Hope and Destiny in Philosophical Book The Alchemist

The Alchemist is a novel which was written by Paulo Coelho and he is from Brazil. It was first published in 1988 in Portugal language. It became bestseller book internationally. Again it was republished in 1993 in English language. His parents want to make him an engineer but he does not follow his parents and he became writer. He was put in mental institutions for three years. He has written many books his other books are The Pilgrimage, Diary of a Magus, The Valkyries: An Encounter with Angels, By the River Piedra I sat down and Wept, and Veronica Decides To Die.

Paulo Coelho one of the world’s best-selling authors, with 18 million books sold (Butler-Bowdon). The Alchemist is the story of a young boy named Santiago. He was shepherd and he tries to find a treasure which he saw in his wildest dreams. He saw a dream that the treasure was buried under the pyramid. He started to follow his dream. He faced many problems while migrant from Spain to Egypt. He has to sell his sheep to get success or we can that he has no money to travel from Spain to Egypt. He meets many people like Melchizedek, The Englishman, Fatima, The Alchemist, and The Shopkeeper who helps him to overcome his dream. He was robbed twice and left alone once in Africa and second time in Egypt. Melchizedek helps Santiago by giving the magical stones Urim and Thummim. After that he moves towards Egypt and he reached in Africa and he was robbed and feel very bad so he wanted to go back by leaving his dream behind but, he change his mind by the word of Melchizedek and decided to work in local shop. The Shopkeeper helps him by giving job in his shop.

After working for year he earns lot of money and he can buy same number flock of sheep which he have to sell while come towards Egypt. He plans to go Egypt to overcome his dream. He meets The Englishman who was the great alchemist. He was moving towards this destiny and he reached in small village where he felt love with a girl named Fatima. He also meets with The Alchemist and he got much knowledge that he has to listen his heart. Then he travel from their and he reached Egypt. Second time he was robbed in Egypt and asked what he is doing there, Santiago have to tell about his dream. One of the robbers says that he has had the exact similar dream. And they left he thought that he was mad. Santiago understands that the treasure was back in the same place where he saw dream. Then he went back to Spain and starts to dig in the same place where he had seen his first dream at the base of tree. Santiago found a trunkful of treasure and start to live happily with Fatima. The alchemist is about the dream and to find success over his dream which leads him to his destiny.

The novel subjects talks many thing about dream, love, fate, unity, selfishness and aspiration. About dream he found trunkful of treasure by following his dream. We can know our destiny with the help of dream. The writer shows love between Santiago and Fatima but Santiago had to leave her to meet his destiny and at last they again meet after Santiago meet his destiny there was true love exist. Santiago dream of the treasure provides him with a goal. The novel suggests that the only thing that is important in life is to follow the dream at whatever cost. The novel suggests that selfishness is not necessarily evil, but is to a degree the only way to live at peace with the universe and to be happy. Santiago understands that dreaming about what you don't have is what makes life interesting.

The Alchemist is one philosophical book which tells us never to lose hope. The Secret is perhaps based on that. It teaches us that when a person really desires something, the whole universe will conspire to help that person realise his dream. Coelho creates an experience for the reader. Coelho surprises the reader by his writing style whenever a reader picks up one of his books for the first time and just by reading it of the prologue the reader is already hooked. The point of view about The Alchemist by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho, I suggest that to read the book. The book tells about finding one's destiny. The main quotes I liked in the book that is, 'when you really want something to happen, the whole universe will conspire so that your wish comes true'.

Bibliography

1. Butler-Bowdon, T. (n.d.). self-help classics. Retrieved from http://www.butler-bowdon.com/paulo-coelho---the-alchemist.html