Alchemist”
Alchemist”;The Author express their beliefs that life is a journey; This is depicted by the main characters, Siddhartha and Santiago, who go through different stages and experiences to reach their destination and become wiser. In both the main characters early teenage lives, both Santiago and and Paulo Coelho struggled to deal with their parent’s outlook on their live’s and purpose . Both main characters spent time in institutions to change themselves spiritually making them wiser, proving their individuality and perseverance was more than a product of failure. Siddhartha and Santigo
persistence through a childhood, polluted by parental control followed by complete success, shows not only the genuine existence of destiny, but also the continuous opportunity to achieve happiness and greatness. This is exemplified by the stories of their lives. Hesse and Coelho channel this idea in their works Siddhartha and The Alchemist. Using the wisdom obtained from personal journeys, both Siddhartha and Santiago convey the importance of sacrificing love and common human pleasures to become entirely fulfilled. However, only Santiago advocates an ultimate return to such pleasures suggesting that love and possessions are essential in a truly authentic life.
Both Siddhartha and Santiago had an awakening to go on their journeys, Santiago’s recurring dream of going to the pyramids and finding treasure was the awakening and motivation to go on his journey . Siddhartha’s Call was that he was not satisfied with life upto this point he wanted more out of life. Santiago’s challenges was being robbed, being turned into the wind, and being beaten up at the pyramids. The challenge which Siddhartha was brought forth to was finding nirvana, leaving kamala at her death, leaving govinda with the buddha, and getting caught up in samsara, losing his son. Siddhartha’s contemplated ending his life, which Santiago had not. the protagonist’s on both books both fell in love, with Kamala and Fatima. This symbolized the natural temptation of settle for love instead of pursuing one’s fated desires.Siddhartha and Santiago?s resistance of such temptation illustrated the existence of greater human strength designed for the benefit of both individuals. After Siddhartha abandoned his practice as a Samana, living through an ascetic lens among nature, Siddhartha met his love Kamala in a residential town. This captivating love brought with it a natural comfort, which weakening Siddhartha, and for years he allowed himself to surrender to the lure of riches and superior social status. Santiago too became distracted in the midst of his journey after meeting a girl in the name of Fatima and entranced by her beauty and grace, Santiago conveys his willingness to settle with his love in a small oasis in the Sahara with this quote, “I also have fatima. She is a treasure greater than anything else I have won” ( 119 ‘The Alchemist’). He said this phrase to The Alchemist. This shows obvious determination throughout the months of travel,
Santiago’s sudden change of heart illustrates the consuming nature of unconditional love and its ability to alter the mindset of even the most indomitable individuals. Siddhartha was a respected member of his society right from the beginning, due to being a son of a Brahman and being an attractive and intelligent young man. Santiago on the other hand gained respect from his journey to achieve his dreams. Also, Siddhartha goes through his journey with aggressive questioning of everything that occurs. Santiago continues his quest humbly and takes in everything that occurs along the way with curiosity, but never aggression. Siddhartha gains his credibility from his respected status in society, while Santiago gains his respect through the experiences he faces along his journey.
They both had constant dreams that seem to occur every day about their life quests. As an out come, the two main characters always questioned
the idea of a universal one, in which they both try to achieve. Santiago reached the point of being one with the universe at the end of his journey by listening to the sounds of the world around him. Siddhartha reaches this points out of the fact that the teachings from the elders in his village and from his father are not enough for him to learn how to achieve the concept of being one with the universe. In result to this, he decides to go on this wandering with different groups in order to experience life himself, in which he hopes to finally achieve the idea of being one with the universe.
Another factor of growth which Siddhartha endured was his growth from the impatience and impetuosity of youth and young adulthood to the fulfilled wisdom of age. Other then the fact that Siddhartha leaves his father, the influence of his Brahmin upbringing stays with him, for the goal of his life is the achievement of Nirvana. It is merely the means to the end with which he disagrees with his father and also with the Samanas, Gotama Buddha, and the Buddha-follower Govinda. The growth pattern of Siddhartha’s life are filled with many phases of conditioning which are important to attain a perfect unity. Siddhartha must experience Brahman spontaneously and without artificial preparation in order to transcend time and gain Nirvana. Siddhartha must achieve Brahman spontaneously and without preparation in order to gain Nirvana.
Unlike Govinda , Siddhartha stresses independence and individuality in order to find oneself. Just like Santiago left his flock of sheep behind to seek the treasure, Siddhartha leaves his father and the Brahmans in order to experience the world to achieve nirvana. Siddhartha constantly questions his soul and his heart. In ‘The Alchemist’ the author also stresses the importance of listening to one’s own heart as well.
To achieve the concept of one’s self both characters had go through a series of stages and experiences. In ‘The Alchemist’ a person learns how to gain wisdom and knowledge to achieve one’s dream if one has no influences. In Siddhartha the way to achieve one’s self is like the reverse of how to achieve one’s dream if one is too influenced by one’s society.
In both books the heart is highly referenced as a symbol to achieving one’s self.
Siddhartha was structured in order to convey how a man with riches is has to peel himself in order to become achieve one’s self with the universe.
In both novels the authors suggest that to gain something such as wisdom one must sacrifice normal life.both clarify this idea through the lives of their protagonists exemplifying the rarity of a person strong enough to overcome the lure of wealth, love, and comfort. Unfortunately, life’s powerful distractions can delay, or even prevent, true destiny leading to self piece and pure sadness later on. Both having realized their dreams, Siddhartha and demonstrate how having faith in one’s destiny is more rewarding than all other aspects of human existence.In conclusion both novels had the main character endure certain events which teach them lessons to achieve their fulfillment and self piece.
