The Alchemist Analysis Essay

Amber Villahermosa Mr. Nipps Making a Personal Statement August 19, 2013 "The Alchemist" Essay "The Alchemist" written by Paulo Coelho has many themes that go on throughout the book. The most prominent theme in the book is one about dreams. Santiago starts the novel off with him wanting to pursue his continuous dream and finding the meaning of it. While on his path to finding the meaning of his dream, he meets a gypsy so she can tell him what it's about or at least give him some insight on it. One quote that stuck with me during their encounter was, "And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it" (Coelho 22). This quote held the most significance because it fit perfectly with the whole story. The omens and the people he met throughout the story was basically the universe helping him along his journey to find his Personal Legend. It goes to show that if your want is great enough, the end will be easier to find if the effort is put forth. Santiago had a dream of being at the Pyramids and finding treasure once he reached his destination. It recurred once more and pushed to figure it out. He experienced triumphs and downfalls throughout his journey. For example, he met a kind person in a bar once he reached foreign land that he was not familiar with. He trusted him with all of his money and stayed with him until they were separated in the chaos of the market and lost all of his money and trust in others. A treasure doesn't come easily to those without dealing with hardships through it. Santiago was able to overcome the hardships when he started to read the omens and understand the way of the world. When he read the hawks in the oasis, he saved lives in the oasis from the wars and gained wealth in return. Although he dealt with leaving the life he used to know and venturing into the unknown, it paid off in allowing him to achieve his Personal Legend. If he