Category: The Alchemist

Introduction

A persons life is a journey along a winding road filled with bright events, difficulties and obstacles, ups and downs. With each day and each new situation, individuals learn about themselves and the world, gaining unique knowledge and experience. Hence, a person develops a life philosophy, which can change over time and accumulate experience. Therefore, life is a journey where every step today affects tomorrow. The decisions should be balanced, and steps should be deliberate. One can enjoy the journey only slowly, admiring the beauty and feeling the taste of every minute. This perception of life allows one to constantly discover something new, to search and find what is valuable, as well as to discover the beautiful in ordinary, unremarkable things and appreciate moments. Becoming a college student and finding my identity within the main literary elements from the book The Alchemist is the key idea that will be examined in this paper.

Becoming a Student and Finding my Identity

Foreword

Everyone has their role, and their script has been written. As a great poet and playwright, William Shakespeare said that the whole world is a theater, and the people are actors (allusion). Thus, modern men or women have many roles and social statuses. Accordingly, my personality, inner world, hobbies, and preferences were determined to match this position. My status has changed and supplemented throughout my life, starting with a child, a friend, a peer, or a schoolboy. After entering college, my status changed to a student, and it is one of the most important and great achievements. My path is not limited only to the received set of statuses but is supplemented and improved. Consequently, as actors, people play different roles, change, and get new ones. The presented narrative with literary inclusions from The Alchemist is of particular value for a reader, an example of how many heights can be achieved with a strong desire, long, hard work, and persistent aspiration. I am the plots main character, the protagonist, and the schoolteacher can be designated as the antagonist. The setting and environment in which the protagonist interacts are an educational institution and a native home.

Prologue

It was already beginning to get dark when Ghazi completed the student duties at the college. This is a wonderful place where people strive for knowledge side by side, develop and improve themselves, enrich their personality with new information. He decided to return home early to complete the study project. Ghazi thought for a long time about the events around, recalled certain moments, and imagined.

Part One

Ghazi remembered at home and college how deep down he wished to find the identity, true path, purpose, destiny, and lifes work for many years. In addition, he sought to become a student, a socially significant person, to determine his role in society, which would suit his nature and satisfy his own inner spiritual needs. Thus, due to willpower, efforts, talents, and abilities, he achieved his goals, and these moments inspired him to new achievements and feats. At the moment, he is doing what he loves, which brings him joy, satisfaction, and inner harmony. Accordingly, to form and improve certain knowledge, skills, and abilities, he did everything possible to become a student at the prestigious college. Now, (Your name) think that he is extremely lucky to learn from professionals in their field and those who are always ready to lend a helping hand and support in difficult times.

One day, he decided and thought that he needed to start acting, strive for more, even though the ideal, as many believe, is not available. One new, sudden idea came to him like thunder in a clear sky (comparison). He decided to go to college and start doing what his soul lies. Undoubtedly, it was necessary to spread the sails, catch a fair wind and go with the flow. Nevertheless, sometimes it is worth sinking the anchor to avoid heading in the wrong direction (symbolism; anchor symbolizes hope for the best). Soon a sudden idea, a vague fantasy, turned into reality.

Ghazi was preparing for exams, studying textbooks, and devouring more and more new knowledge with insatiable greed. As a person who consciously chose a certain profession and college, he understood and accepted that this is not just a certain role but an identity, a state of mind. It is not just a craft because this profession does not have a single side; it is a whole pyramid that holds secrets and treasures. Thus, with passion and zeal, he aspired to heights, studied the information that could be useful and interesting to him. Time flows smoothly to the climax  the X-hour will come soon.

Part Two

Some years ago, there was a hot summer, sultry morning. The day luminary (personification) reflected oblique rays, the grass and the sky were embraced (metaphor) by drowsiness, and nothing foreshadowed trouble at first glance. However, Ghazi, like many applicants, experienced some stress and tension during exams before entering college too. In fact, it is also a time to enroll in educational institutions. Furthermore, his schoolteacher did not believe in his powers and abilities. She insisted that he must choose a different path and a different road. Moreover, when it was necessary to fully demonstrate the applicants competence, suddenly everything flew out of his head. The surging excitement and emotions overwhelmed him so much that he could not initially focus on the essence of the tasks.

Am I really ready to give up so easily?  Ghazi asked himself.

However, the future college student was well aware that this event could be his first and last chance to become who he would like to be and do the favorite and interesting things among professionals. In addition, there was no way back; the choice was made consciously, and there was no point in abandoning the intended goals and objectives since the path was almost passed.

Ghazi remembered a quote from his favorite book: there is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure (Coelho 146).

Hence, he gathered his strength into a fist and his will in check and directed all the available internal energy and concentration of attention to the exam tasks. Ghazi, like an Alchemist, knew the soul of the world and followed the path of his Destiny (comparison and allusion). He wrote with passion and inspiration, not paying attention to extraneous moments. His body obeyed him, and he confidently kept a pen on the exam sheets, and his mind observed and helped him use most of the knowledge in practice.

Therefore, he did his best to get the highest score and the desired college. However, the most stressful moment occurred when he waited for the exam results. This moment was the most tedious and most exciting in the life of several future students, including Ghazi. Thus, if he does not score the right points, everything is gone  the hopes and dreams, aspirations and desires. However, when he found out that he had entered college and become a student, his joy knew no bounds.

Epilogue

By enrolling in a prestigious college, Ghazi, primarily, proved not to the schoolteacher but himself that everything impossible is possible. Finally, he achieved his goal, became a college student, founding his authentic identity and his true path. Presently, he has to go through many more steps and choose only one path out of thousands of suggested ones. He has to study hard and successfully to justify his status, as well as improve and supplement his knowledge and abilities to become one of the best in the interested field.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I have successfully passed the difficult path in the journey called life. I was able to get the coveted status of a college student, and I am very proud of this achievement. In addition, I managed to find my identity, decide on the choice of profession and favorite business, which I expect will delight me throughout my life. The moral basis of this personal narrative and the transfer of my own experience lies in special skills and abilities. Thus, I did not give up and went to the end to the intended goal without dropping my hands even in the manifestation of the slightest difficulties and obstacles. Moreover, I would like my story to serve as a great, unique, and informative example for future students and those looking for their path and purpose. Therefore, only with the help of hard work, willpower and perseverance can you achieve the goals.

Works Cited

Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. HarperOne, 2015.

Background of the Book

The novel The Alchemist is one of the bestsellers by Paulo Coelho. This work is filled with symbolism and discourse on life, love, and spirituality. Obviously, the author conveys his own vision of how to grow spiritually through the image of a shepherd who wants to know alchemy and travels around the world. The plot of the novel describes the life of a young man who, due to his desire to study alchemy, ends up in different countries. The book ends with the shepherd finding the treasure, despite the beating, where he started his journey.

Allusion in the Book

One of the literary tools Coelho uses in The Alchemist is an allusion. This element is intended to reflect a well-known fact, event, or phrase by giving the reader a sense of the fullness of the story. The use of this tool by the author is observed at the beginning of the book to create a special atmosphere. At the same time, if the reader has limited knowledge and is not erudite enough, an allusion may be incomprehensible to them. In The Alchemist, this tool is perceived as an appropriate element to add to the mystery of the story.

Allusion in the Essay

In my essay, I also used an allusion by referring to the catchphrase of Shakespeare, who drew an analogy between the world of people and the theater. In my desire to reflect my thought about the permanence of human nature, I remembered this statement immediately, and I believe that many people can recall it, although they may not know it belongs to the authorship of Shakespeare. This tool was appropriate in my context and helped convey a specific idea in a more literary way.

Personification in the Book

Personification, as a literary device, is designed to give human properties to inanimate objects to enhance the effect of perception. In the example of the pyramids presented, this element is appropriate since it fully conveys the grandeur of the ancient architectural objects. This is crucial not to confuse personification with comparison because the former is associated with the revival of inanimate objects while the latter only compares similar features.

Personification in the Essay

Having once resorted to personification in my essay, I wanted to convey the uniqueness of nature and how independent it could be perceived. The central goal that I set for myself was to describe the situation through a vivid image of the sun that, as a living object, itself chose where to shine. This literary element can be used more often to give an artistic touch to familiar natural objects.

Symbolism in the Book

As a novel including the life facts of the author himself, The Alchemist contains many symbolic examples. One of them is revealed through the prism of an oasis as an abstract place that a person looks for in life and with which no one wants to part, even in the case of need. This hidden message becomes clear after the reader deeply examines the content and analyzes the role of individual objects and plot twists.

Symbolism in the Essay

To convey the meaning not in a direct but in a figurative context, I have utilized symbolism in the essay. This experience seems successful because the anchor and hope are the concepts that relate easily to each other, although initially, they do not have a common nature. As a literary tool, symbolism is often applied, and in Coelhos book in question, this element is constantly used to reflect specific phenomena or events through hidden meaning.

Conclusion

A detailed analysis of Coelhos The Alchemist shows that the author uses a wide range of literary tools and is not limited to personification, allusion, and symbolism. As the writer who closely weaves philosophy into his plots, Coelho often uses hidden meanings. The essay also includes the aforementioned tools that fit organically, each highlighting its unique purpose. The examples of allusion, personification, and symbolism reflect the individual vision of specific events and concepts and help reveal those contexts that do not lie on the surface.

Work Cited

Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. Translated by Alan R. Clarke, HarperOne, 2015.

Background of the Book

The novel The Alchemist is one of the bestsellers by Paulo Coelho. This work is filled with symbolism and discourse on life, love, and spirituality. Obviously, the author conveys his own vision of how to grow spiritually through the image of a shepherd who wants to know alchemy and travels around the world. The plot of the novel describes the life of a young man who, due to his desire to study alchemy, ends up in different countries. The book ends with the shepherd finding the treasure, despite the beating, where he started his journey.

Allusion in the Book

One of the literary tools Coelho uses in The Alchemist is an allusion. This element is intended to reflect a well-known fact, event, or phrase by giving the reader a sense of the fullness of the story. The use of this tool by the author is observed at the beginning of the book to create a special atmosphere. At the same time, if the reader has limited knowledge and is not erudite enough, an allusion may be incomprehensible to them. In The Alchemist, this tool is perceived as an appropriate element to add to the mystery of the story.

Allusion in the Essay

In my essay, I also used an allusion by referring to the catchphrase of Shakespeare, who drew an analogy between the world of people and the theater. In my desire to reflect my thought about the permanence of human nature, I remembered this statement immediately, and I believe that many people can recall it, although they may not know it belongs to the authorship of Shakespeare. This tool was appropriate in my context and helped convey a specific idea in a more literary way.

Personification in the Book

Personification, as a literary device, is designed to give human properties to inanimate objects to enhance the effect of perception. In the example of the pyramids presented, this element is appropriate since it fully conveys the grandeur of the ancient architectural objects. This is crucial not to confuse personification with comparison because the former is associated with the revival of inanimate objects while the latter only compares similar features.

Personification in the Essay

Having once resorted to personification in my essay, I wanted to convey the uniqueness of nature and how independent it could be perceived. The central goal that I set for myself was to describe the situation through a vivid image of the sun that, as a living object, itself chose where to shine. This literary element can be used more often to give an artistic touch to familiar natural objects.

Symbolism in the Book

As a novel including the life facts of the author himself, The Alchemist contains many symbolic examples. One of them is revealed through the prism of an oasis as an abstract place that a person looks for in life and with which no one wants to part, even in the case of need. This hidden message becomes clear after the reader deeply examines the content and analyzes the role of individual objects and plot twists.

Symbolism in the Essay

To convey the meaning not in a direct but in a figurative context, I have utilized symbolism in the essay. This experience seems successful because the anchor and hope are the concepts that relate easily to each other, although initially, they do not have a common nature. As a literary tool, symbolism is often applied, and in Coelhos book in question, this element is constantly used to reflect specific phenomena or events through hidden meaning.

Conclusion

A detailed analysis of Coelhos The Alchemist shows that the author uses a wide range of literary tools and is not limited to personification, allusion, and symbolism. As the writer who closely weaves philosophy into his plots, Coelho often uses hidden meanings. The essay also includes the aforementioned tools that fit organically, each highlighting its unique purpose. The examples of allusion, personification, and symbolism reflect the individual vision of specific events and concepts and help reveal those contexts that do not lie on the surface.

Work Cited

Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. Translated by Alan R. Clarke, HarperOne, 2015.

Considering sacrificing the personal wishes for the sake of love the ultimate manifestation of true love is typical for the majority of writers, poets, and painters exploring the romantic themes. However, Paulo Coelho has managed to amaze the readers with a wholly new approach to exploring the nature of love and describing its role in the person’s life in his famous novel The Alchemist. Coelho demonstrates that while the love demanding the sacrifice of one’s dream is not true, the genuine love serves as a stimulus for living out the Personal Legend and achieving the happiness.

The first lesson the reader learns about love while reading The Alchemist is that the wrong understanding of this feeling often becomes an obstacle on the way to the person’s pursuit of self-realization. The author shows that untrue love can stop the person from living the life full of meaning, which is essential for discovering the purpose of one’s. This step is crucial for the person’s ability to move to the next level of self-development. However, the author shows that the problem is related to people’s perception of love, not the feeling itself.

Coelho demonstrates that true love cannot prevent the person from realizing his/her dreams through the words of the alchemist: “You must understand that love never keeps a man from pursuing his destiny. If he abandons that pursuit, it’s because it wasn’t true love… the love that speaks the Language of the World” (Coelho 67). The main protagonist feels the temptation to leave his Personal Legend because of the feeling of affection towards a woman two times: after meeting the merchant’s daughter and after he falls in love with Fatima.

Though Santiago is not bounded with the merchant’s daughter by serious feelings, after meeting her he feels the desire to lead a purposeless life: “He recognized that he was feeling something he had never experienced before: the desire to live in one place forever” (Coelho 3). After meeting Fatima, the described desire appears to dominate Santiago’s plans one more time with even bigger power. Falling in love with Fatima motivates him to stay in the oasis and refuse from living his dream.

The Alchemist tells the boy that such decision will lead to the unhappiness of both Santiago and Fatima as he will regret refusing from a dream, and Fatima will feel the guilt for forcing him to do it. In such way, Coelho teaches the reader that refusing from a dream for the sake of love is the severely wrongful act. Though Santiago manages to overcome the temptation to leave his dream because of the affection and love towards a woman, the reader gets a clear impression that sacrificing one’s dream for love can be an obstacle on the way to one’s happiness and purposeful life.

Such position is unique in regard to world literature, as most writers describe the sacrifice of one’s dreams and wishes for the sake of love as the highest manifestation of true love. Coelho, on the contrary, reveals that such sacrifice serves as a proof of the untrue love, which can ruin the person’s happiness. Fatima also demonstrates the untraditional understanding of love.

While most female protagonists described in the literature strive for making their beloved ones stay with them, Fatima encourages Santiago to leave her and continue his trip: “That’s why I want you to continue toward your goal. If you have to wait until the war is over, then wait. But if you have to go before then, go on in pursuit of your dream” (Coelho 53). Such approach to true love opposes the traditional beliefs and changes the explanation of its nature.

Another lesson learned about love from The Alchemist is related to the significant role love plays in achieving the goal of self-realization by a person. Coelho demonstrates that though the misleading understanding of love is an obstacle to one’s happiness, the feeling itself is one of the main components of human life. The author reveals the primary role of the powers that are not controlled by a human in encouraging the person to fall in love: “One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving” (Coelho 68).

Coelho emphasizes that love is a gift from the universe through Santiago’s words addressed to Fatima: “So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you” (Coelho 68). By overcoming many obstructions and finding the knowledge about the rules guiding human life, Santiago comes to a conclusion that love should serve as the stimulus for self-improvement: “And that’s where the power of love comes in. Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are” (Coelho 85).

These words illustrate one of the main thoughts shared by the author with the readers: love is not the goal of life, it is the power helping to fulfill Personal Legend. Though Coelho does not place love in the center of Santiago’s motivations, he shows that it is crucial to person’s happiness. Love serves both as a stimulus for Santiago’s pursuit of the dream and the ultimate reward for living out the Personal Legend, as the novel ends with the reunion of Fatima and Santiago.

Therefore, the author does not deny the importance of love but points to its true purpose. This lesson differs from most of the traditional ideas about love, as literature and traditions mostly put love in the center of the person’s life and praise the suffering caused by it. Coelho, on the contrary, celebrates the love that helps the person to realize his/her dreams instead of abandoning them.

The lessons about true love given by Coelho in The Alchemist can save many people from losing their personalities and happiness. I know several examples of people who have sacrificed their dreams for the sake of love and live an unhappy life.

Their sacrifices have caused immense regrets and, as a result, serious misunderstandings with the partners. Such examples from the real life make me believe that Coelho’s approach to defining what the true love is and how it should help to achieve the lifelong goals instead of ruining them is truthful and can be supported with the abundance of real life experience.

Paulo Coelho has managed to create an innovative approach to defining the true love. According to the assumptions he makes throughout the text of The Alchemist, the trueness of love cannot be assessed by the readiness of a person to sacrifice his/her dreams for its sake. On the contrary, true love stimulates for achieving the lifetime goals and self-realization and serves as the power guiding the person towards the happiness.

Works Cited

Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. Trans. Alan Clarke. 1992. PDF file. Web.

The book The Alchemist can be described as a metaphor for life. It is funny how dreams can mold a person’s life. It is a paradox such that people consider other lifestyles as better than theirs, thereby striving to get that life that belongs to different cultures, through that lives are transformed. The essay on The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho shall analyze the traits of the main characters and critical themes in the novel.

Analysis of the Main Character

Dreams can be seen as the driving forces behind an individual’s life as they bring about desires that mold an individual’s destiny because through them, then fate ceases to be the determinant of happenings in an individual’s lifetime. Santiago, a young shepherd, the main character in the story The Alchemist, is portrayed by Paulo Coelho as a go-getter to some extent.

As is clear from the summary, he repeatedly gets a dream that haunts him and pushes him to follow it, and thus his expedition in the story; he wants to achieve that dream (Coelho 34). Santiago gets the simple lessons of life of believing in the signs that one gets in life, even if it is just through dreams and following them till he achieves them. The crossing of cultures leads him to following his goals, which he finally achieves.

The boy, Santiago, is driven to search for the hidden treasure in Egypt. The desire makes him cross many countries and even the vast Sahara desert, whereby he meets different characters, both deceitful and truthful, who shape his life. This is similar to the way the young Chinese man and other international students cross the borders to get to Melbourne to study, their treasure in this context, education.

When the young man shows up in the author’s office with scratchy English (Coelho 45), it is evident that there is a bit of transformation from his past self to his present self.

The young Chinese appreciated the author’s message that she had given him the first day he visited her office because she says so. In the same spirit of appreciation, the boy Santiago appreciated the advice given to him in the story, which leads him to acquire the treasure that he set out to look for.

For instance, he gives the older man a share of his sheep, that is, a tenth of his flock and promises to give a tenth of his treasure to the older woman. The Chinese student, on the other hand, brings the tutor a painting of a well embroidered Chinese woman (Coelho 61). This, therefore, gives the importance of appreciating those who help us in our endeavors to acquire our different treasures in life.

Through the harsh experiences that he faces, the boy learns the value of being strong, patient, and persistent, and being a hard-working person. Regardless of the setbacks that he encounters along the way, he does not give up. Just like in Rachael, no potential was seen in her as a nurse. She was discouraged by her tutors that she could not make it as a children’s nurse, but her so many visits to the Occupational Health Department, which convinced the tutors that she was capable of becoming a nurse, saw her through (Coelho 25).

It took a year to convince them and about fifteen visits, and in the long run, she was allowed to take up the career path that she had dreamt of and desired to do. Her desire and persistence to follow her dream made her accomplish her heart desires. Following a dream can sometimes seem too hard and expensive, but the determination in it tells all about the conviction that one has.

The Alchemist book review essay shows that the boy in the story is portrayed by Coelho as humble and a brave character. The king tells him that when he wants something, the world will always conspire to help him achieve it, and now that he wants to get the treasure, then he is going to get it as long as he is ready to face the challenges (Coelho 24).

New Culture As a Significant Challenge

The challenges he faces in foreign lands can be likened to the challenges faced by those living in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. We are told that the further one lives away from the city, the more harsh life is for them because life there is a bit depressing and that there are little or even no amenities at all. The public transport system is also weak. The kinds of houses that are there are in a sorry state, just like street lights are not in proper functioning conditions.

Fitting into a new culture can be demoralizing more especially after relocation to a new place, but regardless of this, accepting the prevailing conditions in order to achieve one’s heart desires is reason enough to go on, the international students face problems of housing but with perseverance they the can achieve their ultimate goals and desires.

The boy Santiago takes up every opportunity that comes his way, and he swallows through so many problems that he encounters along his path of getting to the treasure. He worked hard towards his destiny because no problem was too big for him to deal with.

We find that dreaming is one thing, and following that dream is another. Rachael had a dream of becoming a nurse, and she felt that she needed to give back to the community and serve the people who had made a significant difference in her life. That is why she really wanted to be a children’s nurse, she was laughed at told on several occasions that it was never going to happen because a nursing course was not suitable for her and that she was fit to a desk job (Coelho 25).

Nevertheless, as is evident from the assessment, her desire to follow her dream was the driving force that led her to achieving it in the long run. Had she given up along the way due to the words of discouragement from even her tutors, she could not have become a voice to reckon to the parents of the sick children that she attended to at the Children’s Out-patient Department (Coelho 25).

In the story, we are also brought to a level ground where freedom to choose what one wants to do should be embraced and given room to drive us. Freedom is the ability for one to do what he or she likes and that entails following one’s heart.

Through this, one is capable of exploiting his or her own potentialities and doing something that is self-fulfilling, if one is made to do something that dictates his or her destiny in a forceful way, then the end results will always be bitter. The boy chooses to travel the world because this is his inner calling other than studying theology and becoming a priest.

He enjoys the life of adventure and traveling to new places. On her part, Rachael could have been forced to do a desk job because of her health, something that she could have done regretfully, thereby ending up a slave in a career path that on the contrary, should have brought her inner peace and happiness. The boy was allowed to follow his heart, which led him later on to acquire his life experiences that are worthwhile, even more than he could have achieved material treasures.Thus, with the help of vast imagery, symbolism, and paradoxes in The Alchemist, the author shows us the full circle of the story.

Coelho’s Attitude to the Main Theme

The challenges faced by adapting to a new culture can sometimes be too much to bear, but how ready is a person to bear with the challenges that come with it? At the same time, it can be hard to make a dream a reality, but how persistent that can one be to catch up with that dream (Coelho 89)? Both parties, therefore, should equip themselves with the communication gear, which most definitely is the vehicle that will enable one to get to his or her destiny.

The individual will get room to express him/herself, thereby appreciating each other as well as compromising with each other’s feelings where possible, that way the joy of learning will have come into play. Once a dream has been hatched, then the determination and persistence that will be employed in making it a reality is what will determine whether it is going to be the destiny of an individual, and that is what brings in the difference between destiny and fate.

Though not sure of his destiny, he strives to get it no matter the challenges, and his life experiences show that everyone needs to work hard to achieve success, one needs to strive for the good things in life. This simply inspires people to put effort in order to achieve our goals, for one to make his or her dreams become a reality, he or she is not just going to sit there and wait for dreams to fall into place, one needs to risk the good things in life in order to achieve better ones (Coelho 100).

Conclusion

As is clear from the essay on The Alchemist, Coelho simply intends to bring to our attention that if one dreams and wishes for something then one should be persistent about it and be patient for long enough, one might lose an opportunity by getting tired at the last minute and give up so quickly, and see the fruits after somebody else has achieved the fruits of our long-suffering. Just like Santiago, one’s wishes can come in both material objects and life experiences, as for the case of Santiago, his journey to the Pyramids in Egypt, is his treasure.

Works Cited

Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. New York. Harpertorch. 1993. pp. 1 – 163.

Introduction

A person’s life is a journey along a winding road filled with bright events, difficulties and obstacles, ups and downs. With each day and each new situation, individuals learn about themselves and the world, gaining unique knowledge and experience. Hence, a person develops a life philosophy, which can change over time and accumulate experience. Therefore, life is a journey where every step today affects “tomorrow.” The decisions should be balanced, and steps should be deliberate. One can enjoy the journey only slowly, admiring the beauty and feeling the “taste” of every minute. This perception of life allows one to constantly discover something new, to search and find what is valuable, as well as to discover the beautiful in ordinary, unremarkable things and appreciate moments. Becoming a college student and finding my identity within the main literary elements from the book “The Alchemist” is the key idea that will be examined in this paper.

Becoming a Student and Finding my Identity

Foreword

Everyone has their role, and their script has been written. As a great poet and playwright, William Shakespeare said that the whole world is a theater, and the people are actors (allusion). Thus, modern men or women have many roles and social statuses. Accordingly, my personality, inner world, hobbies, and preferences were determined to match this “position.” My status has changed and supplemented throughout my life, starting with a child, a friend, a peer, or a schoolboy. After entering college, my status changed to a student, and it is one of the most important and great achievements. My path is not limited only to the received set of statuses but is supplemented and improved. Consequently, as actors, people play different roles, change, and get new ones. The presented narrative with literary inclusions from “The Alchemist” is of particular value for a reader, an example of how many heights can be achieved with a strong desire, long, hard work, and persistent aspiration. I am the plot’s main character, the protagonist, and the schoolteacher can be designated as the antagonist. The setting and environment in which the protagonist interacts are an educational institution and a native home.

Prologue

It was already beginning to get dark when Ghazi completed the student duties at the college. This is a wonderful place where people strive for knowledge side by side, develop and improve themselves, enrich their personality with new information. He decided to return home early to complete the study project. Ghazi thought for a long time about the events around, recalled certain moments, and imagined.

Part One

Ghazi remembered at home and college how deep down he wished to find the identity, true path, purpose, destiny, and life’s work for many years. In addition, he sought to become a student, a socially significant person, to determine his role in society, which would suit his nature and satisfy his own inner spiritual needs. Thus, due to willpower, efforts, talents, and abilities, he achieved his goals, and these moments inspired him to new achievements and feats. At the moment, he is doing what he loves, which brings him joy, satisfaction, and inner harmony. Accordingly, to form and improve certain knowledge, skills, and abilities, he did everything possible to become a student at the prestigious college. Now, (Your name) think that he is extremely lucky to learn from professionals in their field and those who are always ready to lend a helping hand and support in difficult times.

One day, he decided and thought that he needed to start acting, strive for more, even though the ideal, as many believe, is not available. One new, sudden idea came to him like thunder in a clear sky (comparison). He decided to go to college and start doing what his soul lies. Undoubtedly, it was necessary to spread the sails, catch a fair wind and go with the flow. Nevertheless, sometimes it is worth sinking the anchor to avoid heading in the wrong direction (symbolism; anchor symbolizes hope for the best). Soon a sudden idea, a vague fantasy, turned into reality.

Ghazi was preparing for exams, studying textbooks, and devouring more and more new knowledge with insatiable greed. As a person who consciously chose a certain profession and college, he understood and accepted that this is not just a certain role but an identity, a state of mind. It is not just a craft because this profession does not have a single side; it is a whole pyramid that holds secrets and treasures. Thus, with passion and zeal, he aspired to heights, studied the information that could be useful and interesting to him. Time flows smoothly to the climax – the X-hour will come soon.

Part Two

Some years ago, there was a hot summer, sultry morning. The day luminary (personification) reflected oblique rays, the grass and the sky were embraced (metaphor) by drowsiness, and nothing foreshadowed trouble at first glance. However, Ghazi, like many applicants, experienced some stress and tension during exams before entering college too. In fact, it is also a time to enroll in educational institutions. Furthermore, his schoolteacher did not believe in his powers and abilities. She insisted that he must choose a different path and a different road. Moreover, when it was necessary to fully demonstrate the applicant’s competence, suddenly everything “flew out” of his head. The surging excitement and emotions overwhelmed him so much that he could not initially focus on the essence of the tasks.

“Am I really ready to give up so easily?” – Ghazi asked himself.

However, the future college student was well aware that this event could be his first and last chance to become who he would like to be and do the favorite and interesting things among professionals. In addition, there was no way back; the choice was made consciously, and there was no point in abandoning the intended goals and objectives since the path was almost passed.

Ghazi remembered a quote from his favorite book: “there is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure” (Coelho 146).

Hence, he gathered his strength into a fist and his will in check and directed all the available internal energy and concentration of attention to the exam tasks. Ghazi, like an Alchemist, knew the “soul of the world” and followed the path of his Destiny (comparison and allusion). He wrote with passion and inspiration, not paying attention to extraneous moments. His body obeyed him, and he confidently kept a pen on the exam sheets, and his mind observed and helped him use most of the knowledge in practice.

Therefore, he did his best to get the highest score and the desired college. However, the most stressful moment occurred when he waited for the exam results. This moment was the most tedious and most exciting in the life of several future students, including Ghazi. Thus, if he does not score the right points, everything is gone – the hopes and dreams, aspirations and desires. However, when he found out that he had entered college and become a student, his joy knew no bounds.

Epilogue

By enrolling in a prestigious college, Ghazi, primarily, proved not to the schoolteacher but himself that everything “impossible” is possible. Finally, he achieved his goal, became a college student, founding his authentic identity and his true path. Presently, he has to go through many more steps and choose only one path out of thousands of suggested ones. He has to study hard and successfully to justify his status, as well as improve and supplement his knowledge and abilities to become one of the best in the interested field.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I have successfully passed the difficult path in the journey called “life.” I was able to get the coveted status of a college student, and I am very proud of this achievement. In addition, I managed to find my identity, decide on the choice of profession and favorite business, which I expect will delight me throughout my life. The moral basis of this personal narrative and the transfer of my own experience lies in special skills and abilities. Thus, I did not give up and went to the end to the intended goal without dropping my hands even in the manifestation of the slightest difficulties and obstacles. Moreover, I would like my story to serve as a great, unique, and informative example for future students and those looking for their “path” and purpose. Therefore, only with the help of hard work, willpower and perseverance can you achieve the goals.

Works Cited

Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. HarperOne, 2015.

Background of the Book

The novel The Alchemist is one of the bestsellers by Paulo Coelho. This work is filled with symbolism and discourse on life, love, and spirituality. Obviously, the author conveys his own vision of how to grow spiritually through the image of a shepherd who wants to know alchemy and travels around the world. The plot of the novel describes the life of a young man who, due to his desire to study alchemy, ends up in different countries. The book ends with the shepherd finding the treasure, despite the beating, where he started his journey.

Allusion in the Book

One of the literary tools Coelho uses in The Alchemist is an allusion. This element is intended to reflect a well-known fact, event, or phrase by giving the reader a sense of the fullness of the story. The use of this tool by the author is observed at the beginning of the book to create a special atmosphere. At the same time, if the reader has limited knowledge and is not erudite enough, an allusion may be incomprehensible to them. In The Alchemist, this tool is perceived as an appropriate element to add to the mystery of the story.

Allusion in the Essay

In my essay, I also used an allusion by referring to the catchphrase of Shakespeare, who drew an analogy between the world of people and the theater. In my desire to reflect my thought about the permanence of human nature, I remembered this statement immediately, and I believe that many people can recall it, although they may not know it belongs to the authorship of Shakespeare. This tool was appropriate in my context and helped convey a specific idea in a more literary way.

Personification in the Book

Personification, as a literary device, is designed to give human properties to inanimate objects to enhance the effect of perception. In the example of the pyramids presented, this element is appropriate since it fully conveys the grandeur of the ancient architectural objects. This is crucial not to confuse personification with comparison because the former is associated with the revival of inanimate objects while the latter only compares similar features.

Personification in the Essay

Having once resorted to personification in my essay, I wanted to convey the uniqueness of nature and how independent it could be perceived. The central goal that I set for myself was to describe the situation through a vivid image of the sun that, as a living object, itself chose where to shine. This literary element can be used more often to give an artistic touch to familiar natural objects.

Symbolism in the Book

As a novel including the life facts of the author himself, The Alchemist contains many symbolic examples. One of them is revealed through the prism of an oasis as an abstract place that a person looks for in life and with which no one wants to part, even in the case of need. This hidden message becomes clear after the reader deeply examines the content and analyzes the role of individual objects and plot twists.

Symbolism in the Essay

To convey the meaning not in a direct but in a figurative context, I have utilized symbolism in the essay. This experience seems successful because the anchor and hope are the concepts that relate easily to each other, although initially, they do not have a common nature. As a literary tool, symbolism is often applied, and in Coelho’s book in question, this element is constantly used to reflect specific phenomena or events through hidden meaning.

Conclusion

A detailed analysis of Coelho’s The Alchemist shows that the author uses a wide range of literary tools and is not limited to personification, allusion, and symbolism. As the writer who closely weaves philosophy into his plots, Coelho often uses hidden meanings. The essay also includes the aforementioned tools that fit organically, each highlighting its unique purpose. The examples of allusion, personification, and symbolism reflect the individual vision of specific events and concepts and help reveal those contexts that do not lie on the surface.

Work Cited

Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. Translated by Alan R. Clarke, HarperOne, 2015.