Alchemy

 The story The Alchemist is focused around the journey of Santiago the shepherd boy and his travels to find his personal legend. While it starts of with him having a recurring dream for him to leave what is familiar to him and go to the pyramids in Egypt to find a treasure. The reader follows Santiago as he travels from Spain to Africa and follows his difficulties in his pursuit of treasure and his personal legend. Along the way he is faced with physical and emotional obstacles. While he does find his treasure, it is the lessons he learns about the world, of himself and of his personal legend  that make the  the journey complete. 

 A scene that hit me was the scene were the refuges told of their reoccurring dream that would lead Santiago back to Spain to gain his treasure. It reminds me of a line from my favorite movie, Labyrinth. “Sometime the way forward is the way back.” Santiago went all the way to Egypt to find his treasure to find the final clue sends him back to Spain to physically receive it. While some people would consider this a wild goose chase this is also a lesson much more important than the actual treasure. He learned that if he hadn’t gone to Egypt he never would have thought to dig up the treasure in Spain, He never would have learned to read omens, he never would have met Fatima and he would have never of learned to listen when his heart speaks to him. Without this journey he never would have achieved his personal legend.

 The point that I enjoyed the most about this story that I liked was also something that I also disliked about the book. The achieving ones persona legend is important, more important than anything else. While I can understand putting goals and dreams in front of things that are less important in the long run, I felt that it reflected in the book as more being a little on the selfish side. While I can understanding wanting to push everything to the side to pursue a goal, that actual doing it with little regard to what can occur afterwards just seem to be far-fetched. And while Santiago did seem to take these thoughts into account it still seemed he was willing to lose everything for something that he dreamed about even with “confirmation” that his treasure exists.  More importantly while I can respect someone else who can go through so much and push aside so much to achieve their goals, I myself could not help but view it as a bit selfish but can understand that human nature tends to be a little selfish at times.

 I would definitely recommend this book to a friend. It can change how people view the happenings that go on in their lives. Some people are always focused on the negative things that happen in their lives and don’t think that there might be a reason as to why those things were happening. This book would definitely give people who are always wondering why things never go their way or those who are constantly thing far too seriously about every little aspect of their lives. Sometimes you have to just let what’s going to happen, happen. This book would certainly give people a new perspective of their lives.  

Back to where it began

From across the blistering sand

To find what was thought to be

Buried beneath a desert sea

To go forward, to return

Taught a lesson, alone to learn

That returning back to the start

Brings the treasure closer to heart

Hear in hand the treasure behold

Jewels, chalices and coins of gold

Buried beneath religious roots

Between where the sycamore shoots

Here where it all began

With dreams of a far off land

A trip comes full around

By a dream be bound

Back to a land of blazing sun

Another journey begun

Back to the land of desert sand

To the oasis beyond where the Pyramids stand