Submitted to: Dr. Ms. Sharmin Chowdhury
Submitted by: Mushtabshirah Binte Zaman
Date: 07.08.2023
Title: The Alchemist- A perpetual quest for self-discovery and dreams
Student id: 2102004
Department: ChE
The Alchemist
by Paulo Coelho
"The Alchemist," written by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, has captured the hearts and minds of
readers worldwide. Originally published in 1988, this philosophical novel has captivated millions
of readers worldwide, leaving an unchanging impact on their lives. This novel was initially
written in Portuguese with the name “O Alquimista”, and published by HarperCollins- one of the
big publishing companies in the U.K. The novel is an analogy that follows a young Andalusian
shepherd Santiago on his journey to Egypt’s pyramids after having a recurring dream of
discovering a treasure there. In 1987, Coelho wrote the novel within only two weeks. He
mentioned that he could write at such a rapid pace because the story was already embedded
within his heart.
The concept of “The Alchemist” is about pursuing one’s dreams and commencing a personal
journey of self-discovery. The protagonist, Santiago, dreams of finding treasures but feels driven
by the urge to explore the world. Through a series of incidents and adventures, Santiago
discovers his true treasure.
The story unfolds with Santiago having recurring dreams about finding hidden treasure within
the pyramids of Egypt. Out of curiosity, he seeks advice from a gypsy woman who advises him
to follow his dream which leads his life to a new direction. Later on, Santiago encounters
Melchizedek, the king of Salem, who encourages him to pursue his personal legend and
introduces the concept of the universe conspiring to help him achieve his dreams. He tells him to
follow the omen which will always guide him to his designated path. He also persuades him to
sell his sheep and set his journey to the treasure that belongs to him.
Being inspired, Santiago travels to Tangier to start his journey, where the culture and language
was unknown to him. This leads him to get scammed and robbed of all his money. Disappointed
and uncertain about the validity of his dreams being symbolic. He fears that he had made the
wrong decision and almost decides to abandon his quest. But he remembers what the king of
Salem told him- to follow the omen. So, he takes a job at a crystal shop. But during his stay at
the crystal shop, he learns valuable lessons from the shopkeeper about the importance of
pursuing the dream. Although the merchant knew what his personal legend was, he was too
afraid to follow and stays where he is. The merchant counsels him to not be like him and take
risks to find his personal legend. So, after saving some money Santiago decides to listen to his
heart once again.
While traveling along the desert toward the Egyptian pyramids, Santiago meets an Englishman.
He was in the desert in search of a renowned alchemist with ultimate knowledge of alchemy. As
they share their perspective, Santiago realizes the significance of his journey and the depth of the
knowledge he has acquired from the people he met on his journey.
After a long journey, Santiago arrives at the oasis, where he meets a beautiful and wise woman
Fatima, and fell in love. Despite their love for each other, Santiago knows he must continue on
his journey and Fatima encourages him to follow his heart. Their love is pure and an example of
balancing individual dreams and cherishing love.
During his stay at the oasis, he witnesses various cultures, enriching his understanding of the
universe and the concept of the unity of all people despite their multiple different backgrounds.
He starts learning important lessons from the sign lying throughout the desert.
One of the most significant incidents in the oasis is Santiago’s encounter with the mysterious
alchemist, who possesses profound wisdom about the language of the universe. The alchemist
offers Santiago to accompany him to the Egyptian pyramid. So, Santiago parts ways with his
love Fatima and starts his journey to the pyramids with the alchemist.
Throughout their journey, the alchemist becomes a guide and a mentor to Santiago. He learns to
communicate with the natural elements and understand the language of the universe. He gains
deeper insights into the world around him and perceives the signs and omens guiding him on his
journey.
As they almost reach the pyramids, the alchemist bids farewell to Santiago, knowing that the boy
must fulfill the final stage of the journey by himself. He assures him that the universe is
conspiring to help him achieve his dream and he must trust in the lessons he has learned
throughout their journey.
Finally, Santiago reaches his destination, the supposed location of the hidden treasure he saw in
his dreams. However, he encounters a group of thieves instead of treasure. They demand the
location of the reaches. Although Santiago doubts his interpretation for a moment, he starts
reflecting on his journey, his purpose, and the lessons he learned throughout his journey from the
people he met and realizes what the true treasure is. It is not a physical chest of gold, but the
wealth of wisdom and personal growth he had gained throughout his long journey. Santiago, then
recalls his conversation with the alchemist, who told him that the treasure was always where he
started back in Andalusia, beneath the sycamore tree near his flock of sheep.
With renewed faith, Santiago outsmarts the thieves and hurries back to Andalusia. After digging
beneath the tree, he finds a chest filled with gold and precious jewel. The realization hits him that
his recurring dreams were symbolic- the treasure was always within him, waiting to be unearthed
through his journey of self-discovery and pursuit of his personal legend. Santiago realizes that
the personal legend was never about the destination, but the journey itself that has made him
transform into a person with deep spiritual insight, understanding the language of the universe
and finding his purpose. Filled with joy and gratitude Santiago returns to the oasis and reunites
with Fatima. Their love remains pure and unwavering as both of them understand the
significance of pursuing their dreams while cherishing their bond. In the end, Santiago returns to
Andalusia to share his knowledge and experiences with the crystal merchant to encourage him to
pursue his own dream. The story ends with Santiago feeling content finding the true treasure he
has always sought- the treasure of self-discovery, personal growth, and the profound
interconnectedness of all living beings.
Paulo Coelho’s masterpiece, “The Alchemist” is a story that has left an imperishable mark on my
heart and mind. From the moment I dived into the world inside the book, I was enchanted by its
unique theme, the universal concept of self-discovery, spirituality, and the pursuit of dreams and
desires. Coelho’s simple yet profound writing style made myself immersed into Santiago’s quest.
The story is inculcated with spirituality, inspiring us to follow our dreams, listen to our hearts,
and connect with the universe. One of the most outstanding features of the novel is the concept
of the universal language- a language that connects all the living beings of the universe.
The characters of “The Alchemist” are so accurately depicted, we find them quite relatable.
Santiago encounters a lot of people during his journey, each helping him achieve personal
growth. Another beautiful aspect of this book is the balance between cherishing love and
fulfilling dreams. Despite, his deep love for Fatima, he pursues his dreams with the
encouragement and support he receives from her. Other characters- the gypsy woman, the king of
Salem, the Englishman, the Alchemist, the crystal merchant all of their unique characteristics and
their knowledge and belief have made me think about life from different perspectives. But the
character who caught my eye most is the crystal merchant- a character whom I found quite
similar to me. Despite being passionate and capable of fulfilling his dream to be on a pilgrimage
to Mecca, He remains in his crystal shop- his comfort zone, afraid to take risks. His character
reminds me of how I often cling to the safety of what is known in fear of failure, the unknown,
and the opinions of others. But at the same time, his encounter with Santiago encourages me to
find the courage to get out of my comfort zone to achieve my dream.
My favorite sentence from this book is- “When you want something, all the universe conspires in
helping you to achieve it”, which is also the central theme of this story. It doesn’t support mere
luck, rather it suggests that when a person is true to his desire, the universe responds by
arranging circumstances and events to help him to satisfy and fulfill his true desire. That doesn’t
apply that the journey would be smooth, rather all the good or bad things that happen in your life
are essential parts of personal growth and these experiences would present themselves as
resources when needed. This is an enticing reminder of how we all are interconnected with the
universe and how our desires and dreams are part of the vast universe.
In conclusion, this novel is full of inspiring ideas about spirituality, desires, and self-discovery.
The book made me feel various emotions and led me to think about the interconnectivity
between our desires and the universe and also think about life from different angles. Also, the
concept of true love encourages one to pursue their dreams and desires without demanding
possessions was quite mesmerizing. This book has occupied a special place in my heart. I would
recommend reading this book to people who want to follow their dreams, and people who are
trying to discover their strengths and capability.
Here are some books with similar themes of self-discovery, adventure, and spiritual journey as
“The Alchemist”
1. "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse
2. "The Celestine Prophecy" by James Redfield
3. "The Pilgrimage" by Paulo Coelho
4. "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
5. "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" by Richard Bach
6. "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" by Robin Sharma
7. "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle
8. "The Odyssey" by Homer
9. "Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah" by Richard Bach
10. "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman