The Alchemist - Krishna Jaswal

“To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only obligation.” - The Alchemist 

The Alchemist was written by Paulo Coelho and published in 1988 and then was later translated into English. It took Paulo Coelho 2 weeks to write this book, he claimed it was because the book, he says, was already in his soul. The Alchemist is a book of magic, lessons, and an amazingly sweet character. 

Summary 

The book starts in Spain at a church and a tree with our main character Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd, who just wants to travel and see the world. However something has been making him uneasy lately, he keeps dreaming about a treasure buried under a pyramid. After consulting a fortune teller in a nearby town, he decides to seek out the treasure. He meets an old man named Melchizedek, who says that he will help Santiago find the treasure he dreams of. Melchizedek explains to him what a Personal Legend is, something the person wants to accomplish the most in their life. For Santiago, finding the treasure is his Personal Legend. He teaches Santiago many things and in return takes his sheep.  

However, when Santiago gets to Africa he gets robbed. Broke and nowhere to go back to, he gets a job and works for a crystal merchant. After helping the merchant and increasing his business, the shopkeeper encourages Santiago to pursue his Personal Legend. On the caravan, Santiago meets an Englishman who is searching for an alchemist. Joining them, they reach the oasis and he meets a woman named Fatima and falls in love. Santiago tells her about his Personal Legend and she encourages him to pursue it. Saying if they're meant to be they'll meet again. 

Santiago dreams of an army attacking the oasis; the people of the oasis decide to take Santiago's word for it and allow people to have weapons for protection. Before the battle, Santiago meets a horseman who interrogates him with many questions. Santiago’s dream ends up being true and the people of the oasis win the battle. The horseman that he met was actually the alchemist the Englishman had been looking for. The alchemist gives Santiago lots of information and goes with him to the pyramids to complete his Personal Legend but they are taken captive 

The alchemist tells their captors that Santiago can turn into the wind and offers them Santiago's gold. Confused, Santiago turns to the desert and tells it about how much he loves Fatima. The desert, the wind, and the sun in return all help Santiago in the end and help him turn into the wind! They are set free but the alchemist tells Santiago that he must continue alone. He makes it to the pyramids and starts to dig, only to find nothing. Two men find him and beat him up not soon after, one of the men tells him that he also had a dream that there was a treasure buried in Spain near a church and tree. Hearing this, Santiago realizes that the treasure was where he had begun. 

Review 

The Alchemist is your normal story: the main character goes on a quest, gets tested a few times, falls in love, and then succeeds. However, in Santiago’s world achieving your Personal Legend and listening to your heart is important. It is said in the book that the world can only achieve perfection if everyone and nature accomplish their Personal Legends. Many characters also helped encourage and allow Santiago to truly reach his Personal Legend. Even though the treasure was where he had started, Santiago learned a lot throughout his journey. After reading this book, I feel like everyone has a Personal Legend, even if they don’t know it. Overall, I think The Alchemist really hits hard on not giving up and truly shows that it is possible to achieve your Personal Legend whatever it may be. I give it an 8/10!