Written by: Ansel Dhungana - 22018, Grade XII
Posted on: 21 March, 2022
When I had first heard the title of the book “The Alchemist”, I thought that it would be some kind of science fiction book with fantastical elements. The protagonist would be a scientist that would run experiments around in a lab. The lab would not have any windows. The source of light in the lab would be a single candle lit in the center of the room. The room would have constant dripping of chemicals from one vial to another. Most of the story and plot progression would take place inside the laboratory. That was what I thought when I first heard “The Alchemist”. I was completely wrong. That is not what happened in the book at all. Contrary to what I thought, the book and its story were not confined within a small, dingy laboratory. The book was about adventure and going on a journey to get what you wanted. The focus on the journey rather than the end makes this book special. The ending was also wrapped up nicely. The closure given to the characters was done nicely.
The book starts with the protagonist Santiago sleeping under a sycamore tree where he dreams of finding a treasure. Santiago is a shepherd that wanders around the plains of Andalusia raising his sheep. He travels around the plains with no place to call home. He often sleeps under the moons and stars. He became a shepherd because he liked traveling. He is curious to learn about many things and, to the surprise of those around him, literate. He goes around cities selling wool from his sheep. He liked a merchant’s daughter from a city where he went to sell wool some time back. When returning to the same city to sell wool, he goes to a Gypsy’s dream reading store where he is told that the dream is actually true and that he would find the treasure that he dreams of. As for the payment, the Gypsy asks for 10 percent of the treasure. While waiting to sell wool, Santiago meets a king and talks about omens as well as the fact that he knows where Santiago’s treasure is, Santiago decides to go and hunt for the treasure that might not exist. For payment, the king asks for 6 of Santiago’s sheep. The next day, Santiago sells all his sheep to gather money and gives the 6 sheep to the king. The king gives him two stones, Urim and Thummim.
The part of the story where the king and Santiago talk about each other. They talk about people’s destiny and its fulfillment. Many people have things that they want to do and goals they want to fulfill. Most people do not live up to their destinies of fulfilling their goals and rather live a normal life because of the inherent risk of fulfilling their destinies. There are many other things that they need to consider and not just their destinies. People have other things to take care of like the people around them, their parents, children and spouses. Going to fulfill their destinies is too much of a risk that many people are not willing to take. Santiago did not have much to lose and decided to go on the journey to find the treasure.
On his journey, when Santiago crosses the sea to reach Africa, he loses all the money he had to someone and starts regretting leaving everything and coming to an unknown land to search for a treasure that may not even exist. In order to raise money to return, he goes to a crystal shop and starts working. He works in the crystal shop for nearly a year where he helps to grow the crystal shop’s business. When working in the crystal shop, he learns that the merchant is a Muslim and his greatest goal in life is to go to Mecca. He never went to Mecca even though he had the money to travel because that is the only thing that motivates him. Once he fulfills his goal, there is nothing to live for anymore. The merchant does not want to take any risks so he has not changed the ways of his shop once it started losing profits. Once Santiago starts working for the crystal merchant, he suggests the crystal merchant take some risks to help grow the business. They both learn about each other during the year when they work together to grow the crystal shop. By the end of the year, the crystal shop has a tea stand that serves tea in crystal cups and two additional workers. The crystal merchant is a symbol of the people that do not take risks of fulfilling their personal destinies. The life he leads is an example of the kind of emptiness that a person feels when they do not attempt to fulfill their destinies. The life led by the crystal merchant serves as a warning for Santiago later on in the story when Santiago has to leave the oasis in order to search for the treasure. Santiago almost does not leave the oasis because he already had his lover, Fatima, who he did not want to leave.
The book has a lot of messages for the readers to apply. The book talks a lot about people’s personal destinies and the choices they make to lead their lives. The people that pursue their destinies and the people that do not pursue their destinies. The risks taken by the people that pursue their destinies are not always fruitful. More often than not, the people who take risks fail. And the people that do not take the risks of fulfilling their destinies live a secure life without many self-inflicted hardships.
This is a book I would recommend to anyone that asks. The messages given by the book as well as the story of the book is amazing. The book is also fairly short and easy to read. The interest that the book garners from the reader is strong and the book can easily be completed in a couple of hours. This is one of the best books I have read in recent times.
