The Alchemist
Research Paper - The Alchemist
(Alchemy, Magical Realism, Gypsies, and Fate)
Ryan Yoder, Ariana Amador, Cassie Garza, Edgar Vargas
R. Medina
AP English Lang. & Comp.
January 26, 2011
Research Paper - The Alchemist
(Alchemy, Magical Realism, Gypsies, and Fate)
The Alchemist was a book full of many meanings jumbled into one complete novel. For the most part the novel was circled around the point of defining the fate of Santiago’s life. In order to establish the fate of Santiago’s life he must visit a gypsy. Gypsies rely upon the power of alchemy to create spells and other natural things to create spells which help them define someone’s fate. Throughout the book Paulo joins these ideas with magical realism which seems to be his theme in this story. The whole novel is made to incorporate many things that normally would not be able to be combined together into a novel that is so absolutely addicting, that you will not want to put down.
The term magical realism was first used by art historian Franz Roh in 1925. It was used to describe a visual arts movements emerging throughout Europe. Nowadays it describes contemporary fiction, usually associated with Latin Americans, whose narrative blends magical or fantastical elements with reality. One of the main goals of magical realism is to see the world through another person’s eyes or perspective, presumably to help the reader open a world of alternate possibilities and meanings. “It is also characterized by paradoxical events which are never fully explained by the author, and these events are often accepted as perfectly normal and in fact usual by the characters of figures in the world of the artwork.” (4) Some popular books that have magical realism style are The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende , Love in Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Magical realism in other words, is combination of magic and existent events written in a book.
(Alchemy, Magical Realism, Gypsies, and Fate)
Ryan Yoder, Ariana Amador, Cassie Garza, Edgar Vargas
R. Medina
AP English Lang. & Comp.
January 26, 2011
Research Paper - The Alchemist
(Alchemy, Magical Realism, Gypsies, and Fate)
The Alchemist was a book full of many meanings jumbled into one complete novel. For the most part the novel was circled around the point of defining the fate of Santiago’s life. In order to establish the fate of Santiago’s life he must visit a gypsy. Gypsies rely upon the power of alchemy to create spells and other natural things to create spells which help them define someone’s fate. Throughout the book Paulo joins these ideas with magical realism which seems to be his theme in this story. The whole novel is made to incorporate many things that normally would not be able to be combined together into a novel that is so absolutely addicting, that you will not want to put down.
The term magical realism was first used by art historian Franz Roh in 1925. It was used to describe a visual arts movements emerging throughout Europe. Nowadays it describes contemporary fiction, usually associated with Latin Americans, whose narrative blends magical or fantastical elements with reality. One of the main goals of magical realism is to see the world through another person’s eyes or perspective, presumably to help the reader open a world of alternate possibilities and meanings. “It is also characterized by paradoxical events which are never fully explained by the author, and these events are often accepted as perfectly normal and in fact usual by the characters of figures in the world of the artwork.” (4) Some popular books that have magical realism style are The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende , Love in Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Magical realism in other words, is combination of magic and existent events written in a book.
Cited: (1) "Alchemy." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 26 Jan. 2011. . (2) "Fate." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 26 Jan. 2011. Web. 26 Jan. 2011. . (3) "Gypsy." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 26 Jan. 2011. Web. 26 Jan. 2011. . (4) “Magic Realism.” Alberto Rios Definitions. 23 May. 2002. Web. 26 Jan. 2011.