The Alchemist tells the story of a man named Santiago who is on a journey to search and understand the meaning of life. It is the third novel written by Paulo Coelho. It has been translated into more than 70 languages and has been sold more than 110 million copies worldwide; known as one of the best-selling books in history.
What makes The Alchemist special is the author's perspective of understanding life through the journey of the main character. Following Santiago from the steep to the desert, we could learn so many things about wisdom, philosophy, and simplicity of meaning and language.
Of all Brazilian writers, Paulo Coelho is been considered one of the greatest. His allegorical story-telling in the novel made the novel is highly praised and has been placed on the highest chart of modern literature. Many believe that The Alchemist is supposed to be one of the canons of 20th century literary work.
As a writer, Coelho started to write when he was teenager. It is wise for him choosing to write, because Coelho is a man of experience. Through letters, Coelho is able to channel his perspective of something, mostly about life. Many experiences he has gone through have made his thinking unique. And not only unique, his thinking is also philosophic. Coelho's perspective of understanding life is beautifully pictured in the novel.
Though it is presented in allegory, most of the situation that happens in the novel is based on Coelho's personal experience. These situations has made Coelho realizes the meaning of peaceful life. As he said in one of the interviews, "Simple things are the most valuable, and only wise people appreciate them."
It would be wise to know that Coelho was once committed to mental institution. He was sent by his parents because of his introversion and opposition to follow traditional path. He escaped three times and finally been released at age twenty. Following this fact, Coelho response, "My parents were trying to do their best for my own good. Whatever happened is the past, I still love them with all of my heart."
Experience is Coelho's weapon of giving intention in The Alchemist. In the novel, experience is what Santiago gains throughout his journey. We could say that Santiago is always survive from the conflict he deals with because he always learns from experience he is got. Understanding life through personal experience is what Coelho emphasized and wanted to give to the reader through the main character's conflict. Amazingly, Coelho had successfully accomplished giving this universal understanding through Santiago's simplicity of understanding universal signs, which in the novel is symbolized as Santiago's journey to find the treasure.
Treasure is what Santiago tries to find. His ultimate purpose is to find the treasure. Why treasure becomes very important in The Alchemist is because treasure is the allegorical meaning of dream and fulfillment. One of the dialogue in the novel says, "Treasure lies where your heart belongs." By emphasizing those words, we could understand that Coelho tries to teach us the different between personal needs and wants. From Santiago's journey, again we could understand that needs is what your heart tells to do and wants is what your mind thinks to do. In order to fulfill our dreams, we have to trust our heart more and use our minds wisely. It means we have to understand that what we need is our first priority before the things we want.
One of the most memorable quotations in The Alchemist, "When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that our wish comes true," clearly gives picture that Coelho believes in the power of nature. It may be sound ridiculous but it is true that nature has their own language we could possibly understand. The modern way of thinking blindfolds us all, and makes us forget about our purpose as human. We've forgotten that we are not living alone in this world. There are others who live beside us; nature to be precise. By believing and respecting nature, Coelho believes the whole universe will conspire to help us accomplished what we wanted to be done.
In The Alchemist, Earth is pictured as an exotic place which full of mystery and treasure that is waiting to be found. The plot that is narrated and the settings description are beautifully written. Coelho's technique of using many sensuous details in describing places such as steeps, old castle, desert, oasis, and ancient city is unbelievable. It realizes me that we are very lucky living in this beautiful planet. In the novel, Earth is described as a perfect place to understand divinity.
As a whole, The Alchemist is not just a book which predicated worth to read literature of the 20th century. Everything about the novel is philosophical. It is deeper than it looks like. The way Paulo Coelho formulates his characters, settings, plots, and themes in the novel made The Alchemist is worth to be one of the most important literary works in history. Reading and experiencing The Alchemist has opened my heart and widen my mind that understanding Earth is the way to find "God", if we use our mind and heart wisely. The Alchemist also teaches its readers about happiness, fulfillment, and the purpose of creation.
Written by Dimas Rizky Pramana
The Alchemist. Written by Paulo Coelho. First published in English in 1993.
What makes The Alchemist special is the author's perspective of understanding life through the journey of the main character. Following Santiago from the steep to the desert, we could learn so many things about wisdom, philosophy, and simplicity of meaning and language.
Of all Brazilian writers, Paulo Coelho is been considered one of the greatest. His allegorical story-telling in the novel made the novel is highly praised and has been placed on the highest chart of modern literature. Many believe that The Alchemist is supposed to be one of the canons of 20th century literary work.
As a writer, Coelho started to write when he was teenager. It is wise for him choosing to write, because Coelho is a man of experience. Through letters, Coelho is able to channel his perspective of something, mostly about life. Many experiences he has gone through have made his thinking unique. And not only unique, his thinking is also philosophic. Coelho's perspective of understanding life is beautifully pictured in the novel.
Though it is presented in allegory, most of the situation that happens in the novel is based on Coelho's personal experience. These situations has made Coelho realizes the meaning of peaceful life. As he said in one of the interviews, "Simple things are the most valuable, and only wise people appreciate them."
It would be wise to know that Coelho was once committed to mental institution. He was sent by his parents because of his introversion and opposition to follow traditional path. He escaped three times and finally been released at age twenty. Following this fact, Coelho response, "My parents were trying to do their best for my own good. Whatever happened is the past, I still love them with all of my heart."
Experience is Coelho's weapon of giving intention in The Alchemist. In the novel, experience is what Santiago gains throughout his journey. We could say that Santiago is always survive from the conflict he deals with because he always learns from experience he is got. Understanding life through personal experience is what Coelho emphasized and wanted to give to the reader through the main character's conflict. Amazingly, Coelho had successfully accomplished giving this universal understanding through Santiago's simplicity of understanding universal signs, which in the novel is symbolized as Santiago's journey to find the treasure.
Treasure is what Santiago tries to find. His ultimate purpose is to find the treasure. Why treasure becomes very important in The Alchemist is because treasure is the allegorical meaning of dream and fulfillment. One of the dialogue in the novel says, "Treasure lies where your heart belongs." By emphasizing those words, we could understand that Coelho tries to teach us the different between personal needs and wants. From Santiago's journey, again we could understand that needs is what your heart tells to do and wants is what your mind thinks to do. In order to fulfill our dreams, we have to trust our heart more and use our minds wisely. It means we have to understand that what we need is our first priority before the things we want.
One of the most memorable quotations in The Alchemist, "When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that our wish comes true," clearly gives picture that Coelho believes in the power of nature. It may be sound ridiculous but it is true that nature has their own language we could possibly understand. The modern way of thinking blindfolds us all, and makes us forget about our purpose as human. We've forgotten that we are not living alone in this world. There are others who live beside us; nature to be precise. By believing and respecting nature, Coelho believes the whole universe will conspire to help us accomplished what we wanted to be done.
In The Alchemist, Earth is pictured as an exotic place which full of mystery and treasure that is waiting to be found. The plot that is narrated and the settings description are beautifully written. Coelho's technique of using many sensuous details in describing places such as steeps, old castle, desert, oasis, and ancient city is unbelievable. It realizes me that we are very lucky living in this beautiful planet. In the novel, Earth is described as a perfect place to understand divinity.
As a whole, The Alchemist is not just a book which predicated worth to read literature of the 20th century. Everything about the novel is philosophical. It is deeper than it looks like. The way Paulo Coelho formulates his characters, settings, plots, and themes in the novel made The Alchemist is worth to be one of the most important literary works in history. Reading and experiencing The Alchemist has opened my heart and widen my mind that understanding Earth is the way to find "God", if we use our mind and heart wisely. The Alchemist also teaches its readers about happiness, fulfillment, and the purpose of creation.
Written by Dimas Rizky Pramana
The Alchemist. Written by Paulo Coelho. First published in English in 1993.
| ISBN 0062502174 (first English edition, hardcover) |
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