“Name any five lessons Santiago learned and how he mastered them”
The Alchemist is a journey of exploration and self-discovery as we follow the main character, Santiago, a young shepherd who lives in Spain, on a journey to fulfill his personal legend. The novel shows us wisdoms and gentle reminders of how to change our lives from what they may be today into the life we have always dreamed of.
The novel tells us that the fear of failure is the greatest obstacle to happiness. “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” So often we hide behind excuses of not being able to do this or that, but the real story is that we are too afraid to take a chance. It is our fear of failing or looking foolish in front of others that keeps us from being who we want to be.
In The Alchemist, Santiago was comfortable with being a shepherd. He knew how to be a shepherd, he trusted the sheep and they trusted him, but being a shepherd did not truly make Santiago happy. He dreamt of exciting adventures. Eventually, Santiago sold his flock of sheep and embarked on his great journey to the pyramids. He knew that by denying himself this adventure he would be denying his happiness, and so he took a leap of faith in himself and set off towards his dream.
Throughout the novel, the author emphasizes life is a journey, not a destination, and that the real treasure is in the journey itself. “There is only one way to learn. It’s through action. Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey.” The same could be said for success or happiness. It is in the journey where you will find your true self.
Santiago’s dream was to make it to the pyramids, but the adventure that he found himself on in order to get to those pyramids taught him more than he ever thought possible. By the time he reached the pyramids his life had changed forever. Through the journey he found who he truly was, and he found his