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The Alchemist Book Report
“The Alchemist”, a novel written by Paulo Coelho, describes the story of a young boy, Santiago, and his pursuit of happiness. Throughout the story, Santiago is a Spanish shepherd who is determined to follow his dream of finding hidden treasure in Egypt. To begin his journey, Santiago is challenged to leave his comfort zone within his own home and venture out into the unknown world. He had to learn to trust his instinct and the “Soul of the Universe”. Also during his journey, Santiago learned that in his pursuit of happiness he must also find his own “Personal Legend”, what he is destined to do in life. Santiago bravely overcomes his fears and many other obstacles set in his path. Santiago learns that the people that really love him would not undermine his dreams. Further, he learns that he must disregard his fear of failure and defeat in order to get to where he wants to go. And finally, he learns that the worst thing that he could do is to deny himself of his own dreams. Although Santiago’s journey is for his own personal gain, he learns that he must accept the help and knowledge of others, even a man that he does not even know, so that he can reach his dreams. When Santiago finally realizes his dreams, he realizes that they are better than he had imagined. “The Alchemist” encourages people to dream. Through the story of Santiago’s journey, it is evident that despite obstacles, dreams can be achieved. The story also teaches that having certain interpersonal skills are necessary in the pursuit of happiness in that the knowledge and experience of others can help in your own personal journey. The story also encourages people to not allow others to dictate their future. Do not allow others to put your dreams down or tell you that you cannot accomplish something. Ultimately, this story teaches that all things are possible with the proper amount of time and dedication put