Examine how fate and destiny influence Santiago’s journey and impact the plot’s development. Additionally, consider the potential messages conveyed by the author in each of these instances.
Paulo Coelho explores the concepts of fate and destiny in The Alchemist, portraying them as forces that determine the path of an individual’s life. These forces cannot be escaped, and any attempts to deviate from one’s predetermined course only serve to further shape one’s fate. In accordance with convention, our destiny and fate guide our journeys, a notion communicated through our dreams. The protagonist of the book, Santiago, seeks to discover his personal legend by embarking on a quest. Initially working as a wool salesman, Santiago encounters an enigmatic old man at a plaza who persuades him to pursue his personal legend. The old man imparts the belief that everyone has their own personal legend to fulfill, suggesting that when one desires something deeply, the universe conspires to assist in its attainment.
Santiago decides to sell his sheep and embark on a journey to find the treasure, guided by Paul Coelho’s teachings on listening to our hearts and pursuing our personal legends. Coelho emphasizes the significance of striving to fulfill our dreams throughout life. As we age, we tend to neglect the enchanting aspirations that made our childhood special, losing sight of our future hopes. Coelho refers to these aspirations as our “personal legend,” or the purpose we have for living.
When your personal legend is uncovered, there is no hindrance to accomplishment. Santiago, in adhering to his own legend, discovers that life revolves around the experiences we undergo, and these occurrences guide us towards our objectives. In “The Alchemist”, the protagonist queries the wise man about the world’s greatest lie, to which the reply is as follows: “It is this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what is occurring and our lives become subject to fate.” When we encounter failure despite arduous effort and perseverance directed towards achieving our cherished goals, we perceive that destiny opposes our desires. This leads to a shift in both ambition and focus. We then attempt other endeavors and upon eventual triumph and establishment within another pursuit, we come t the realization that perhaps this was the destiny’s intention for us all along.
Therefore, it is important to have a comprehension of our fate in order to enhance our time on Earth. Those who view life as meaningless and purposeless are the individuals who lack faith in their destinies. All the life encounters and influences in a person’s life propel them towards a specific direction that they are destined to follow. The significance of life is inherent in the universe’s existence and the destiny that God has created for it. In accordance with a certain religion, individuals must align their thoughts with God’s thoughts to fully grasp the perfect meaning of all things.
One must also accept what comes and go with the flow of things. Experience shows that while some things are destined, more mundane things are left to choice. Despite destiny being a god given entity, individuals still have free will and the ability to choose their own fate. This principle governs all things and in alchemy, it is referred to as the Soul of the World. When someone desires something wholeheartedly, they are closest to the Soul of the World, which is always a positive force” (78).
