August 17th, 2020
Recently just finished a book called The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. The name rang a bell but I had no idea it was such a cult favorite. I think the book itself was quite easy to read and follow, and honestly proposed nothing particularly epiphany-inducing. I feel like everything I already somewhat knew, which was akin to what the alchemist taught Santiago. Coelho is simply reminding us of things we already know.
Overall, the book made me feel optimistic and seen. Not in the sense that I was gaining some sort of spotlight and long-deserved recognition, but rather in that the implications of my existence hold a validity beyond my individual self. Coelho, whose writing style is incredibly straightforward and heavily biblical, deconstructs the notions of fate and choice with respect to how a human should, or more specifically could, live their life. It seems to be a matter of the choices you make and whether those choices are oriented towards your life goals.
One of my favorite moments in the book came when Santiago was parting ways with the alchemist. He told the story of Jesus Christ from the perspective of Jesus' ancestors. It was super interesting to me that this famed story was repositioned and sort of spun around so that we could view it from another angle. I actually found myself tearing up, because I felt that Coelho really wanted to express to us that our existence and our choices matter. Perhaps not on a monumental scale, but enough that our beings and hearts possess a reach and impact that we can't foresee the bounds of.
Despite Coelho's strong stance on a person's fate, he emphasizes that we are not simply here along for the ride, but rather active and conscious actors in whether we achieve or discard our fates. I myself don't believe that we have a fully avoidable fate, and am convinced that the choices we do or do not make end up molding and refining our fates.
I found myself identifying with everyone in the novel. Santiago, who yearned for adventure, the crystal shop owner, the alchemist, the Englishman, Fatima, and even the girl from the village, who was perhaps Santiago's first taste of love and affection. It seems that we all have a role to play in this world, and a role to play in our own worlds.
3/5 Desert oases