The Alchemist: Themes, Motifs, Allusions, Vocabulary

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The AlchemistThemes, Motifs, Allusions,
Vocabulary

• Alchemy al-kuh-mee -noun, plural -mies for 2.
• 1. a form of chemistry and speculative philosophy
  practiced in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
  and concerned principally with discovering
  methods for transmuting baser metals into gold
  and with finding a universal solvent and an
  elixir of life.
• 2. any magical power or process of transmuting a
  common substance, usually of little value, into a
  substance of great value.

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Writing Prompt

• In your Literature Log, write a response to the
  following prompt
• What is your personal legend? How would you go
  about pursuing it?

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Biography

• Paulo Coelho has led an extremely interesting
  life. Rebelliousness defined his youth. He was a
  hippie. He wrote popular lyrics for some of
  Brazil's most famous pop music stars, including
  Elis Regina and Raul Seixas. Shortly after, he
  worked as a journalist.
• In 1986 Paulo Coelho walked the Road to Santiago,
  a medieval pilgrim's route between France and
  Spain. He later described this experience in The
  Pilgrimage, published in 1987. The following
  year, his second book The Alchemist established
  his worldwide fame.

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Biography
Paulo Coelho on the Road to Santiago
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Themes

• Theme /theem/ -noun
• 1. a subject of discourse, discussion,
  meditation, or composition topic The need for
  world peace was the theme of the meeting.
• 2. a unifying or dominant idea, motif, etc., as
  in a work of art.

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Themes

• Fate versus Will
• Fate is constantly intertwined with will, and a
  key theme of the book focuses on how much in life
  is under one's control, and how much is
  controlled by fate. The old king states that the
  world's greatest lie is that "at some point
  during our lives, we lose control of what's
  happening to us, and our lives become controlled
  by fate."

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Themes

• Love
• Love is described as a part of the Soul of the
  World. Love occurs in life and Nature. As
  everything supports each other, they love each
  other. Santiago tells the desert that it shows
  love for the alchemist's falcon by offering it
  game, after which the falcon shows love to man as
  it offers the game to eat, and the man shows love
  for the desert as after one dies, his body is
  reintegrated into the desert sands. There is also
  love in people, demonstrated by Santiago's love
  of Fatima's beauty, and Santiago's knowing that
  it is part of his Personal Legend to love her.
  Also, there is true love, a brief definition
  given by the alchemist "True love is love that
  allows you to reach your Personal Legend."

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Themes

• Controlled Luck
• The theme of controlled luck is prominent in this
  book, as the old king and the alchemist both tell
  Santiago about how if one really wants to fulfill
  his or her Personal Legend, the whole universe
  will conspire to help make it happen. Coelho
  refers to this as the idea of "beginner's luck",
  or the concept of favorability. Santiago is
  blessed with beginner's luck, when he decides to
  go to Africa. He manages to sell all of his sheep
  very easily, and is given "a taste of success"
  that whets the appetite to fulfill one's Personal
  Legend.

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Themes

• Spiritual Enlightenment
• In The Alchemist, a kind of spiritual
  enlightenment is accomplished by fulfilling one's
  Personal Legend, and adding to the Soul of the
  World, which is the "light" of most religions.
  The spiritual influence of this book is
  omniscient, for example in Santiago's "turning
  himself into the wind" stunt. He learns the
  Language of the World, which is basically the
  language of the Soul of the World. As the Soul of
  the World is related to the Soul of God, Santiago
  is able to perform miracles after he has reached
  into the Soul of the World.
• Omniscient om-nish-uhnt adjective
• 1. having complete or unlimited knowledge,
  awareness, or understanding perceiving all
  things. noun
• 2. an omniscient being.
• 3. the Omniscient, God.

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Motifs

• Motif moh-teef -noun
• 1. a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., esp.
  in a literary, artistic, or musical work.
• 2. a distinctive and recurring form, shape,
  figure, etc., in a design, as in a painting or on
  wallpaper.
• 3. a dominant idea or feature the profit motif
  of free enterprise.

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Motifs

• Omens
• Omen oh-muhn -noun
• 1. anything perceived or happening that is
  believed to portend a good or evil event or
  circumstance in the future portent.
• 2. a prognostic.
• 3. prophetic significance presage a bird of ill
  omen.
• verb (used with object)
• 4. to be an omen of portend.
• 5. to divine, as if from omens.
• Being able to observe and read omens is a key
  motif throughout the book. Santiago recognizes
  the hole in his pouch through which Urim and
  Thummin fell in Tangier as an omen, as he had
  promised the old king that he would make his own
  decisions, not let the stones do it for him. The
  crystal merchant of Tangier recognizes Santiago's
  presence in the shop as an omen, as two customers
  came into the shop as he was cleaning the
  crystals for the merchant. Santiago later finds
  that going to the desert was a good omen, as he
  was able to meet Fatima, his love. Santiago reads
  omens in the flight of two hawks and has a
  premonition of an attack on the oasis as he is in
  the Sahara Desert. Omens play a key role in the
  unraveling of Santiago's fate.

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Motifs

• Personal Legend
• The Personal Legend is a being's reason to live.
  Everything in the world has a Personal Legend,
  and by reaching one's Personal Legend, one adds
  to the Soul of the World, the purity of the
  world. The boy's Personal Legend is obvious, to
  find his treasure at the Egyptian pyramids. The
  alchemist fulfilled his Personal Legend, to
  become a true alchemist and accomplish the Master
  Work. The crystal merchant's Personal Legend is
  to visit Mecca, and the Tarifa baker's Personal
  Legend is to travel the world. The Personal
  Legend of a person surfaces at childhood, and one
  can never find true happiness without fulfilling
  it. The Personal Legend of Santiago drives him to
  his treasure as he chooses to accomplish his
  Personal Legend, just as the alchemists was to
  become the most famed alchemist in the world.
  Others, like the Tarifa baker and the crystal
  merchant, choose to ignore the Personal Legend,
  and thus shape their life to be forever wanting.

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Allusions

• Allusion uh-loo-zhuhn -noun
• 1. a passing or casual reference an incidental
  mention of something, either directly or by
  implication an allusion to Shakespeare.
• 2. the act of alluding.
• 3. Obsolete. a metaphor parable.

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Allusions

• Melchizedek is a figure mentioned by various
  sects of both Christian and Judaic traditions. He
  is commemorated as one of the Holy Forefathers in
  the Calendar of Saints of the Armenian Apostolic
  Church on July 30.
• Melchizedek's name can be translated (from
  Hebrew) as Zedek is my king or My king is
  righteous. In Genesis, Melchizedek is also
  referred to as king of Salem (generally believed
  to be ancient Jerusalem), and priest of El Elyon.
  Traditionally El-Elyon is translated as most high
  God, and interpreted as a reference to Yahweh (by
  tradition), or God (in other words, Zedek is king
  of Salem and priest of God). Many scholars
  believe that the name refers to Zedek - regarding
  El Elyon as referring to the most high god, and
  using Melchizedek's name as the indicator of who
  the deity was (in other words, Zekek the most
  high god).
• If the majority of scholars are right in taking
  the name as a reference to Zedek as the most high
  god (rather than priest of God), then it would
  imply that Zedek was the main deity worshipped at
  Salem at that time. Jerusalem is plausibly
  referred to as city of Zedek (ir ha-zedek) in the
  Book of Isaiah, as well as home of Zedek (neweh
  zedek) in the Book of Jeremiah, and as gates of
  Zedek (sha'are zedek) in the Book of Psalms,
  though it is also true that in each of these
  cases zedek is traditionally translated as
  righteous (as in city of righteousness).

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Allusions

• Statue of Melchizedek. Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome.

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Allusions

• In the Tanakh, Melchizedek brought bread and wine
  to Abraham after Abraham's victory over the four
  kings (led by Chedorlaomer) who had besieged
  Sodom and Gomorrah and had taken Abraham's
  nephew, Lot, prisoner. Melchizedek is also
  described as blessing Abraham in the name of El
  Elyon (God), and in return for these favors,
  Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe, from the spoils
  gained in the battle.

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Allusions

• Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek by Dieric
  Bouts the Elder, 1464-1467

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Allusions

• Tithe tahyth noun, verb, tithed, tithing.
• -noun
• 1. Sometimes, tithes. the tenth part of
  agricultural produce or personal income set apart
  as an offering to God or for works of mercy, or
  the same amount regarded as an obligation or tax
  for the support of the church, priesthood, or the
  like.
• 2. any tax, levy, or the like, esp. of one-tenth.
• 3. a tenth part or any indefinitely small part of
  anything.
• -verb (used with object)
• 4. to give or pay a tithe or tenth of (produce,
  money, etc.).
• 5. to give or pay tithes on (crops, income,
  etc.).
• 6. to exact a tithe from (a person, community,
  parish, etc.).
• 7. to levy a tithe on (crops, income, etc.).
• -verb (used without object)
• 8. to give or pay a tithe.
• In The Alchemist, Santiago must twice pay
  one-tenth of his possessions. In the first
  instance, he pays one-tenth of his flock in the
  second, he pays one-tenth of his treasure. In the
  Biblical reference, Abraham pays Melchizedek
  one-tenth of his battle winnings in exchange for
  being blessed in the name of God.

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Allusions

• The Melchizedek priesthood is a prominent feature
  of "Mormonism" - that is, The Church of Jesus
  Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• Melchizedek is the main brain of Zalem in the
  Battle Angel Alita (GUNNM) graphic novel series.
• The Urantia Book describes, among other things,
  the origin and purpose of a vast array of
  spiritual beings, including an order of beings
  called the "Melchizedeks". And this order
  includes an individual who supposedly once
  incarnated on earth, by the name of "Machiventa
  Melchizedek".
• The Dominion of Melchizedek, a micronation known
  for bank fraud, purports to be based on a
  "Melchizedek Bible" 13 inspired by the Biblical
  Melchizedek.
• Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah
  spoken of as "a priest forever in the order of
  Melchizedek" (Ps. 1104), and so Jesus plays the
  role of High Priest once and for all. Jesus is
  considered a priest in the order of Melchizedek
  because, like Melchizedek, Jesus was not a
  Levite, and thus would not qualify for the
  Levitical priesthood (Heb. 713-17).
• The Book of Mormon of The Church of Jesus Christ
  of Latter-day Saints describes the work of
  Melchizedek in Salem in Alma 1317-18. According
  to Alma, Melchizedek was King over the wicked
  people of Salem, but because of his
  righteousness, his people repented of their
  wickedness and became a peaceful city.
• A collection of early Gnostic scripts found in
  1945, known as the Nag Hammadi Library, contains
  a tractate pertaining to Melchizedek. Here it is
  revealed that Melchizedek is Jesus Christ8.
  Melchizedek, as Jesus Christ, lives, preaches,
  dies and is resurrected.

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Allusions

• Isaiah 12126
• 21 How is the faithful city become a harlot! She
  that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in
  her, but now murderers.
• 22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed
  with water.
• 23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of
  thieves every one loveth bribes, and followeth
  after rewards they judge not the fatherless,
  neither doth the cause of the widow come unto
  them.
• 24 Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts,
  the Mighty One of Israel Ah, I will ease Me of
  Mine adversaries, and avenge Me of Mine enemies
  
• 25 And I will turn My hand upon thee, and purge
  away thy dross as with lye, and will take away
  all thine alloy
• 26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first,
  and thy counsellors as at the beginning
  afterward thou shalt be called The city of
  righteousness, the faithful city.

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Allusions

• Dross draws, dros -noun
• 1. waste matter refuse.
• 2. Metallurgy. a waste product taken off molten
  metal during smelting, essentially metallic in
  character.
• 3. British. coal of little value.

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Allusions

• Jeremiah 3123
• And Judah and all the cities thereof shall dwell
  therein together the husbandmen, and they that
  go forth with flocks.
• Psalm 11819
• Open to me the gates of righteousness I will
  enter into them, I will give thanks unto the
  LORD.
• Genesis 1418-20
• 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth
  bread and wine and he was priest of God the Most
  High.
• 19 And he blessed him, and said 'Blessed be
  Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and
  earth
• 20 and blessed be God the Most High, who hath
  delivered thine enemies into thy hand.' And he
  gave him a tenth of all.

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Allusions

• Santiago
• The Way of St. James or St. James' Way, often
  known by its Spanish name, el Camino de Santiago,
  is the pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de
  Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain,
  where legend has it that the remains of the
  apostle, Saint James the Great, are buried.
• A major Christian pilgrimage route
• The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is the
  ultimate goal of the pilgrimage.The Way of St
  James has existed for over a thousand years. It
  was one of the most important Christian
  pilgrimages during medieval times. It was
  considered one of three pilgrimages on which a
  plenary indulgence could be earned the others
  are the Via Francigena to Rome and the pilgrimage
  to Jerusalem.
• Legend holds that St. James's remains were
  carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain
  where they were buried on the site of what is now
  the city of Santiago de Compostela. There are
  some, however, who claim that the bodily remains
  at Santiago belong to Priscillian, the
  fourth-century Galician leader of an ascetic
  Christian sect, Priscillianism, who was one of
  the first Christian heretics to be executed.
• There is not a single route the Way can take one
  of any number of pilgrimage routes to Santiago de
  Compostela. However a few of the routes are
  considered main ones. Santiago is such an
  important pilgrimage destination because it is
  considered the burial site of the apostle, James
  the Great. During the middle ages, the route was
  highly travelled. However, the Black Plague, the
  Protestant Reformation and political unrest in
  16th- century Europe resulted in its decline.
  Until the 1980s, only a few pilgrims arrived in
  Santiago annually. However, since then, the route
  has attracted a growing number of modern-day
  pilgrims from around the globe. The route was
  declared the first European Cultural Route by the
  Council of Europe in October 1987 it was also
  named one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in
  1993.
• Paulo Coelho made the journey and wrote about it.
  The Pilgrimage (Diário de Um Mago, in Portuguese)
  is a 1987 novel by Brazilian novelist Paulo
  Coelho. It is a recollection of Paulo's
  experiences as he made his way across Northern
  Spain on the Pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela
  in 1986.

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Allusions

• The Philosophers Stone
• The philosopher's stone (Latin lapis
  philosophorum Greek chrysopoeia) is a legendary
  substance, supposedly capable of turning
  inexpensive metals into gold it was also
  sometimes believed to be a means of making people
  younger. For a long time it was the "holy grail"
  of Western alchemy.
• In the view of spiritual alchemy, making the
  philosopher's stone would bring enlightenment
  upon the maker and conclude the Great Work.
• The first book in J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter
  series is entitled, Harry Potter and the
  Philosophers Stone. In the United States, the
  title was changed to Harry Potter and the
  Sorcerers Stone.

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Vocabulary

• Alchemy
• Theme
• Omniscient
• Motif
• Omen
• Allusion
• Tithe
• Dross

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Images
                                                
                                         The VR
Romanesque Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
Paulo Coelho
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Images
The Alchemist in Search of the Philosophers
Stone, by Joseph Wright. 1771.
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Images
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Works Cited

• http//paulocoelhofanclub.com/eng/pc_bio.htm
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alchemist_(book)
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melchizedek
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tithe
• http//dictionary.reference.com/
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pilgrimage
• http//www.humnet.ucla.edu/santiago/iagohome.html
• http//www.paulocoelho.com/engl/
• http//www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/wright/
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher's_stone