The Alchemist
by Paulo Coelho
"To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only obligation" – The Alchemist
The Alchemist
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WEEK 1 5/8
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Memorial Day… NO SCHOOL May 27th
We’ll read 80-112 IN CLASS
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WEEK 4 5/28
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WEEK 5 6/3
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WEEK 4 6/10
Paulo Coelho was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on
August 24, 1947. Before becoming the most widely
published Brazilian author of all time–publishing close
to 100 million books–he worked as a theatre director,
an actor and a journalist. In the 1970's, Coelho was
also a successful songwriter whose songs were sung
by such well-known brazilian singers as Elis Regina, Rita Lee and, most notably, Brazilian
psychadelic rock pioneer Raul Seixas. Seixas and Coelho recieved wide commercial and critical
acclaim for their songs "Eu Nasci Há Dez Mil Anos Atrás," "Gita," "Al Capone" as well as 60 other
songs. Also during this time, Coelho travelled the world as part of the hippy movement and became
more and more interested in Eastern religions as well as occultism in general.
Coelho's definitive spiritual turn, however, came when he made a pilgrimage along the Camino de
Santiago de Compostela, a catholic pilgrimage route in the north-western Spanish state of Galicia.
This journey is documented in his book, The Pilgrimage (O Diário de um Mago), released in 1988. His
next book was The Alchemist (O Alquimista), a book which he claims is a metaphorical adaptation of
his own spiritual journey that he undertook on his pilgrimage. Clearly, the name of the protagonist in
The Alchemist is a nod to Coelho's experience on the Camino de Santiago. While sales of The
Alchemist were slow at first, it went on to become the highest-selling Brazilian book of all time and
one of the most widely read books in the world.
Since publishing The Alchemist, Coelho has gone on to publish other titles including Brida (1990),
The Valkyries (1992), By the River Piedra I sat Down and Wept (1994), The Fifth Mountain (1996),
Manual of a Warrior of Light (1997), Veronika Decides to Die (1998), The Devil and Miss Prym,
(2000), Eleven Minutes (2003), The Zahir (2005), The Witch of Portobello (2006) and, most recently,
The Winner Stands Alone (2008). In addition to his books, Coelho also has a weekly column which is
published in several Brazilian newspapers and is syndicated internationally.
Coelho is not only an internationally acclaimed author, but is also an outspoken activist for peace and
social justice. He is a Messenger of Peace for the UN, an Ambassador to the European Union for
Intercultural Dialogue, a Member of the Board of the Shimon Peres Institute for Peace, a UNESCO
Special Counselor for “Intercultural Dialogues and Spiritual Convergences," and a Board Member of
the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. He is also a member of the Brazilian Academy
of Letters, the highest honor for a Brazilian author, and is one of the best-known authors to actively
support the free distribution of his work.
Paulo Coelho and his wife Christina split their time between Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Saint Martin,
Hautes-Pyrénées, France.
Preliminary Notes about the Novel:
The Alchemist is written in a fable format. What is a fable, and why would Coelho use it to tell his story?
Generally speaking, fables use recognizable, simple characters and settings in order to illustrate a simple truth
about life or human nature. What is it that Coelho attempts to teach?
Even though you may not initially understand some of the unusual terminology in the story (Soul of the World,
for example), its themes are ones which are probably familiar to you. Can you think of some old, familiar
proverbs or songs that capture some of these ideas? For example, think about what ends up being more
important for Santiago—the journey….or the destination??? Where is it that Santiago eventually finds
happiness? People have been writing and singing about the answers to these questions for years!
The novel integrates ideas and philosophies of many faiths and historical periods. Many of these ideas
concern the pursuit of truth, one’s intended destiny and the attainment of personal happiness. Coelho refers
to these combined elements as one’s “Personal Legend.” He tells the story of Santiago in order to teach us
how we may find and live out our own Personal Legends. These ideas, though, have been explored since
ancient times in one form or another by countless faiths and peoples. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Taoism,
Christianity, Judaism, countless tribal cultures, in addition to ancient and modern philosophers, all attempt to
define the idea of one’s Personal Legend (though they may call it by different names), and all subscribe paths
to achieving personal fulfillment. Thus, although the legend is about no faith or philosophy in particular, it is
about all faiths and philosophies.
Alchemy is the medieval “science” of transforming rocks into gold. Alchemy plays an important part in the plot
(literal level) of the story, but it also becomes a symbol, or allegorical device, in the legend (figurative level).
Coelho is really using characters, events and symbols as tools to show us how to achieve spiritual alchemy.
In other words, how do we find or recognize the “gold,” -- our Personal Legend-- in the “rocks” of the
everyday, ordinary, simple details of our lives? As Santiago discovers, sometimes the “gold” is not faraway,
not glittery, not exotic, and not complicated, but it may require a journey of courage, faith and perseverance to
discover what it is and where it is hidden.
In an interview, Paulo Coelho talks about “Four Pillars of Alchemy– four important “tips” for finding one’s
Personal Legend:
1. One must believe in “The Soul of the World.” The ancient Latin term for this concept is “anima
mundi.” In short, this idea suggests that everything in the world is interconnected; that is, what
one does affects everything else, from the smallest grain of sand to the largest whale, and vice
versa. Writers and thinkers such as Plato, Walt Whitman and Khalil Ghibran have attempted to
illustrate this interconnectedness in their works.
2. One must listen to the voice of the heart. Coelho suggests that sometimes we must follow our
feelings and intuitions, even if we do not fully understand them. Through feeling one gains
wisdom.
3. One must be faithful to one’s dreams, for they both test and reward us. In other words, the path
to achieving one’s Personal Legend may not be an easy one, but we must endure the tests in
order to gain the rewards.
4. One must “surrender oneself to the universe.” Coelho suggests that we must allow ourselves to
be open to recognizing and learning from omens and signs which come our way.
Main Character List
Santiago - An adventurous young Andalusian shepherd determined to fulfill his
Personal Legend, which is to find a treasure at the foot of the Egyptian pyramids. He is
the book's protagonist.
Melchizedek - The King of Salem. He appears to possess magical
powers and helps those pursuing their Personal Legends.
The Alchemist - A 200-year-old, extremely powerful alchemist
residing in the Al-Fayoum Oasis. He dresses in black, rides a white
horse, and carries a scimitar, the Philosopher’s Stone, and the Elixir of
Life. He often speaks cryptically, but he understands the Soul of the
World and the importance of Personal Legends.
Crystal Merchant - A struggling merchant who owns a crystal shop
on top of a desolate hill. His shop was once popular but lost much of its
business as Tangier lost its status as Egypt’s premiere port town. He is a
good-hearted, devout Muslim, but has a crippling fear of change.
Englishman - A well-educated science student determined to learn the
secrets of alchemy by learning from a true alchemist. He is a skeptic and
loves reading his books.
Fatima - A beautiful and chaste young "desert woman" who lives at the AlFayoum Oasis. She understands that she must allow Santiago to travel in
pursuit of his dream.
Glossary of Terms
Alchemy
The occult science which claims to be able to turn any common metal into gold.
Bedouin
Nomadic tribes that live in the African desert.
Language of the Universe
Omens, coincidences and dreams are the means by which the universe seeks to communicate. By remaining
open to these omens, Santiago is able to learn more about the world and about himself.
Levanter
The name of the wind that blows off of Africa into Spain. So called because it comes from "the Levant." It is
related to the conquest of Spain by the Moors. Santiago thinks that it brings the scent of exotic women and
adventure.
Maktub
An Arabic word meaning "It is written." The shopkeeper uses it to refer to those thing preordained, or written,
by Allah.
Moor
Spanish and European name for the Arabs that ruled the Iberian peninsula for almost 500 years.
Personal Legend
A Personal Legend is a true desire, which comes from the Soul of the Universe. This is different from other
selfish desires in that the universe conspires to help you realize your personal legend.
Scarab
A type of desert beetle which was sacred to the Ancient Egyptians. They believed that it symbolized the Sun
and spiritual rebirth.
Simum
A wind which blows through the desert and destroys everything in its path. A very strong sandstorm.
Soul of the World
A term which comes up repeatedly in the text, the Soul of the World is sometimes equated with God. It is a
spiritual force that binds all of us together and governs all things and that speaks with us in the language of
signs or omens.
The Elixir of Life
The Elixir of Life is the liquid portion of the Master Work, the goal of all alchemists. The Elixir of Life heals
diseases and grants long life when ingested. The Alchemist carries some in a flask through the desert.
The Master Work
The Master Work is a term which refers, in alchemy, to the Elixir of Life and the Philosopher's Stone as a
whole. The Master Work is the goal of all alchemists; the Alchemist has achieved it, but the Englishman is still
seeking it.
The Philosophers Stone
The Philosophers Stone is the solid portion of the Master Work. The Philosopher's Stone has the ability to turn
any metal into gold, an ability which the Alchemist uses to generate gold at the Coptic monastery in Egypt
before taking his leave of Santiago.
Zeal
Extreme enthusiasm, can sometimes be used pejoratively in the case of calling one a "zealot."