... as stated by Webster's Dictionary, means the seemingly miraculous change of a thing into something better. The title The Alchemist embodies Paulo Coelho's novel by showing many incredible changes that the main character, Santiago, goes through. At the start of the story, Santiago is a self-caring shepherd whose only goal is to become wealthier and marry a merchant's daughter. However by the end of the novel he understands what is truly ... opinions before making a decision. Throughout his voyage, Santiago learns to trust himself. This is most prominent and sudden, when the alchemist and...

• Word Count: 740
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography

... power of our dreams and of our hearts. Subtitled " A Fable About Following Your Dream", The Alchemist is a tale about the shepherd boy named Santiago who traveled all over the countryside in pursuit of his passion for discovering the world. Because of a recurring dream about a hidden treasure near the great pyramids of Egypt, Santiago journeyed through an entire desert in search of his "Personal Legend" ... of valuable wisdom and insights along the way. Realizing that the true treasure lies not in the amount of gold but in the lessons he learned and the person he becomes, Santiago uncov...

• Word Count: 656
• Approx Pages: 3

The Alchemist Everyone is born with a Personalty. Mine may be totally different from that of Santiago, but they are equally important in each of our lives. There are many similarities between Santiago and me that aren't apparent at first glance, and there are also many things I would have done differently if given the chance. The book ... accomplish, but I am not sure what my life will look like once I find my Personal Legend. I too would like to travel the world, and see how the rest of the world works. Being in Costa Rica is one step toward that part of my Personal Legend. I think my knowle...

• Word Count: 1111
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

With every journey comes an important lesson. In the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Santiago learns various lessons while achieving his personal legend. The lessons Santiago learns, change him as a person. Not only does Santiago learn to never give up on his dreams, but he also discovers the secret of happiness. By going on a journey ... is taught to never give up on his dreams. To begin, Santiago realizes that if one keeps trying, they will succeed. He recognizes that "the secret of life is to fall seven times and to get up eight times" (Coelho 191). No matter how many times one fails, t...

• Word Count: 655
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School