The Fifth Mountain

As life ventures, we adapt to the circumstances that surround us. The relationships we make with each other and the adversity we face influence our lives and mold us into better people. Throughout “The Fifth Mountain” by Paulo Coelho, the events the protagonist, Elijah, goes through as well as his unique relationships and friendships that he formed gives us a better sense for the appreciation of life and the people around us. The lessons instilled in “The Fifth Mountain” were the backbone of the life of Paulo Coelho and his experience of life. He was born into a very strict and religious Catholic family and at an early age was put into a jesuit school. With the early interaction with religion and the strong religious stronghold within the …show more content…
Religion as a whole in the book can connect to Paulo Coelho’s pilgrimage that he embarked on but the faith of which stands out most. The pilgrimage serves as a journey of self realization and as a connection to God; this is why it is so prevalent in the book. The struggles of Elijah with his “destiny” and the conflicts he has with God can be related back to the life of Paulo Coelho. The struggles he had as a kid and early in his life with realizing his purpose and what he was meant to do is similar to Elijah’s conflict of being “chosen” by God, sort of similar to a priest figure. One doesn’t need to have a strong relationship with God to live a successful and happy life, but in “The Fifth Mountain”, that relationship gives Elijah faith in his future even during times of adversity. “Imagine a new story of your life, and believe in it. Concentrate in those moments in which you achieved what you desired, and this strength will help you to accomplish what you want.” This quote shows the strong faith Elijah had in his life and the optimism he lived with. The relationship not with God but with one’s self as shown by Elijah. “Life is made of our attitude.” A quote by Elijah in “The Fifth Mountain”, and one that shows his growth throughout the book and the faith he now has in his life. The relationship with God did not give Elijah this but rather helped him achieve it. In the book Backgrounds of Early Christianity by Everett Ferguson, it shows the history and spread of Christianity in the Mediterranean area that Byblos is located in. It was never the dominant religion but it had a strong influence, slowing over taking that region and instilling new beliefs and morals in the people of the area. “The center of the worship of Adonis was Byblos in Phoenicia, whence it spread to Greece and Italy.” Adonis was a Christian