected to pray five times daily.
Prayer, for Muslims, is different than prayer for Christians; while Christian prayer is a private and personal endeavor, the type of prayer expected of Muslims is more public. Private prayer, in Islam, is called du’a, and is part of the practices of a devout Muslim.
The salat, however, is an “intense, highly regulated, formal observance that features cycles of bodily postures climaxing in complete prostration in an orientation toward the Ka’ba in Mecca” (Denny).
The salats are to be preformed in the early morning (salat al-fajr), noon (salat al-duhr), mid-afternoon (salat al-‘asr), sunset (salat al-maghrib), and evening (salat al-‘isha).
- Zakat -- the giving of alms
Though Zakat requires Muslims to give of themselves and share their wealth with others, it is not the same as charity (in Arabic, sadaqa). Followers of Islam are expected to give to charity, but the Zakat is like a tithe (a tax of sorts that is taken as a percentage of one’s yearly earning) taken for local cases of need.
- Sawm – the Holy Month fast
Muslims follow a lunar calendar that is divided up into 12 months – the ninth lunar month is called Ramadan and it is considered the most holy. In 2007 Ramadan begins on September 12 and ends on October 11.
All followers of Islam abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and marital relations during the daylight hours of Ramadan.
5. Hajj – the pilgrimage
Once in a Muslim’s lifetime he or she is expected to make the pilgrimage to Mecca (in Saudi Arabia) during the twelfth month of the lunar year, Dhu al-Hijjah. “The hajj is a powerful symbol of the worldwide unity of the Muslim community” (Denny) and is an act that is undertaken with great gravity and solemnity.
A person will save money for the pilgrimage for a lifetime, ensuring their affairs are in order before departure as a final act of submission to God’s will, so that, if they were to die during the long, arduous journey, they would be doing so with complete acceptance of God’s will.
The destination of the hajj is the Ka’ba, the main Islamic sanctuary in Mecca, which pilgrims walk around seven times and touching or kissing the famous black stone which is a “sign of God’s covenant with Abraham and Ishmael” (Denny). Many pilgrims will also take this opportunity to visit the tomb of Muhammad.
He communicates with the genies of the desert p 94
Jinn (or jinni, singular) are fire spirits mentioned in the Qur’an that are usually, but not always, evil or mischievous. “The word “jinn” literally means anything which has the connotation of concealment, invisibility, seclusion, and remoteness”
In Islamic tradition, the jinn are supernatural beings that God created of fire (like He created Man of earth) and gave free will. Stories of the jinn are very similar to Christian stories of angels.
“The jinn … are invisible to humans, but they can see humans. Sometimes they accidentally or deliberately come into view or into contact with humans. Jinn are believed to live much longer than humans: some of whom are said to be still alive have seen Mohammad (who lived during the 7th century), which would affirm their long life.”
Denny, Frederick Mathewson. An Introduction to Islam. Macmillan Publishing Company: New York. 1994.
Esperanto is a constructed (man-made) international language. The word esperanto means ‘one who hopes.’
The name derives from Doktoro Esperanto, the pseudonym (fake name) under which L. L. Zamenhof first published the Unua Libro in 1887.
Zamenhof's goal was to create an easy and flexible language as a universal second language to foster peace and international understanding.
Because Esperanto is a man-made language, the complexity of irregularities is eliminated; rules are universal (apply to all words in all contexts) in Esperanto.