ASSIGNMENT NO 1

The Alchemist
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is a magical fable about following your dreams. The book urges people to follow their dreams because ultimate purpose of creation reveals itself only through following your destiny. The book tells the tale of Santiago, a young shepherd boy, who has a dream that reveals the location of a hidden treasure buried near the pyramids of Egypt. A part of him wants to follow the dream while the other wants him to continue living his life as a shepherd. Torn between the two choices and confused he meets an old mysterious king who convinces him that he has succeeded in discovering his personal legend and following it to its conclusion is the only real obligation in a mans life. The King tells him he must follow the omens to find his treasure and gives him two rocks, Urim and Thumim, which will help him make decisions when hes really stuck while on his path. No sooner does he land on Africa than he gets robbed of all his personal belongings and money. He meets a crystal merchant who promises him food in return to him cleaning his crystals.Santiago applies new ideas and soon sales of the shop increase to an all time high. After months of hard work he has enough money to start his journey. He takes a caravan to cross the desert .While on the caravan he meets an Englishman who has his own reasons to cross the desert. The boy spends his time observing the people and thinking about the desert and what it can teach him about his life. The caravan reaches an oasis where he finds his girl, Fathima and also an old alchemist.The alchemist puts the boy through a series of tests and at last decides to help him.

On their journey they are captured by a King but the boy saves them by transforming himself into a wind .At last the boy reaches the place and starts digging for the treasure but he only finds himself being robbed again . Their leader tells him that two years ago he himself had a dream that he should cross the desert to a ruined church in Spain to find a treasure. Santiago understands everything; he makes it back to the ruined church where he had that dream to find his treasure.

LEARNINGS
Optimism Every being has his own way of learning things Importance of following ones heart for the fulfilment of the purpose of his creation on earth.

INCORPORATING THE LEARNINGS INTO OUR LIFE

Will see things through an optimistic view and try to be positive to solve my problems Has learnt that each and every person understands things in a different way and is unique in all respects we can only be satisfied with our life only when we follow our dreams with passion and single minded dedication