In this file, I will write down what I believe are the most important and decisive aspects of Paulo Coelho’s work. Subsequently, I would like to formulate my own thoughts about it.
reference : Der Alchimist
Plot
Do not read the following lines if you do not want to know about the storyline, as I will briefly summarize the story of Santiago, the protagonist.
Santiago’s parents want him to become a priest, so they send him to a seminary. However, he realizes that his dream is to travel, and he wants to become a shepherd since shepherds travel the world with their flocks. The story is set in Andalusia and follows Santiago, who dreams twice about a treasure near the pyramids. He visits a woman who reads palms but learns little new until an old man joins him. This man is a wise king who gives Santiago two stones to help him make decisions. The king convinces him to undertake the long journey from Spain to Egypt as it is his life’s path.
Santiago travels by ship to Africa, where he is deceived by a thief and loses all the money he earned from selling his sheep. He works for over a year at a crystal merchant’s shop and then sets out to cross the desert to reach the pyramids. On his journey, war breaks out, and his travel group takes refuge in an oasis. In the oasis, Santiago meets the love of his life, a young desert woman named Fatima. He also has a vision of the oasis being attacked by warriors. He warns the tribal leaders and meets the Alchemist, who teaches him the secrets of alchemy. Together, they continue on the path to Santiago’s treasure. Despite many obstacles, Santiago eventually finds his treasure, a chest of gold, and sets off to reunite with his wife and embark on their next life journey together.
Key Points
- Love should not limit you.
- Live in the moment.
- Why worry about the future?
- Do not let people influence your life with their opinions.
- A dream is essential for the joy of life.
Detailed Insights
(unordered)
-
Love should not limit you
If love hinders you from fulfilling your life’s dreams, it is not love. True love from another person should support your goals and not prevent you from achieving them. -
Live in the moment
By looking at the present moment and your current situation rationally and without bias, you can reflect on and improve it. Improving the present automatically impacts your future positively. -
Why worry about the future?
If it is about positive surprises, you can embrace them and be joyful. However, if it involves bad news, it was likely announced through a long process. To avoid this, you can refer to point 2 and possibly prevent unpleasant surprises. This method only works for things you can influence yourself. -
Do not let people influence your life with their opinions
People from our close environment become important to us and a part of our lives. However, they may also want to play a role in our lives and influence us. If you do not reciprocate this influence or have different plans, it could lead to frustration, as they believe they know better and have a vision of how we should live our lives. -
A dream is essential for the joy of life
You should think about potential life goals and hold on to them. Do not fear achieving them, as the process of reaching a dream allows for reflection and personal growth. This way, you become a better version of yourself and can pursue your next dream, ultimately becoming the best version of yourself.
Most interesting Quotes
- “It is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
- “I am like everyone else: I see the world the way I would like it to be, not the way it actually is.”
- “When we have the really great treasures in front of us, we never recognize them. And do you know why? Because people do not believe in treasures.”
- “It is true that everyone has their personal life plan, but one day that plan is fulfilled. Then one must transform into something better and fulfill a new life plan until the soul of the world is truly one whole.”
collection of all the highlights I marked
(note that I read the book in german and translated my original source with chatgpt)
Highlights
- Buy yourself a flock and travel the world until you’ve learned that our fortress is the most important, and our women are the most beautiful. (Page 17)
- Note: Context: Santiago’s father explained that travelers always admire old fortresses and prefer the past over the present. They also claim the women in the places they visit are the most beautiful, yet they never stay.
- It is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life worth living, he thought. (Page 19)
- When you are surrounded by the same people, like in the seminary, they become a fixed part of your life. And when they become a fixed part of it, they want to change your life. If we do not become what they expect, they get upset. Because people always have precise ideas about how we should live our lives. (Page 24)
- I am like everyone else: I see the world the way I would like it to be, not the way it actually is. (Page 47)
- Because Mecca keeps me alive. Mecca allows me to endure all the monotonous days, the silent objects on the shelves, the meals in this dreadful inn. I am afraid of fulfilling my dream and having no reason to continue living afterward. (Page 60)
- Note: The merchant’s dream is to journey to Mecca.
- “If it’s good things, it will be a pleasant surprise,” said the fortune teller. “And if it’s unpleasant things, then you’ll suffer long before they happen.” (Page 107)
- Note: The fortune teller questions why the man wants to know his future.
- The secret lies in the present; if you focus on the present, you can improve it.
And if you improve it, what comes next will also be better. Forget the future and live every day of your life according to divine laws and in trust that God takes care of his children. Every single day carries eternity within itself. (Page 108)
- Because you haven’t understood that love never prevents a person from fulfilling their destiny.
If it does, it wasn’t true love, the kind that speaks the language of the world. (Page 125)
- “Are you crazy?” Santiago asked when they were far enough away. “Why did you say that?"
"To show you a simple rule of this world,” replied the Alchemist. “When we have the truly great treasures in front of us, we never recognize them. And do you know why? Because people don’t believe in treasures.” (Page 137)
- It is true that everyone has their personal life plan, but one day, that life plan is fulfilled. Then one must transform into something better and fulfill a new life plan, until the soul of the world becomes truly one whole. (Page 153)