Tran 1
Kim Tran
Mrs. Selvaggi
English 1D1P
13 December 2010
An Analysis of Apprenticeship in Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist
Apprenticeship is a training system of educating by teaching. Apprenticeships are necessary and beneficial in our lives because they play a vital role in assisting us to make informed choices of our lives, further develop our knowledge and willingness to try new approaches and build our morals. Apprenticeships are the key and stepping stones in helping us to become the people we desire to be. Writers focus on this theme of apprenticeship unceasingly because they demonstrate to their readers the lessons and hardships of life and persuade the audience to examine their own lives and the societies they live in. In addition, they include this theme for the purpose of expressing their view points on life, to build morality in humanity and connect with the audience both emotionally and mentally. Writers incorporate these motifs for the purpose of inspiring their and touching the hearts of readers by helping them figure out their purpose in life. Writers believe that it is possible for all human beings to achieve what they most desire their lives. Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is a novel about the theme of apprenticeship. Santiago, a young adult, has dreams beyond the Andalusian Plains. He is put through a countless amount of tests and obstacles as he journeys in search for his hidden treasure in the Pyramids of Egypt in order to fulfil his personal legend. In Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist the theme of apprenticeship is highlighted through Melchizedek, the Alchemist and Fatima.
Melchizedek is a vitally significant mentor figure of Santiago in The Alchemist. Melchizedek educates Santiago about the topic of personal legends. A personal legend is the path we decide to take that fills our heart with enthusiasm. It is the path of our dreams. As Coelho writes:
It is what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young knows what their personal legend is. At one point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it is impossible for them to realize their personal legend (Coelho 21).
This quote means that we are told from our childhood onward that everything we want to do is impossible. We grow up with this idea, and as the years accumulate, so do the layers of prejudice, fear and guilt. There comes a time where our personal legend calling is so deeply buried in our soul as to be invisible, but it is still there. Melchizedek informs Santiago that unfortunately not everyone is able to confront their dreams due to the lack of courage and fail to realize that people are capable, at any time in their lives doing what they dream of. This accumulates the first step in Santiago’s journey. He is encouraged to fulfil his own personal legend and now knows that there is no limit of dreaming and that everything is possible. Santiago is willing to sacrifice everything to accomplish his goal to pursue his personal legend, such as leaving his flock of sheep he had bonded for two years. Melchizedek teaches Santiago a vital lesson about balance which is the key aspect in the pursuit of happiness. Balance is the equality of distribution. Balance branches out to providing moderation to mannerism, desires, temperament and lifestyle and is an interesting concept to integrate into our lives. Melchizedek
exposes to Santiago: “‘The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never forget the oil on the spoon’” (Coelho 32). This quote means that when people find the perfect stability of balance in their lives they are able to look at life at a healthier approach. If we do not have balance in our lives happiness and success will not be guaranteed. The interpretation of the two drops of the oil does not simply represent the mundane concerns or duties of life. It also represents those things which we are most passionate about. It is our calling or mission in life. Still, even when we are following our mission, whatever that calling may be, we have to remember to lift our eyes from time to time and view the wonders all around. It is all a matter of balance. Just to find the right path, our personal destiny, is not enough. Even though following that path is an enormous joy in itself, we still have to maintain a certain sense of what is going on around us now and then and not be wholly consumed by our work, whatever it may be. Even the noblest work can drain the life out of us if we do not take the time to recharge our batteries now and then. At the first glimpse Santiago fails to understand this idea and loses sight of his reason of being. While he admiring the sword, his companion steals his money needed to travel and get to his destination. Later, he perfects this concept by balancing his personal legend along with Fatima, his sheep, money and family. Melchizedek teaches Santiago about omens. Omens are the individual language in which God talks to people. A person’s omens are different from another person’s omens. They are this strange but very individual language that guides people toward their own destiny. They are not logical and talk to a person’s heart directly. The only way of learning this language is by making mistakes and then the signs will connect with people and guide them. It is the silent voice of God that leads people to places they should be. Melchizedek tells Santiago: “‘Don’t forget the language of the omens. And, above all, don’t forget to follow
your personal legend through to its conclusion (Coelho 30).’” Melchizedek to never forget about the omens because they will play a vital role in helping him achieve and fulfil his personal legend. Melchizedek also informs Santiago to not be discouraged at the conflicts thrown at him along his journey because the darkest hour of the night is just before dawn. The king explains how humans tend to over exaggerate on situations and convince themselves things are much more difficult than they really are, but this is completely wrong. It is simply one thing and nothing else. Being able to observe and read omens is a key motif throughout the book. Santiago recognizes the hole in his pouch in which Urim and Thummin fell out of in Tangier as an omen, as he had promised the old king that he would make his own decisions, not let the stones do it for him. The crystal merchant of Tangier recognizes Santiago's presence in the shop as an omen, as two customers came into the shop as he was cleaning the crystals for the merchant. Santiago later finds that going to the desert was a good omen, as he was able to meet Fatima, his love. Santiago reads omens in the flight of two hawks and has a premonition of an attack on the oasis as he is in the Sahara Desert. Omens play a key role in the unraveling of Santiago's fate. As a result, Melchizedek is a potent teacher of Santiago in The Alchemist.
In Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist the Alchemist is one of Santiago’s greatest teachers. The Alchemist explains to Santiago the one force that stops people from pursuing their dreams to its conclusion. People may overcome this or be overcome by it. As the Alchemist tells Santiago: “‘Tell your heart that the dear of suffering is worse than suffering itself’” (Coelho 130). The quote has a compelling message. Once people overcome these defeats they’re filled with a greater sense of euphoria and confidence. It is proving that they are worthy of the miracle of life. Each day and each hour is part of a good fight. Intense, unexpected suffering passes more quickly than suffering that is apparently bearable. This later goes on for years and, without our noticing, eats away at our soul, until, one day, we are no longer able to free ourselves from the bitterness and it stays with us for the rest of our lives. It is the universal emotion of fear that people my overcome of be overcome by it. Along the journey, Santiago has a constant urge to quit, but he searches within himself to find that inner strength and pulls it out to get that motivation. He put this to use when he was at the Pyramids of Egypt and dug all night for the treasure until his hand were exhausted and abraded and still even after he was beaten. The Alchemist educates Santiago about what holds people back from pursuing their dreams. How people overcome this is what defines them. As Coelho writes:
People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don’t deserve them, or that they’ll be unable to achieve them. We, their hearts, become fearful just thinking of loved ones who go away forever, or of moments that could have been good but weren’t, or of treasures that might have been found but were forever hidden in the sands. Because, when these things happen, we suffer terribly (Coelho 130).
This evaluates the concept of giving up. The mere possibility of getting what we want fills the soul of the ordinary person with guilt. We look around at all those who have failed to get what they want and fell that we do not deserve to get what we want either. People forget about the obstacles they overcame, all the suffering they endured, and all the things they had to give up in order to get this far. There are a countless amount of people who, when their calling is in grasp, went on to commit a series of mistakes and never reached their goal when it was only a step away. This is the most dangerous of obstacles. If people believe in themselves that they are worthy of the goal they fought so hard to get, then they people become an instrument of God and understand why they are there. Santiago realizes he must let go of things in order to achieve his dream. He leaves his true love, the sheep, and the Andulusian Plains. Santiago is educated of the fact whether he believes he can or cannot do something he is correct. In the end, Santiago is able to pull through to the conclusion it. The Alchemist introduces Santiago about the concept of the Soul of the World and the Language of the World. The Soul of the World is the idea that everything has its own entity and identity and the Language of the World is the concept where everyone, regardless of who they are and where they originate from, possesses the ability to communicate with each other through expressions, body language, and actions. As Coelho writes:
What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It is not because it is evil, but so we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned toward that dream. That’s the point at which most people give up. It’s the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert, ‘one dies of thirst when the palm trees have appeared in the horizon.’ Every search begins with beginners luck. And every search ends with the victors being severely tested (Coelho 132).
The quote is about how people tend to give up right before they are almost done accomplishing their personal legend. The reasoning behind this is because they look on how far they have to go rather than how far they have already gone through. Santiago learns from this to not be afraid. Near the end of his conquest, he continuously digs for the treasure and doesn’t stop even when he is beaten up.
