Happiness In The Alchemist

Words: 797
Pages: 4
Open Document
“Happiness depends upon ourselves.” - Aristotle. In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho introduces the idea that everyone should seek their individual dreams. He asserts that because he believes that people’s aspirations will lead to them to their happiness. Paulo Coelho writes about a protagonist name Santiago in his novel, The Alchemist. Santiago is a shepherd who travels around with his flock of sheep. One day while in town he decides to pay a visit to a gypsy to discern his recurring dream and from there Santiago starts his journey toward his “Personal Legend.” I concur with Paulo’s statement of “Whatever you decide to do make sure that it makes you happy” as it emerges as the primary theme of The Alchemist. Happiness is not trying or finding, it’s deciding. After a year in working with the crystal merchant, Santiago decides to go back to the fields …show more content…
People should focus on what they have instead of what is missing. According to the philosopher John Stuart Mill in the article “In Pursuit of Unhappiness” if you “Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so” (McMahon 3). He goes on by saying people should not go on a relentless chase of joy because they will never find it or will be disappointed. Despite this people still focus their minds into achieving enjoyment in life thus never being able to find it. On the contrary if a person doesn’t pursue happiness then how does one make a decision in life. As humans we choose decisions based on which seems “better.” Usually the better conclusion is the one that makes one more happy. According to the alchemist, “We don’t want people to suffer because they don’t follow their hearts” (Coelho 131). If people do not choose the happier choices then they will suffer in life. If following your heart is a bad, then what should a person follow. If you do not listen to your heart, then you might spend the rest of your life wishing you
Show More

Related Documents: Happiness In The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist

The Alchemist is a novel by Brazilian author “Paulo Coelho”. This book (Alchemist ) written in Portuguese, it has been translated into 69 languages. The alchemist is a story with a deep message. It is a message to follow your heart, and search your dreams or destiny. The Alchemist is telling about the story of a shepherd boy named Santiago. Santiago who lives in spain and work as a shepherd. One night he was sleeping in church and they saw a dream and the other day they saw again. And he goes…

Words 561 - Pages 3

Why Is Santiago Important In The Alchemist

The Alchemist Paolo Coelho’s novel, The Alchemist, describes what a personal legend is. The novel is about pursuing your dreams. Santiago is the main character, he is a shepherd boy following his dream. In other words he is following his personal legend. A personal legend is someone's life's spiritual purpose. he would have this dream that would keep repeating which led him to the hidden treasure. Santiago experienced a lot of lessons while getting to his personal legend. The lessons that he…

Words 850 - Pages 4

Free Will In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist

challenging to use correctly. However when it comes to personal legends; free will is nothing more than an absent parent. A false sense of security.In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist Santiago is reminded again and again that completing your personal legend is a choice, however, this is untrue and the book itself shows evidence of this. The Alchemist claims that fulfilling your personal legend is a choice. If completing your personal legend is a choice then even the smallest of God’s creations have the option…

Words 419 - Pages 2

The Alchemist And Coelho Analysis

Herman Hesse's’ Siddhartha and Paulo Coelho's’ The Alchemist are two novels about finding one's purpose and seeking enlightenment. In similar fashion, the main characters in The Alchemist and Siddhartha obtain Nirvana by crossing thresholds between the ordinary and enlightened world. In both The Alchemist and Siddhartha, the initial crossing of the threshold directs both characters towards enlightenment. Santiago contemplated…

Words 781 - Pages 4

Personal Legend In The Alchemist

everything in his search for emeralds and how he was close to giving up but found one stone after five years of searching (Coelho 28). Coelho shows how having a little faith and presence can lead to success. As essential as the belief of hope was to The Alchemist, fear is a factor that keeps the character…

Words 1791 - Pages 8

Comparing Parkour And Santiago's The Alchemist

training that developed a person’s ability to overcome in both physical and mental. For example, people jump between buildings, climbing on a bridge or crossing walls that it takes possible dangers. And the protagonist, Santiago in the book The Alchemist, he gave up his normal life as a shepherd and to travel around, taking risks between enemies he has to face in order to find his treasure. There are several similar connections between the two. First, people doing parkour and Santiago's travel is…

Words 337 - Pages 2

the alchemist summary Essays

The alchemist reads a book containing the story of Narcissus. According to legend, Narcissus kneeled every day beside a lake to admire his reflection, until one day he became so fascinated with his own beauty that he fell into the lake and drowned. The goddess of the forest appeared at the lake and found the water transformed into salty tears. She asked the lake why it cried for Narcissus, assuming it had admired Narcissus’s beauty. The lake replies that it was enjoying its own beauty reflected in…

Words 1120 - Pages 5

Comparing Love In The Alchemist And A Doll's House

or tainted love can ruin the couple and cause them to go separate ways. In The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, the authors reveal love in two very different ways. Throughout literature, love reveals itself as both a bond of happiness, and a spoiled tie between two completely opposite people. Love’s first ability is to create a joyful togetherness between two people. In the novel The Alchemist, a young shepherd boy by the name of Santiago falls in love with a girl named…

Words 556 - Pages 3

Muhammad Al-Rhazi Accomplishments

Unlike previous alchemists, he helped transform the mystical and ambiguous world of alchemy into the more scientifically grounded world of chemistry. His method of substance classification showed concrete research on his part. Al-Asrar, his most famous and recognized book…

Words 663 - Pages 3

How Is Santiago Presented In The Alchemist

alter his present and future. Santiago goes to visit a woman he believes is a Gypsy because of a reoccurring dream he has of being led by a child to the Egyptian pyramids. He is told by the child that if he visits the pyramids he will find gold. The alchemist asks the woman to interpret the dream for him. She tells Santiago “First, Swear to me. Swear that you will give me on tenth of your treasure in exchange for what I’m going to tell you. (Coelho 16) He is told that if he travels to the Pyramids, he…

Words 1457 - Pages 6