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One of the most popular novels to emerge in the past twenty years, Paulo Coelhos The
Alchemist, a story about the necessary pursuit of happiness, has endeared its author to thousands
of readers worldwide. The Alchemist was originally published in Portuguese in 1988. However,
the novels translation into English and republication in 1993 made the work an overnight
financial success. It remains on several best-seller lists every year.
The Alchemist traces the path of Santiago, a young Spanish shepherd who is compelled to follow
his dream of finding hidden treasure in Egypt. To do so, he must leave the comfort zone of home,
learn to trust the Soul of the World, and believe that there are forces in the universe that want
us to be happy. In order to find happiness, however, Santiago must first discover his Personal
Legendthat is to say, he must to discover what he is meant to do in the world. Fortunately,
Santiago soon takes the first step in his acquisition of happiness: he listens to his heart and
overcomes fear. As Santiago continues his sometimes-painful journey, he discovers that one
cannot be dissuaded from pursuing a Personal Legend, even if the choices seem impossible to
bear. The end result for anyone who does so, Coelho assures his readers, is physical and spiritual
reward.
protagonist must travel in order to find his treasure: overcoming childhoods messages of no,
you cant, fear of hurting those he loves, facing the reality of defeats, and dealing with the
reality of successes.
Part I
Santiagos story begins in an abandoned church, the place where the young shepherd has taken
refuge for the night. As harmonious as life is with the livestock, Santiago longs for more and
thinks back to how he arrived at this place in his life. He wanted to travel but met with stark
resistance from his father, who warned his son that almost everyone who seeks new things
winds up disappointed.
Undaunted, Santiago refused to surrender. If a shepherds life would let him travel, then that is
what