Alaska's Permafrost Is Thawing And The Alchemist
A common theme located in both The Alchemist and the piece found in The New York Times entitled “Alaska’s Permafrost is Thawing” is the extreme level connectedness between man and nature and the ongoing effect they can have on each other.
In the fable, Santiago, a Spanish shepherd boy following his Personal Legend, is soon taught the ways of the world, in that he gains knowledge of the fact that everything, from the tiniest shrub to the mightiest king, are equal and binded together when it comes to the role they play in each others quest for fulfilment. He realizes that all things have a Personal Legend just as he does, and in order for perfection and universal harmony to occur, every subject of nature must reach its full potential by achieving
its dreams. On multiple occasions, Santiago must interact with different natural elements by using what he learns to be the “language of the world”, a form of communication used by the natural world. Santiago even goes on to say, “I have watched the caravan as it crossed the desert” and “The caravan and the desert speak the same language, and it's for that reason that the desert allows the crossing. It's going to test the caravan's every step to see if it's in time, and, if it is, we will make it to the oasis” (“The Alchemist” 85). In this quote, he acknowledges the fact that humans and the world will always have a substantial amount of influence on each other, especially when it comes to achieving personal greatness.
In the article, it is discussed how human actions have caused the planet to warm at an alarming rate. It is said in the article that “The loss of frozen ground in Arctic regions is a striking result of climate change. And it is also a cause of more warming to come” (“Alaska’s Permafrost is Thawing”). Contrary to popular belief, climate change is a direct effect of man’s actions and while the planet is prone to heating up naturally, it isn’t prone to heating up at such an exponential rate as it is.
Both selections demonstrate how vital it is that man and nature understand how much of an impact they can have on each other and respect the fact that neither can thrive without the other.
In the fable, Santiago, a Spanish shepherd boy following his Personal Legend, is soon taught the ways of the world, in that he gains knowledge of the fact that everything, from the tiniest shrub to the mightiest king, are equal and binded together when it comes to the role they play in each others quest for fulfilment. He realizes that all things have a Personal Legend just as he does, and in order for perfection and universal harmony to occur, every subject of nature must reach its full potential by achieving
its dreams. On multiple occasions, Santiago must interact with different natural elements by using what he learns to be the “language of the world”, a form of communication used by the natural world. Santiago even goes on to say, “I have watched the caravan as it crossed the desert” and “The caravan and the desert speak the same language, and it's for that reason that the desert allows the crossing. It's going to test the caravan's every step to see if it's in time, and, if it is, we will make it to the oasis” (“The Alchemist” 85). In this quote, he acknowledges the fact that humans and the world will always have a substantial amount of influence on each other, especially when it comes to achieving personal greatness.
In the article, it is discussed how human actions have caused the planet to warm at an alarming rate. It is said in the article that “The loss of frozen ground in Arctic regions is a striking result of climate change. And it is also a cause of more warming to come” (“Alaska’s Permafrost is Thawing”). Contrary to popular belief, climate change is a direct effect of man’s actions and while the planet is prone to heating up naturally, it isn’t prone to heating up at such an exponential rate as it is.
Both selections demonstrate how vital it is that man and nature understand how much of an impact they can have on each other and respect the fact that neither can thrive without the other.