What role does love play in The Alchemist?

Love, in The Alchemist, is also secondary to pursuing one's Personal Legend. As the alchemist tells Santiago, Santiago's love for Fatima will only survive if he continues living out his Personal Legend so that he will have no regrets later.

What is the role of love in The Alchemist?

Much like the other ideas in the novel, the concept of love is abstract and mystical, but here's our try: it's a deep communion between two souls that doesn't require speaking the same language, knowing the other person's name, or other pesky things like credit history and hygiene.

Is there love in The Alchemist?

The Alchemist is remarkable for being a love story that renounces the idea that romantic love must be the central thing in your life. Each person has a destiny to pursue that exists independently of other people.

How does Santiago define love?

Credit: Jess Bailey / Unsplash. Part 2 Santiago. "When you are loved, you can do anything in creation. When you are loved, there's no need at all to understand what's happening, because everything happens within you, and even men can turn themselves into the wind." ( 2.648)

What does the heart symbolize in The Alchemist?

As Santiago continues his journey with the alchemist, he learns several new lessons about himself and his abilities. First, the alchemist explains that each person's heart emerges from the Soul of the World. Because Santiago's heart connects him to the Soul of the World, Santiago must learn to listen to it properly.

The Alchemist Video Summary

What things does Santiago learn from his heart?

His heart is afraid of losing his loved ones and of Santiago not finding his treasure, because the heart knows that it will suffer if these things happen. Santiago also learns from his heart how to hear the Language of the World, and to communicate with the desert, the wind, and the sun.

What does Santiago always promise about his heart?

once santiago understands his heart, what agreements does he ask of it, what does he promise it in return? He asks his heart to always tell him when danger is near, and he promised back to trust it and to always listen to his heart.

Who does The Alchemist fall in love with?

The alchemist helps Santiago make the journey from the oasis to the Egyptian pyramids. Fatima A beautiful Arab girl who lives at the oasis. Santiago discovers Fatima filling her water jug at one of the oasis's wells, and he falls in love with her.

What does Fatima teach Santiago about love?

The love between Santiago and Fatima is help up as ideal – a love that is sincere and true but also involves faith rather than any effort to control the beloved. Fatima believes in letting her beloved Santiago wander free, and encourages him to pursue his Personal Legend. She promises to wait for him while he does so.

Did Santiago love merchant's daughter?

The daughter of a merchant to whom Santiago sold some sheep. She is the object of Santiago's affections at the beginning of the novel, and he impresses her with his stories.

Who was the girl in The Alchemist?

Fatima is the girl that almost distracts Santiago from his dream of reaching the pyramids and his treasure. She's so pretty, and he's so in love with her, that he almost decides to just stay at the oasis and take her instead of the treasure.

Do Santiago and Fatima end up together?

At the end of the narrative, Santiago returns to Fatima. This confirms what the Alchemist said about love: Santiago is able in the end to achieve both his Personal Legend and find his true love.

What attitude does The Alchemist take toward romantic love?

What attitude does The Alchemist take toward romantic love? Unlike many popular literary tales, The Alchemist initially presents love not as a goal, but as an obstacle. Santiago says his initial love of the merchant's daughter acts as the only thing that makes him want to stay in one place forever.

What is the lesson of Narcissus in The Alchemist?

The original story of Narcissus has been used as a lesson in the dangers of vanity. Narcissus cannot stand the attention he receives from the people who adore his beauty; therefore, he is unable to accept their adoration.

Why does The Alchemist feel that the heart is more important than the mind?

The Alchemist feels like the heart is more trustworthy or important because the treasure is wherever the heart is. The heart can interpret or understand things that the mind can't grasp because it knows everything since it came from the Soul of the World and one day will return there.

Did Santiago love Fatima?

But Fatima is perhaps even more important than the others, because Santiago believes she is a part of his treasure and Personal Legend. She and Santiago fall in love at first sight, though Santiago has loved her since smelling her perfume on the levanter.

Does Fatima Santiago's love interest define herself by her resignation to and support of Santiago's quest or is her role as a woman defined by the society?

Fatima fully supports Santiago's quest and encourages him to leave her in search of it. Fatima seems to define herself by her love and support of Santiago, but this does not mean that Fatima's character is written as such to emphasize a sexist point of view concerning the role of women.

Why is Santiago called boy?

Referring to Santiago as “the boy” makes him a mythic figure, just as Melchizedek attains mythic significance when Santiago forgets his name and starts thinking of him as “the old man.” In turn, The Alchemist acts less as a personal story about the adventures of one character and more as an allegorical fable with ...

Is The Alchemist a true story?

The Alchemist is a work of fiction but the message of the novel was autobiographical in spirit.

How does the allegory in The Alchemist develop the theme that without love our lives are incomplete?

How does Fatima develop the theme in The Alchemist? Fatima develops the theme that love is an essential part of being; Santiago is incomplete without Fatima and they become a part of each other's Personal Legend. Throughout the text, Santiago learns that all things are connected.

What does Santiago conclude is the power of love in the alchemist?

After hearing Santiago's words, the sun decides to shine more brightly, and the wind blows harder so it can continue to block out the brightness. Santiago tells the sun that love transforms the Soul of the World and asks the sun to turn him into the wind.

What does Santiago realize at the end of the alchemist?

Summary: Epilogue

He wakes up digging and laughing about how God left gold at the monastery through the alchemist to ease his journey back. A voice in the wind says God wanted him to see the pyramids' beauty. Soon Santiago finds a chest of gold coins and jewels.

What do Santiago's sheep symbolize?

Santiago's sheep symbolize the sort of existence lived by those who are completely blind to their Personal Legends. Santiago loves his sheep, but he also expresses thinly veiled disrespect for them because of their animal desires for mere food and water.

What is the most important lesson Santiago learned?

To start, one of the most important lessons Santiago learned was from his father which was to learn and make his own decisions. When Santiago was supported by his father to be a shepherd even though his parents wanted him to be a priest the narrator points out,…show more content…

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