Siddhartha By Paulo Coelho Comparison Essay

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho starts with a young shepherd travelling with his sheep, following his Personal Legend. Santiago is a boy with many ambitions, and he isn’t satisfied until he accomplishes his dream. In Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha is a bright young boy searching for his own Enlightenment by creating his own path to happiness.
There are a number of similarities between Siddhartha and Santiago and their personal journeys. The most significant similarity is their will to follow their heart and walk the path to the their dreams. Siddhartha’s father did not approve of him leaving his home at first, but agreed when he knew his stubborn son would not back away from his dream even if he were to die. Santiago’s father did not approve of travellers and wanted Santiago to stay in his hometown near the castle. However, Coelho suggests Santiago’s father had the same dream but he never nourished it so it …show more content…
Santiago meets the merchant’s daughter and immediately falls in love with her. However, he realizes later that his infatuation with the girl has made him ignorant. Since he met the merchant’s daughter, he hasn’t thought of other women. The merchant’s daughter represents dreams that may not come true. In Siddhartha, the boy meets Kamala, an upper-class courtesan who teaches him the materialistic aspects of life. Siddhartha learns to gamble and also learns the art of love. He experiences lust, greed for riches, and physical love. Siddhartha leaves Kamala knowing that the physical aspects of life will not satisfy him, and he will have to reach his enlightenment spiritually. Personal journey is the main focus of both Siddhartha and The Alchemist. Siddhartha and Santiago are both strong-willed young boys who lived the lives they craved. They both left their hometowns to become more than they were, and were nudged in the right direction by every person and object they met along the