The Alchemist
INTRODUCTION – 10 HONORS
MS. MEYER
You must
take notes
during this
presentation
– write down
anything
that is in
black!
Bell Ringer  What
is your personal legend? How
would you go about pursuing it?
 Write
a one-paragraph response. I will
check this for a classwork grade!
What is alchemy?

Alchemy: [al-kuh-mee] -noun, plural -mies for
2.
 1.
a form of chemistry and speculative philosophy practiced in
the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and concerned
principally with discovering methods for transmuting baser
metals into gold and with finding a universal solvent and an
elixir of life.
 2.
any magical power or process of transmuting a common
substance, usually of little value, into a substance of great
value.
So an alchemist …
a
person who studies
or practices alchemy
 First
known use of
word 14th century
Why read this book?

This has been a global bestseller. It’s incredibly popular. This is
mostly because it’s a philosophical work that speaks to most
people.

What does that mean?!?!

Here’s what this guy has to say about this novel …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH0IVh5YOLY
The Author – Paulo Coelho
Biography

Paulo Coelho has led an extremely interesting life.
Rebelliousness defined his youth. He was a hippie. He
wrote popular lyrics for some of Brazil's most famous pop
music stars, including Elis Regina and Raul Seixas. Shortly
after, he worked as a journalist.

In 1986 Paulo Coelho walked the Road to Santiago, a
medieval pilgrim's route between France and Spain. He
later described this experience in The Pilgrimage,
published in 1987. The following year, his second book The
Alchemist (1988) established his worldwide fame.
Structure

The book is divided into the following:

The introduction - by the author, explains meaning of the book and author’s
thoughts

The prologue - introduces the alchemist and tells a new version of the Greek story
of Narcissus

Part One – the boy realizes his personal legend and grows as a character.

Part Two – The end of the boy’s journey. Includes an epiphany.

NOTE: Each “part” uses stars (***) to break up the text. There are 12 in part one
and 29 in part two. They indicate a change of pace or subject.

Epilogue – Sums of the boy’s journey.
Structure Continued

The Alchemist is written in a fable format. Generally speaking,
fables use recognizable, simple characters and settings in order to
illustrate a simple truth about life or human nature.

Fable - a short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or
inanimate objects as characters

This is a novel about how the journey matters more than the
destination.
 Can
you think of proverbs, songs, or folk tales that express this
idea?
Point of View
 This
book is set up to feel like a story is being
told to the reader. While the boy Santiago is
the protagonist, and the story is about him, it
is told by an omniscient narrator who is able
to give insights into the personal growth of
the boy. The narrator makes many
statements about life and love, religion and
destiny, and therefore gives the impression
of the divine.
Setting
 Because
the nature of this
book is journey-based, the
setting changes
throughout the boy’s
travels. However, in
general the setting is the
path from southern Spain
to the pyramids in Egypt.
Themes (we’ll analyze these as we
read)

This is a bildungsroman – (novel of growth – coming of age
story). The major purpose is the intellectual, moral, and
spiritual development of a young protagonist.
 Examples?

Self discovery is a journey.

Charity is a universal language.

Fate is consistently intertwined with free will.
Themes

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.
The Four Pillars of Alchemy – 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.
Remember!

There will be a quiz on this information NEXT class!

Short answer and MC. Study!
Introduction WebQuest – Due @ at the
end of the block

You will complete a Webquest to introduce the novel.

You may work with ONE partner or work individually.

We have 20 laptops, but you may use your devices, and the two
desktops in the room.

YOU MUST INCLUDE THE URL/WEBSITE INFORMATION FOR YOUR
SOURCES.

Answer in complete sentences.

You may turn in one sheet for both of you if you are working with a
partner.

HW: Read ONLY the introduction and prologue.