In Coelho’s, the Alchemist, a story about Santiago, a young shepherd boy who longingly yearns to fill the missing void in his life as he sets out for his journeys. He is finding freedom in himself and discovering his “Personal Legend” through these facets of self-discovery and lessons of life learned upon his journey, Santiago is able to mature by virtue of coming of age journeys that change his perspectives on life as he is becoming an adult. In the Alchemist, Coelho explores the reader to the character of Santiago; as an adolescent, he pursues the existential quest for ultimate meaning and purpose of existence in his life through the lessons in his journeys from the exploration of his spiritual faiths, the abandonment of
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Santiago subsequently takes a leap of faith by selling his cherished flock of sheep in order to fund the search for his Personal Legend. Santiago is able to abandon his flock of sheep; his sole companions because he has faith in the validity of his Personal Legend, and, as a result, follow another step further into a life-altering process of maturation. As Santiago realizes that “If God leads sheep so well, he will also lead a man [,] …[a]nd when you want something, all the universe will conspire in helping you to achieve it” (Coelho 35). The strength of Santiago’s spiritual faith solidifies the validity of the dreams and goals he longs to achieve. Through the greatest of adversities, Santiago is able to overcome his burdens and continue with his journey. On the course of his journey, Santiago faced with an abundance of obstacles. Santiago is robbed of all the money in his possession, thrown in the midst of a dangerous desert tribal warfare, and even constantly ridiculed for his belief in a mirage of a Personal Legend. Yet through all these adversities, and many more, Santiago is still determined enough to continue with his journey. As Santiago comments that, “The closer one gets to realizing his Personal Legend, the more that Personal Legend becomes his true reason for being” (Coelho 72). Santiago is so determined to reach his Personal Legend and to complete his journey that he is able to put everything aside in order to make achieving his Personal Legend his true reason for
Santiago subsequently takes a leap of faith by selling his cherished flock of sheep in order to fund the search for his Personal Legend. Santiago is able to abandon his flock of sheep; his sole companions because he has faith in the validity of his Personal Legend, and, as a result, follow another step further into a life-altering process of maturation. As Santiago realizes that “If God leads sheep so well, he will also lead a man [,] …[a]nd when you want something, all the universe will conspire in helping you to achieve it” (Coelho 35). The strength of Santiago’s spiritual faith solidifies the validity of the dreams and goals he longs to achieve. Through the greatest of adversities, Santiago is able to overcome his burdens and continue with his journey. On the course of his journey, Santiago faced with an abundance of obstacles. Santiago is robbed of all the money in his possession, thrown in the midst of a dangerous desert tribal warfare, and even constantly ridiculed for his belief in a mirage of a Personal Legend. Yet through all these adversities, and many more, Santiago is still determined enough to continue with his journey. As Santiago comments that, “The closer one gets to realizing his Personal Legend, the more that Personal Legend becomes his true reason for being” (Coelho 72). Santiago is so determined to reach his Personal Legend and to complete his journey that he is able to put everything aside in order to make achieving his Personal Legend his true reason for