HERMENEUTIC STUDY ON PAULO COELHO

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HERMENEUTIC STUDY ON PAULO COELHO’S

THE ALCHEMIST

The rich brown colour of newly turned earth, the gentle

placement of seeds in a straight garden furrow, then the act of

faith as we cover the seeds with dirt. We water them and wait

as nature does its job. As the seeds grow, we week and work,

and as we do so we are blessed with increased self-reliance and

insight into the law of the harvest. Eventually, we enjoy the

succulent fruits of our labors—food (D&C 59:16, 18).

Everyone has dreams, but only the hard work brings

success in life. We like planting good trees and as a result we

expect sweet and delicious fruits. If we do not pour water

regularly, the plant will not grow well and consequently, it

will yield no fruit. Without hard work nothing grows, but

weeds.

Human should never give up dreams, if one continuously

follows his/her dreams with hard work, will pursuit success and

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become personal legend as Paulo Coelho described in “The

Alchemist” a philosophical fiction.

About an Author

Paulo Coelho is one of the most famous novelists in the

world today. Paulo Coelho, born on 24 August, 1947, Rio de

Janeiro, Brazilian novelist known for employing rich symbolism

in his often spiritually motivated journeys taken by his

characters. And many of the characters in his novels are

related to his own life. He studied at the Jesuit school of San

Ignacio in Rio De Janeiro where he won his first literary prize

in a school poetry competition. Paulo Coelho is a

transcendentalist influenced by the aspects of Romanticism such

as Self-examination, the celebration of individualism, and the

extolling of the beauties of Nature and humankind.

He looked after his studies towards an engineering degree;

he began to work as a journalist and travelled through much of

South America, North Africa, Mexico and Europe. He returned to

Brazil and began a successful career as a popular songwriter.

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In 1974, he was imprisoned for a short time by the military

dictatorship then ruling in Brazil.

In 1980 he undertook the five hundred mile plus Road of

Santiago de Compostela in Spain, a journey which had a profound

effect on his life and which he later described in his first

book, The Pilgrimage.

The Alchemist was published in the year 1988, and has

since gone on to sell over sixty-five million books worldwide

and to be translated into sixty languages and tops the all-time

best-seller list in eighteen countries. Paulo Coelho continues

to write, having produced a number of other bestselling novels,

and is also a prominent speaker for spiritual and humanitarian

causes.

Coelho is one of the world's top five bestselling authors,

says Newsweek International. But rather than offering readers

tantalizing tales of violence, thrills or sex, Coelho writes of

regular people who put themselves in extraordinary situations

to nurture their inner selves, using unpretentious, unadorned

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prose. "I try to be direct without being shallow," he says.

(Pro Q-35)

The overwhelming successes of “The Alchemist” possess some

different aspects. First, the story of Santiago the shepherd is

one of everyday spirituality, the kind of spirituality that

people can use in their day-to-day lives. One of the central

messages of the book is that spirituality is not something

separate from an individual's need to realize his/her dreams.

In fact, the things that one's heart truly desires are

messages from the universe. It is in pursuing these things to

the best of one's ability that one is most truly alive. Second,

The Alchemist is written in a straightforward style that allows

its simple beauty to shine through.

In this way, ‘The Alchemist’ participates in a long

tradition of religious and morality stories, such as fairy

tales and children's stories, whose goal is to convey a

practical life lesson. The simple style, paired with spiritual

lesson, explains its appeal to the readers of all tastes and

people of all spiritual beliefs. Moreover, Paulo Coelho’s works

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embraced political attitude and awareness for our era. Paulo

Coelho once said,

My literature is totally committed to a new political

attitude: man in search of his own identity. It does not deal

with the old and worn-out categories of right and left. There

is a revolution that is slowly setting up, which the press

doesn't seem to have detected yet. If I had to sum up the whole

idea in only one expression, I'd say that the new political

attitude for our era is to "die alive." In other words, being

aware of and participating in things until the day we die--

something that does not occur very often. People end up dying

to the world on the day they renounce their dreams. After that,

one departs on a journey as did Ulysses, accepting the

challenges and knowing that sometimes one must fight alone, yet

understanding he stands in for the entire human race. (Pro Q)

Glauco Ortolano Nobel Prize winner and Brazilian novelist

who is currently teaching in the Department of Modern

Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at the University of

Oklahoma. Once said that Paulo Coelho had discovered the secret

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of literary alchemy. I'm sure there are younger writers

interested in learning about these secrets. (Pro Q, 17)

These many attributes are the success of his work. Coelho

calls his achievements "a very abstract success" and believes

"An Author only realizes he has been understood when he sees

someone reading his books. It was the turning point of my

life," Coelho recalls. "I could never imagine such success." In

recent years, Coelho has returned to his journalistic roots,

writing a weekly column in Brazil's Folha de So Paulo that is

syndicated worldwide.

Brazilian Literature

Brazil is the home of one of the great literary

traditions of the world. Indeed, Brazil publishes more

literature annually than the other major Latin American

countries. And a respectable amount of Brazilian literature has

been translated into English. For example: The Alchemist

(Portuguese: O Alquimista) is a novel by Paulo Coelho first

published in the year 1988. Originally, written in Portuguese

by its Brazilian-born author. The official language of Brazil

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is Portuguese. Generally they are speaking and writing in their

official national language. This is due to the fact that the

Portuguese had occupied and colonized Brazil since the

sixteenth century, inspire the local native culture with their

own European ideals, customs, beliefs and language. During the

colonial period (which extended from the 1500’s to the 1800’s),

the literary community of Brazil explored epic poetry,

religious text and a fair amount of the satirical and secular

genres. Well known authors of this time included Jean de Léry,

Hans Staden and Basílio da Gama. In 1800’s, Neoclassicism was

widespread. This style is characterized by linear forms. As

Romanticism declined in the mid-1800, Realism became popular in

literature. Modernism began in 1922, and was characterized by

an exploration of one’s self, a questioning of what others said

or did, a sense of individualism, a doubt of absolute truths

and a sense of randomness. Writers like Mário de Andrade,

Oswald de Andrade, and Cassiano Ricardo were respected for the

Modernist works. Post-Modernism is more difficult to define as

it was aroused uncertainty of the narrator, paradox and

fragmentation. This encouraged thinking for one’s self and

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creating one’s own reality. Today, Brazilian literature

continues to evolve; representing the diversity of the country

in new and exciting ways. One of the evolutionary books is The

Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It is listed in the Guinness Book of

World Records as the most translated book by a living author.

The Alchemist was originally published in 1988 in Portuguese by a

small Brazilian press HarperCollins publishers; it became a

Brazilian bestseller.

His novels have awakened a great interest in the

international community of writers, while attracting the

endless number of readers across the Earth’s meridians. Today,

Coelho is self- established as a universal literary phenomenon.

His literature is dynamically and vividly written; it rises

from the human experiences and penetrates through every

individual. His style introduces many realities shaped under

the literary system which places on the weight scale the good

and the ugly. Coelho writes a genre of literature dedicated to

the person, his demands, his loses and pains as well as his

care for his identity. Therefore it converses with the person,

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with the language of immortality that vitalizes the language

which runs through the alchemy of a writing style with

universal messages, which Coelho constantly has gathered them

from biblical contexts.

Indeed, he has a biblical style consequently he has

absorbed with a high level of mastery this magnum opus inside

his literature, not only in the topic level but also in his

vibrant discourse. As a Brazilian writer, Paulo Coelho is

presented before the meadow of literature, as an author with an

unusual creative potential, he is a writer that owns the art of

confession in a masterful fashion which creates attractive and

admired stories.

He transmits messages, with vibrant texts, which are well

known to be endless sources in philosophy, psychology and

theology. As Friedrich Hegel would say, “These are texts that

emerge from the soul and their destination is the human

character” (http://petertase.com/2013/01/07/the-alchemist-by-

paulo-coelho/). Paulo Coelho with his novel “The Alchemist,”

has not only reached a world record; he appears as a specific

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model of narration before the World of literature, a new

tradition which leaves ample space for multiple analysis and

literary interpretations.

The lyrics and prose of “The Alchemist,” are built with

simple style, its content has a thin implicit layer of

philosophy, which speaks through symbols, textual recollections

and inter-textual levels of meaning. The author has knitted

the text through the linear unfolding, which is very similar to

the genre of magic realism. Truthfully, his style is a

brilliant mirror image of a gigantic literature, constructed

inside a huge literary grid, where the universal literature and

cultural codes coexist while being continuously revitalized.

These codes are reconstructed and have reappeared with a help

of the skillful perceptions of Coelho. He is a famous master

of narrative; he would enliven every character, while

cheerfully shaping various plot sequences, and transform the

past as part of the contemporary through the cultural,

religious and symbolical memories. Indeed, “The Alchemist” is

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navigating through all these semantic layers which represent

philosophical, religious and ethical messages.

The works of Coelho, generally – with an exception on “The

Alchemist” – are emerging as a representation where literature

finds strong connection with dialogue and has discovered the

mirror of self-identification with the art of literature,

therefore the individual is faced with eternal challenges that

engulf him every instant as well as on every corner of the

space. His work “The Alchemist” is the masterful literary

discourse; in respect to the definition that literature is

considered a dialogue between the author and the reader, Coelho

has accomplished this task with an energized dialogue and

concludes by saying that: “The work is considered outstanding

only when its purpose is accomplished.”(Coelho)

Allegorical Novel

“The Alchemist” is an Allegorical Novel. The author as an

expert takes the reader into dramatic situations, with many

adventures he can return at the point of departure right where

the story ends. The end reveals the purpose of the text.

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Everything is developed inside a masterful narration, where the

rhythm of assertion, proceeds gradually with the structure and

selection of the story. The allegory is an overwhelming feature

in the novel, covered by a symbolic language which is present

throughout the text. This list of narration is attained with

dynamic literary sequences in the epilogue, when the author

selected the most paradox fable and surprisingly takes the

reader at the point of departure.

However, according to Umberto Eco, the author, as a great

master of storytelling, understands that the literary text is

an open structure; this is why he creates images and sometimes

multiple images that allow the possibility for an infinite

understanding. Coelho does not conclude this novel with an

epilogue; in reality, at this stage the literary touch are just

starting, present with hermeneutical interpretations, searching

the significance of symbolic and allegorical elements which the

author controls amazingly. In the mean time textual and semi

logic analysis, represent the organizational symbols and the

structure of a text which is built inside a literary

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communication system that considers literature as a dialogue,

as a culture and vice versa. Literature and Culture are two

worlds that influence each other.

Inter-textual Course of the Prose

According to Roland Barthes, a French philosopher, in the

philosophy of literature, the inter text is focused on that

every text is an inter text, or said simply, the literature is

a dialogue, where every text and author is dependable on other

texts. Coelho is aware of this element and this is the reason

why his characters emerge as explicit and implicit at times.

The novel is starting with an explicit reference, which

entangles the biblical discourse and the Bible itself in its

content, as part of the configuration of his literary fiction;

meanwhile in continuation of his narrative, he absorbs his

literary experience, the elements of inter-textual philosophy

and presents his discourse in a more sophisticated way, just

like in his description of biblical shepherds. Definitely, this

novel has an organizational structure, similar to a virtual

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circle, around which is rotating the character named Santiago

and the reader of this novel.

Seen with the help of inter-textual philosophy the dream

resembles with the familiar biblical messages. On the dream it

is said to Joseph to get married with Mary because there will

be born the savior of the World. Meanwhile in the dream he is

told to disappear from Herod, who is willing to kill the child,

the savior of Humanity. These elements are literary significant

for the author, from which he constructs his ideas and purposes

for this story. From here, the dream and reality are shown as

overwhelming characteristics which play a typical role in the

novel. The temporary aspects of literary significance, these

two characteristics are points of view in order to understand

the literary intention of the author, a purpose which

corresponds deeply with the great biblical and symbolical

codes, which Coelho utilizes skillfully not only in this novel

but also in his other writings in the Brazilian Literature.

Coelho’s multi-talented writing a skill inspires many

people and he is one of the world’s most popular spiritual

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writers. His books including The Alchemist, Manual of the

Warrior of Light and Veronica Decides to Die. His works are

tackling everything in the meaning of life. The book of “The

Alchemist” also teaches the way of persuading the meaning of

life. That is why Coelho choose the title wisely. Alchemist is

about turning common, ordinary objects into something of the

most value like gold. The story of the Alchemist is about

taking the common ordinary events of life, and life itself, and

turning them into something beyond value. Every beginning needs

a forward and constant step. In this novel Coelho took an

ordinary shepherd boy’s life into a meaningful. His first step

is a dream, and to achieve a personal legend. According to

Paulo Coelho: “It’s called the principle of favorability,

beginner’s luck. Because life wants you to achieve your

Personal Legend.” (27)

Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” deals with the quest of the

boy, named Santiago who is searching for his dream and personal

legend. Santiago wants to know about himself, so he left his

family and bought some sheep and started to lead his life as a

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shepherd. One day while he was sleeping near a sycamore tree in

the sacristy of an abandoned church, Santiago, was getting a

recurring dream about a child who tells him that he will find a

hidden treasure if he travels to the Egyptian pyramids. An old

woman gipsy tells Santiago that his dream is prophetic and that

he must follow its instructions. Santiago is uncertain,

however, he enjoys the life of a shepherd with his flock.

Next Santiago meets a mysterious old man who can able to

read his mind. This man introduces himself as Melchizedek, or

the King of Salem. He tells Santiago about good and bad omens

and says that it is the shepherd boy's duty to pursue his

Personal Legend. Melchizedek then gives Santiago two stones,

Urim and Thummim, with which to interpret omens.

Santiago sells his flock and purchases a ticket to

Tangier, in northern Africa, which he travels by boat. Shortly

after he arrives there, a thief steals all of Santiago's money,

so the shepherd boy decides to look for a way to make enough

money to return home. He finds work in the shop of a crystal

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merchant, where Santiago makes improvements that gather

considerable financial rewards.

After eleven months of working in the shop, Santiago is

unsure of how to proceed his way. Should he return to Andalusia

a rich man and buy more sheep? Or should he cross the vast

Sahara in pursuit of the hidden treasure of his dreams?

Finally, He joins a caravan to traveling to Egypt.

Santiago meets an Englishman who wants to learn the secret

of alchemy, or turning any metal into gold, from a famous

alchemist who lives at an oasis on the way to the pyramids.

While traveling, Santiago begins listening to the desert and

discovers the Soul of the World. The caravan eventually reaches

the oasis, and there Santiago meets an Arab girl named Fatima

and falls in love with her instantly. The caravan leader

gathers the travelers and tells them that tribal warfare

prevents them from continuing their journey.

Few days passed Santiago wanders from the oasis into the

desert and, see two hawks fighting in the sky, a vision of an

army entering the oasis. Attacking an oasis is a violation of

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the rules of the desert; Santiago shares his vision with the

oasis's tribal chieftain. Soon afterwards, Santiago is faced by

a black-garbed, veiled stranger with a sword, who sits on a

white horse, it is the alchemist. The tribal chieftain arms his

men, and they are well-prepared when the oasis is invaded. The

alchemist offers to cross the desert with Santiago. While they

were in the journey Santiago started to listen the voice of his

heart. Moreover, he was ready to achieve his Personal Legend.

Soon these two men enter into an area of tribal warfare.

Warriors hold them captive, but eventually allow them to

continue their journey. The alchemist tells Santiago that he

needs to return to the oasis, and that the rest of the trip is

Santiago's to make alone so that he can claim his Personal

Legend.

Santiago arrives at the Egyptian pyramids and begins to

dig. He finds nothing buried in the ground. Thieves beat

Santiago and rob money. After he tells them of his dream,

though, one of the thieves recounts his own dream about a

buried treasure in the sacristy of an abandoned church.

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Returning to Andalusia, Santiago goes back to the church

where he dreamed of the treasure near the pyramids. He digs

where he slept, beneath a sycamore tree, and there it is:

Santiago's treasure and he is happy to return to Fatima with

his treasure. Finally, Santiago is became a personal legend,

and he knew the path of his dream. He became an Alchemist who

can turn an ordinary thing into gold.

Once Santiago told that “people are afraid to pursue their

most important dreams because they feel they don’t deserve

them, or that they’ll be unable to achieve them” (124), and

with the similar thought Oscar Wilde said, “Each man kills the

thing he loves.”(x) And it is true. For the ordinary person it

is not possible. They are not ready to sacrifice their time and

world. Coelho encourages the readers to know themselves, the

importance of the time, and helps them to obtain the strong

strength to shine as an Alchemist in their life.

The subsequent chapter is deals with the Hermeneutic

theory and its feature.

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Chapter-II

Introduction to Literary

Theory

There is a mutual relationship between Literature and

Literary Theory. In fact the history of literary criticism

deals with parallel to the history of literature in ancient

Greece.

Aristotle (384-322B.C) , The Greece philosopher wrote a

major critical piece called poetics in the fourth century B.C.

It is still considered a highly significant and influential

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work of literary study, especially his concepts of ‘mimesis’

and ‘catharsis’. Aristotle based his theories on Epic and

Tragedy after and careful study of the work of homer and

Sophocles.

The theory is derived from the Greek word ‘theoria’ which

means contemplation or speculation. It is an account of general

principles of practice. Literary criticism is different from

literary theory. Literary critics have not always theorists.

Literary criticism is the study, interpretation, classifying

and evaluating work of literature. It is considered as a

practical application of literary theory as criticism always

directly deals with a literary work from a theoretical work.

Criticism as Aristotle first instituted the term ‘critic’ in a

literary application is as old as Bacon’s Advancement of

Learning (1605). It was Dryden who first used the word

‘criticism’ now it is accepted in sense of “any formal

discussion of literature”.

Dr. Johnson defined a critic as “A person skilled in the

art of judging literature, a man able to distinguish the faults

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and beauties of writing” and criticism as “the task of

determining principle to evaluate the merits of a literary

composition.”

I.A Richards a twentieth century critic in his major book,

Principles of literary Criticism and Practical Criticism included theory

and practise in literary studies. Theory provides a structure

of practice and he was an example of the method called

practical or applied criticism. Richards argued that “the twin

pillars upon which a theory of criticism must rest are an

account of value and an account of communication”.

Today literary criticism or literary study which includes

literary theory is no more a parasitical discipline. There is

no literature without criticism literature exists in criticism.

Hermeneutics and Literary Hermeneutics

The word “Hermeneutics” is derived from the Greek verb

hermeneuein which means “to interpret”. Hermeneutics from an

etymological perspective has its origin from Hermes, the

messengers of the Gods in Greek mythology. Their task was to

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convey the message of the Gods to people. In order to carry out

his duty he had to first understand the message before

explaining it to mortal beings. The name Hermes signifies

speech, an interpreter and a messenger dealing with language.

Some of the major hermeneuticians are Friedrich Schleiermacher,

Martin Heidegger, Hans Georg Gadamer and Paul Ricoeur.

Friedrich Schleiermacher is considered as the father of

modern hermeneutics. He was a German philosopher and

theologian. He established modern hermeneutic and influenced by

a general hermeneutic methodologies such as Biblical

hermeneutics, literary hermeneutics, philological hermeneutics

and juridical hermeneutics.

He defined hermeneutic as “the study of understanding of

understanding itself”. (Chandra Joseph. Samy, Antony KS.

Classical to contemporary Literary Theory a Demystified Approach

Chennai: Prakash Printers, 2007. (85). This tasks of hermeneutics is

to discover meaning and its goal is understanding. The three

basic concepts in hermeneutics are:

The whole of meaning

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Relevance of historicity

Language as the core of its activity.

Friedrich Schleiermacher’s theory of understanding focuses

on the reconstruction or recreation of the author’s intended

meaning.

In the nineteenth century Wilhelm Dilthey, the German

philosopher of history defined Hermeneutics as “a methodology

for the recovery of meaning”. Hermeneutics first began as the

interpretation of difficult ancient text. Certain rules and

guidelines were introduced for the understanding and

interpretation of text, it was called Exegetical Hermeneutics.

Schleiermacher laid new departure with his emphasis on

‘understanding’ as the unify aspects of all the braches of

hermeneutics.

Martin Heidegger, the German philosopher gave

hermeneutics a new dimensioned by leading it away from the

subjectivist and the psychological tendencies of Schleiermacher

and Dilthey. He gave hermeneutics a phenomenological turns,

that making it not only general but fundamental.

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In his book, ‘Being and Time’, he elaborates on the ‘fore

structures’ of understanding, and he finds “always and already

in tradition”, understanding and tradition are inseparable. He

explains that all understanding is “understanding as” we

understand a thing as car, as chair, etc. The ‘as-structure’ of

interpretation is based on the fore-structure of understanding,

which consists of fore-having, fore-sight and fore-conception,

which are also called the ‘hermeneutical situation’ or the

‘horizon’. The term ‘horizon’ refers to the situations or

context-bound character of interpretation.

Heidegger’s student, Gadamer contributed to field of

hermeneutics. He argued that “Experience, culture and earlier

understanding render the scientific ideal of objectivity

impossible” (Gadamer, 87). His masterpiece work is ‘Truth and

Method’ in which he made a major contribution to philosophical

hermeneutics. He is one of the marvellous supporters of

hermeneutic and his influence on the humanistic has been

reflective. He assumed that philosophy is no use if it could

not be understood. Arts and sciences are the two different

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modes of experiencing the world of understanding. He is clear

that understanding cannot be limited to any rules. Gadamer

doesn’t throw out the methodological concerns but emphasize the

concern of understanding as a dialogic, practical, situated

activity.

Literary Hermeneutics

Werner J. Jeanrond in his book, Theological

Hermeneutics: Development and Significance classifies

hermeneutics into two types:

Philosophical hermeneutics is called “macro”

hermeneutics.

Literary, theological and juridical hermeneutics

called “micro” hermeneutics.

He explains that “while the study of literature and art,

and the theological and legal interpretation of texts are

primarily concerned with the interpretation of a specific body

of works, philosophy is more interested in hermeneutic

principles as such”(classical to contemporary literary theory-

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88). It says that literary hermeneutics is not only the theory

of the interpretation of a literary work but it deals with the

practical orientation of the real interpretation of the

literary work. Philosophical hermeneutics on the other hand

provides the methodological opinion and basis on the theory of

understanding and interpretation.

In Gardamer’s “Truth and Method” book has discusses

aesthetic experience and hermeneutics. It says the work of art

is belongs to its world and to the interpreter in a dialectical

unity. For Gardamer, Art is a revelation of life or the

unveiling of truth. The truth of art is not ‘correctness’ but

‘unconcealment’- to make open what is hidden or masked. For

Gardamer, Art is play, symbol and festival. The artwork opens

its symbolic character using liberty in both the world and our

own being in the world is brought to glow as a single, but it’s

infinite. In the experience of art, the critics are not just

given a ‘moment’ of vision but are able to ‘dwell’ along with

the work that takes out of ordinary time into what Gadamer

calls ‘fulfilled’ time or ‘autonomous’ time. Accordingly the

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artwork has a festive or joyful, as well as symbolic and

playful character given that the joyful similarity takes out of

ordinary time to true possible unity.

Hermeneutics is concerned with uncovering the deeper

truths of human life with the help of using scientific method.

Literature is a verbal art-form that can be only realised when

the text is read. Other types of Arts are fully realized only

by when they are presented. Gardamer argued that, “Art is a

mode of experiencing reality. We cannot avoid an engagement

with literature as it is a legitimate source of knowledge”. For

Gardamer, understanding the world and the literary work is

always from a given ‘horizon’. Horizon means a particular view

point or perspective. It differs from person to person. Thus,

horizon is not fixed and static; it is fluid, active and

dynamic.

In supplement to horizon, tradition plays an vital role in

our understanding of reality, a text or a work of art.

Gardamer’s idea of Historical Consciousness and the ‘fusion of

horizons ‘has become the standard vocabulary of modern

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hermeneutics. Meaning and consciousness are affected by

history. Gadamer has a dynamic view of tradition. He firmly

that: “to stand within a tradition does not limit the freedom

of knowledge but makes it possible”.

Gadamer writes about the important and its role of

tradition that, “That which has been sanctioned by tradition

and custom has an authority that is nameless... our finite

historical Being is marked by the fact ; that always the

authority of what has been transmitted has power over our

attitudes and behaviour.” Further he stressed on the

application in hermeneutics along with understanding and

interpretation.

In biblical and juridical hermeneutics, application is an

integral aspect of understanding and interpretation, whereas in

literary hermeneutics the crucial questions are “what does this

literary work mean to me? And “what does it mean today?. The

principle of Gadamerian Hermeneutics is: There can be no

“presuppositionless” understanding. Another critic J.Bleicher

wrote, “Gadamer emphasizes that the process of text-

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understanding is always fuelled by the reader’s pre-

understandings and by his or her interests in participating in

the meaning of the text”.

According to the deconstructionist critic Paul de Man, one

witnesses “the absolute randomness of language prior to any

figuration of meaning”. Rudolf Bultman explains the concept of

“pre-understanding” in a very simple manner. He writes: “You

cannot understand a paper or a book on mathematics unless you

think mathematically, or a book and philosophy unless you think

philosophically... you cannot understand a novel unless you

know from your own life what love or friendship, hate or

jealousy”.

Socrates defined a Man as a rational Being. Gadamer

defines a Ma as a dialogical Being. Hermeneutic study is for

him a dialogue between the text and the reader. The purpose or

the meaning of the author is not important. When a reader move

towards the text with a certain preunderstanding and his all

presuppositions or prejudices may get adapted and even

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rejected. It leads towards the ultimate fusion of horizons- the

horizon of the text and that of the reader.

In literary hermeneutics a text is important and

essential. Reading a literary text is not just an intellectual

activity but it’s important to the readers for their

personalisation and understanding. Paul Ricoeur who defined

Hermeneutics as the “theory of the operation of understanding

of texts”, points out to “a positive gain in self-understanding

for the reader arising from the hermeneutic struggle to

understand the author’s text”. He adds: “The symbol gives arise

to thought”. Understanding is to be in the world with a new

self-understand.

Gadamer asserts that ‘The discovery of the true meaning of

a text or a work of art is never finished’.

He refers to the “endless happenings of meanings” and “the

unclosability of the horizon of meanings”. As a result

hermeneutics enables us to reconceptualise knowledge and

realise something more valuable than a deconstructed tower of

Babel. While Derrida demolishes all rules that claim to

SINDU 32

meaning, Gadamer insists that meaning is the goal of all

interpretative endeavours and understanding is ever on the way

of truth.

The subsequent chapter Hermeneutic theory is applied and

analyzed to the work of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist.

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Chapter III

Theory of Hermeneutics Embedded

Hermeneutics is meant by interpretation. It also refers to

the theories of biblical interpretations. Here, hermeneutic

study is applied particularly on five important aspects in

Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. They are spiritual quest, dream,

love, personal legend and treasure. Paulo Coelho’s “The

Alchemist” used allegories from Bible stories and characters to

exhibit it. These parables bring delighted to the readers for

grasping the notions quickly. The beginning observation of the

hermeneutic study with biblical interpretation is the theme of

spiritual quest. This novel starts with a spiritual place of

destroyed chapel.

Spiritual Quest

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Andalusia shepherd boy, Santiago had studied Latin,

Spanish, and theology. His parents wanted him to a priest, but

he didn’t want to become a priest. He wanted to know the world,

and this was much more important to him than knowing God and

learning about man’s sins. So he came out from his home. He

refused to obey his father’s advice and his father gave a

pouch that held three ancient Spanish gold coins. This story is

same like a Bible Parable called “The Prodigal Son”.

“And not many days after the younger son gathered all

together, and took his journey into a far country, and there

wasted his substance with riotous living.” (Luke 15:13)

The position of Santiago’s father has compared to a man in

Biblical parable that ‘lost his son’. These two fathers had

granted an amount to their sons to survive in the outer world.

In this story, a similar situation prevails that they wanted

their son back and alive. “And he gave the boy blessing. The

boy could see in his father’s gaze a desire to be able,

himself, to travel the world-a desire that was still alive (9).

These two sons lost their money which was given by their

SINDU 35

fathers. Finally, Santiago had spent his time with hunger and

thirsty as like as the Prodigal son. “And Prodigal son went and

joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him

into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled

his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man

gave unto him.” (Luke 15:15)

Like Santiago voluntarily ask a work to the crystal

merchant in Tangier. “I can clean up those glasses in the

window, if you want. In exchange, you could give me something

to eat.” (43)

The attitudes of these two characters are same. Finally

they realize the truth of the world’s treasure and knew

themselves with the help of the soul of universe.

The spiritual quest is nothing but it is a treasure.

Treasure doesn’t always have to be gold or money, but which

gives Peace and joy forever. The Alchemist once said, “Where

your treasure is, there also will be your heart” (151).

Everybody can achieve their treasure only to listen to the true

language of Universe. In this novel Paulo Coelho showed a

SINDU 36

strong character who is living at Oasis in Sahara desert. He is

an amazing man and a real Alchemist, who knows the language of

the Universe. “It’s a man who understands nature and the world”

(134) and he has a power that he can change an ordinary man

into an extraordinary man. Obviously, the work of alchemist is

about turning common and ordinary objects into something of the

most values, gold. The Alchemist could take the common ordinary

man or events of life and turning them into something beyond

value. He could hear the voice of the nature and he can use the

force of nature. Once he said to Santiago that, “I already know

how to turn myself into the wind” (136).He helps Santiago to

hear the voice of nature and transform himself to wind. When

Santiago was afraid to transform, he encourage him and muttered

to him that, “Don’t give in to your fears, if you do, you won’t

be able to talk to your heart” (135). The language doesn’t need

words to speak to nature and heart. Santiago has already had

that experience with his sheep. He realized that if he can

learn to understand this language without words, he can learn

to understand the world. When Santiago has a faith to transform

SINDU 37

himself into the wind, the alchemist told him about the

Spiritual quest.

“Remember what I told you: the world is only the visible

aspect of God. And that what alchemy does is to bring spiritual

perfection into contact with the material plane” (136).

Finally, Santiago has felt the presence of God within

himself and in the real world. He got the wisdom of the

universe with the help and guidance of the Alchemist. Alchemy

is the medieval “science” of transforming rocks into gold.

Alchemy plays an important part in the plot (literal level) of

the story, but it also becomes a symbol, or allegorical device,

in the legend (figurative level). Coelho is really used the

characters, events and symbols as tools to show us how to

achieve spiritual alchemy. In other words, how do find or

recognize the “gold,” Personal Legend in the “rocks” of the

everyday, ordinary, simple details of our lives. As Santiago

discovers, sometimes the “gold” is not far away, not glittery,

not exotic, and not complicated, but it may require a journey

SINDU 38

of courage, faith and perseverance to discover what it is and

where it is hidden.

Dream

Secondly, the hermeneutic study goes to study on the main

core of the novel, dream. Everybody has a dream in their world

only the follower can achieve it. The dreams are successions of

images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur

involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream). Dreams have different

types, Outer world and inner world dreams. The Indian text

Upanishads, written between nine hundred and five hundred BC,

emphasize two meanings on dreams. The first says that dreams

are merely expressions of inner desires. The second is the

belief of the soul leaving the body and being guided until

awakened. The outer world dreams have not let a man to sleep.

It depended upon the earthly desires or passions.

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“Dream is not that which you see while sleeping it is

something that does not let you sleep.” A.P.J. Abdul Kalam,

(Wings of Fire: An Autobiography).There is so many

interpretations about dreams. Somebody would interpret the

dreams and somebody believes that it is a symbol of a good or a

bad omen from God. Right from the beginning the very concept

was not clear at all.

In ancient Egypt, as far back as two thousand BC, the

Egyptians wrote down their dreams on papyrus. People with vivid

and significant dreams were thought blessed and were considered

special. Ancient Egyptians believed that dreams were like

oracles, bringing messages from the Gods. They thought that the

best way to receive divine revelation was through dreaming and

thus they would induce or "incubate" dreams. Egyptians would go

to sanctuaries and sleep on special "dream beds" in hope of

receiving advice, comfort, or healing from the gods. [ Lincoln,

J.S. (1935). The dream in primitive cultures London: Cressett.]

Paulo has given the same ideas in the first chapter in

“The Alchemist”. Like an Egyptians a shepherd boy, Santiago was

SINDU 40

chosen his bed for his comfort and rest. “The boy arrived with

his herd at an abandoned church. The roof had fallen long ago,

and an enormous sycamore had grown on the spot where the

sacristy had once stood.” There were no wolves in that region,

so he was too comfort with his herd and his “dream bed” was

formed by sycamore leaves.

His dream starts after he got asleep in the “dream bed” in

the half-destroyed chapel, where he had a prophetic dream

before. “He had the same dream that night as a week ago, and

once again he had awakened before it ended” (1). Paulo Coelho

starts his story on the strange dream by Santiago. The reason

behind the dream is the good Omen for guiding and leading into

the Personal Legend. The Omen follows and helps him to reach

about his oneself.

The ancient Hebrews connected their dreams heavily with

their religion, though the Hebrew was monotheistic and believed

that dreams were the voice of one’s God alone. Hebrews also

differentiated between good dreams (from God) and bad dreams

(from evil spirits). The Hebrews, like many other ancient

SINDU 41

cultures, incubated dreams in order to receive divine

revelation. For example, the Hebrew prophet Samuel would "lie

down and sleep in the temple at Shiloh before the Ark and

receive the word of the Lord." Most of the dreams in the Bible

are in the Book of Genesis.[ 'A letter that has not been read:

Dreams in the Hebrew Bible,'' Shaul Bar. Books.google.co.il.

Retrieved 2013-04-04 ]

Christians mostly shared their beliefs with the Hebrews

and thought that dreams were of the supernatural element

because the Old Testament had frequent stories of dreams with

divine inspiration. The most famous of these dream stories was

Jacob's dream of a ladder that stretched from Earth to Heaven.

Many Christians preach that God can speak to his people through

their dreams.

Iain R. Edgar has researched the role of dreams in Islam.[

Edgar, Iain (2011). The Dream in Islam: From Qur'anic Tradition

to Jihadist Inspiration. Oxford: Berghahn Books. p. 178. ISBN

978-0-85745-235-1.] He has argued that dreams play an important

role in the history of Islam and the lives of Muslims. Dream

SINDU 42

interpretation, is the only way that Muslims can receive

revelations from God after the death of the last Prophet

Mohammed.[20]

In every part of the world history, dreams had played a

vital role. Above some examples of records are added to know

the outline of the dream. In the novel “The Alchemist” we find

a shape with a dream of a shepherd boy, and it was a dream of

travel. It is very difficult to know the world, because the

world is within the human being. As the language of Paulo

Coelho dreams are considered to be a good omen. The researchers

would think Santiago’s story has coincides with the story of

Samuel in the book I Samuel.

Hushed was the evening hymn;

The temple courts were dark;

The lamp was burning dim

Before the sacred ark;

When suddenly a voice divine

SINDU 43

Rang through the silence of the shrine.

O give me Samuel’s heart,

A lowly heart, that waits,

Wherein thy house thou art

Or watches at thy gates,

By day and night a heart that still

Moves at the breathing of thy will!

O give me Samuel’s mind,

A sweet murmuring faith,

Obedient and resigned

To thee in life and death,

That I may read with childlike eyes,

Truths that are hidden from the wise!

(Hymns [1948], no. 252)

SINDU 44

Samuel was an ordinary boy in the tabernacle, who was

called a son of a Hannah a daughter of Belial. Hannah brought

her son up to the sanctuary and remains there forever. One day

he was called by some strange voice. The boy followed the voice

of God and he obeys it. He was become a Prophet of the

Israelites. Likewise, Santiago follows his dream and he becomes

a Prophet to Oasis people. He can communicate to the world. He

knew the language of Nature. The boy reached through to the

Soul of the world, and saw that it was a part of the Soul of

God. And he saw that the Soul of God was his own soul, and that

he, a boy, could perform miracles. In I Cor. 3:16 says “Ye are

the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelled in you.”

Every character in this novel has resembles to the old

king of Salem. The glass merchant, Englishman, Candy seller,

Alchemist, and the thief were leading Santiago to get the dream

of treasure.

“The candy seller had a smile on his face, he was happy and

aware of what his life was about, and ready to begin a

SINDU 45

day's work. His smile reminded the boy of the old man — the

mysterious old king he had met.” (41)

It was an amazing usage technique of the characters in the

novel by Paulo Coelho. Every character helps to achieve his

treasure. The dream is a powerful weapon to know about human.

The way to reach the dream is painful, but if you accept the

pain the gain is yours. If you put some effort it helps to lift

you up.

"Never stop dreaming," the old king had said. "Follow the

omens." (59)

The alchemist says about the difficulties faced by the

dreamer to reach the goal. The following story is said by the

alchemist about Centurion:

I want to tell you a story about dreams, said the

alchemist. The boy brought his horse closer to alchemist. In

ancient Rome, at the time of Emperor Tiberius, there lived a

good man who had two sons, one was in the military, and was

sent to the most distant regions of the empire. The other son

SINDU 46

was a poet, and delighted all of Rome with his beautiful

verses.

One night, the father had a dream, an angel appeared to

him. And told him that, the words of one of his sons would be

learned and repeated throughout the world for all generations

to come. The father woke from his dream grateful and crying,

because life was generous, and had revealed to him something

any father would be proud to know.

Shortly thereafter, the father died as he tried to save a

child who was about to be crushed by the wheels of a chariot.

Since he had lived his entire life in a manner that was correct

and fair, he went directly to heaven, where he met the angel

that had appeared in his dream. You were always a good man, the

angel said to him. You lived your life in a loving way, and

died with dignity. I can now grant you any wish you desire.

Life was good to me, the man said. When you appeared in my

dream, I felt that all my efforts had been rewarded, because my

son's poems will be read by men for generations to come. I

don't want anything for myself. But any father would be proud

SINDU 47

of the fame achieved by one whom he had cared for as a child,

and educated as he grew up. Sometime in the distant future, I

would like to see my son's words.

The angel touched the man's shoulder, and were they both

projected far into the future. They were in an immense setting,

surrounded by thousands of people speaking a strange language.

The man wept with happiness. I knew that my son's poems were

immortal, he said to the angel through his tears. Can you

please tell me which of my son's poems these people are

repeating? The angel came closer to the man, and, with

tenderness, led him to a bench nearby, where they sat down.

The verses of your son who was the poet were very popular

in Rome, the angel said. Everyone loved them and enjoyed them.

But when the reign of Tiberius ended, his poems were forgotten.

The words you're hearing now are those of your son in the

military. The man looked at the angel in surprise. Your son

went to serve at a distant place, and became a centurion. He

was just and good. One afternoon, one of his servants fell ill,

and it appeared that he would die. Your son had heard of a

SINDU 48

rabbi who was able to cure illnesses, and he rode out for days

and days in search of this man. Along the way, he learned that

the man he was seeking was the Son of God. He met others who

had been cured by him, and they instructed your son in the

man's teachings. And so, despite the fact that he was a Roman

centurion, he converted to their faith. Shortly thereafter, he

reached the place where the man he was looking for was

visiting.

He told the man that one of his servants was gravely ill,

and the rabbi made ready to go to his house with him. But the

centurion was a man of faith, and, looking into the eyes of the

rabbi, he knew that he was surely in the presence of the Son of

God. And this is what your son said, the angel told the man.

These are the words he said to the rabbi at that point, and

they have never been forgotten: My Lord, I am not worthy that

you should come under my roof. But only speak a word and my

servant will be healed. The alchemist said, No matter what he

does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history

of the world. And normally he doesn't know it. (149)

SINDU 49

Alchemist encourages Santiago to achieve his dream.

Actually, a dream is not a simple thing. The dreamer would

always live and remembers the dream thoughts. The boy Santiago

too remembered his dreams often. If the person achieves his

dream he makes a history, for example: the legends like

Alexander the great, Nelson Mandela, A.P.J Abdul Kalam, and so

many. Paulo also insisted that dream can change a man’s

behavior, life and even thoughts.

It's the possibility of having a dream come true that

makes life interesting. (11)

He was giving too much importance to his recurrent dream.

That’s why he went to the old women Gipsy in Tarifa, who

interpreted dreams and accept the covenant with the old king

Melchizedek for giving the tithing. “If you want to learn about

your own treasure, you will have to give me one-tenth of your

flock.” (23)

Paulo Coelho once again compared Santiago’s character into

the biblical character Joseph. Two thousand years ago, in a

distant land, a man who believed in dreams was thrown into a

SINDU 50

dungeon and then sold as a slave. Merchants bought that young

Joseph, and brought him to Egypt. All of us knew that whoever

believes in dreams also knows how to interpret them. The elder

continued, when the pharaoh dreamed of cows that were thin and

cows that were fat, Joseph interpreted and rescued Egypt from

famine. He, too, was a stranger in a strange land, like

Santiago, and he was probably about his age.

He always observes the Tradition. The Tradition saved

Egypt from famine in those days, and he made the Egyptians the

wealthiest of peoples. Joseph’s final dream was his children

wants to go to the promise land called Canaan. The Tradition

teaches men how to cross the desert, and how their children

should marry.

"When a person really desires something, all the universe

conspires to help that person to realize his dream," said the

alchemist, echoing the words of the old king. (109)

In order to know that the good omens will follow and help

those who want to reach the dream or a destiny. “Learn to

recognize omens, and follow them,” the old king had said. Paulo

SINDU 51

says to the reader that, “Never stop dreams and follow the

omens.” (59)

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Love

The successful novel would definitely have the record

of the experience of the human life. Love is also the part in a

human life, without love human is nothing. Paulo Coelho has

also given importance to love in his novel. From the beginning

Santiago thinks about the love and affection of his parent.

Because his parent allowed him to get his own way. They loved

him very much. Santiago always remembers his father’s advice

when he starts his journey. His parents want him to become a

priest why because they are a middle class farm family but, his

parents were given the knowledge of the Latin, Spanish, and

theology to him. So if he chose priest they will definitely get

the honor from the society. But he rejects. Instead he revealed

his final decision is wanted to travel far away from his home

town. They tried to convince him but he persuades the truth of

his side and discussed about his love to travel and get

adventure.

It's a force of love that appears to be negative, but

actually shows you how to realize your destiny. It prepares

SINDU 53

your spirit and your will, because there is one great truth on

this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do,

when you really want something, it's because that desire

originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on

earth. (21)

Most of the people in the world have dreams, but they are

not following it. Only they had memories about their dreams.

It’s like a mirage; it is used to denote something that is not

achievable. 

The old king Melchizedek pointed to a baker standing in

his shop window at one corner of the plaza. "When he was a

child, that man wanted to travel, too. But he decided first to

buy his bakery and put some money aside. When he's an old man,

he's going to spend a month in Africa. He never realized that

people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what

they dream of." (21)

In prologue, Paulo Coelho described a story called

Narcissus. It was a beautiful story tells about the reality of

achieving the dream. The followers of dream or destiny may fall

SINDU 54

or sink into it. They may forget everything even their life.

Paulo found a story about Narcissus. The alchemist knew the

legend of Narcissus, a youth who knelt daily beside a lake to

contemplate his own beauty. He was so fascinated by himself

that, one morning, he fell into the lake and drowned. At the

spot where he fell, a flower was born, which was called the

narcissus.

But this was not how the author of the book ended the

story. He said that when Narcissus died the goddesses of the

forest appeared and found the lake, which been fresh water,

transformed into a lake of salty tears.

“Why do you weep?” the goddesses asked.

“I weep for Narcissus,” the lake replied.

“Ah, it is no surprise that you weep for Narcissus,” they

said, “for though we always pursued him in the forest, you

alone could contemplate his beauty close at hand.”

“But…was Narcissus beautiful?” the lake asked.

SINDU 55

“Who better than you to know that?” the goddesses said in

wonder. “After all, it was by your blanks that he knelt each

day to contemplate himself!”

After a while the lake was silent. Finally, it said: “I

weep for Narcissus, but I never noticed that Narcissus was

beautiful. I weep because, each time he knelt beside my banks,

I could see, in the depths of his eyes, own beauty reflected.”

(xiv)

From this amazing story theme declares about the dreamer

and the dream. Narcissus loves the river, and the river loves

Narcissus. They both loved each other and mingled with one

another. Santiago also loves his dream like Narcissus and he

started to take adventure for getting his treasure in the

Pyramid. Even the Pyramids are very far from Andalusia. He may

lose in the Pyramids. The dream gifts a soul mate to Santiago.

Her name is Fatima. She is the lover of Santiago. From the

first sight he falls in love with her.

"I'm going to wait here for you every day. I have crossed

the desert in search of a treasure that is somewhere near the

SINDU 56

Pyramids, and for me, the war seemed a curse. But now it's a

blessing, because it brought me to you." (91)

Santiago couldn’t forget Fatima and his final destiny is

her love. Fatima was more important than his treasure. He

thinks that Fatima was also a good omen. But Alchemist says to

Santiago that, Fatima will be unhappy because she'll feel it

was she who interrupted your quest.

“I'm going away, he said. And I want you to know that I'm

coming back. I love you because. . . Don't say anything,

Fatima interrupted. One is loved because one is loved. No

reason is needed for loving. But the boy continued, I had a

dream, and I met with a king. I sold crystal and crossed

the desert. And, because the tribes declared war, I went to

the well, seeking the alchemist. So, I love you because the

entire universe conspired to help me find you. (116)

From that day on, she would look to it every day, and

would try to guess which star the boy was following in search

of his treasure. She would have to send her love on the wind,

hoping that the wind would touch the boy's heart, and would

SINDU 57

tell him that she was alive. That she was waiting for him, a

woman awaiting a courageous man in search of his treasure. From

that day on, the desert would represent only one thing to her:

the hope for his return.

She encourages him to go and get his treasure. After he

got his treasure, he declared that, “I also have Fatima. She is

a treasure greater than anything else I have won. She wasn't

found at the Pyramids, either”. (110)

In his novel, Paulo Coelho gives more importance to the

theme of love. In the Epilogue he ends with certain love quote

that is “I’m coming, Fatima,” he said. It assures that love is

important to his life of Santiago. Paulo says “Having

disinterred (uncover) our dream, having used the power of love

to nurture it”. (ix)

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we

are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything

around us becomes better too.” (72)

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Personal Legend

If you believe yourself worthy of the thing you fought so

hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help the

Soul of the world, and you understand why you are here.

Everybody in this world can achieve their personal legend. The

God has created some difficult task, like ups and down, good

and bad for humans to get an experience in this earthly life.

Everybody’s personal calling is within them.

The questions will rise, why it is so important to live

our personal calling. Is that person get more suffer than other

ordinary people? Because once he overcome all the defeats, and

he always do. He filled with a greater sense of euphoria and

confidence. In the silent of his hearts, he knows that he is

proving himself worthy of the miracle of life. He starts to

live with enthusiasm and pleasure. Intense, unexpected

suffering passes more quickly than suffering that is apparently

SINDU 59

bearable; the latter goes on for years and, without his

noticing, eats away at his soul, until ,one day, he was no

longer able to free himself from the bitterness and it stays

with him for the rest of his lives. The main obstacle is his

fear. If he gets rid of it he will fight all his lives. Oscar

Wilde said, “Each man kills the thing he loves.”(x)

Santiago then returns to the church and finds the

treasure, thus realizing his dream. This is his personal

legend. In this novel, Paulo showed different climax situation.

Santiago was started his journey with a dream. He had a faith

and confidence to get to know about the destiny. He faced

continuous problems to reach his dream treasure. His dream

leads him into his personal legendry. In Paulo Coelho's novel,

The Alchemist , the main character, Santiago, learns through a

series of complicated planned lessons the true meaning of life,

as well as learning about the Soul and Language of the World.

Santiago understands his personal legend with some incidents.

“When Santiago meets the old King of Salem, Melchizedek,

he teaches the boy for the first time what a Personal Legend

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is. He says that a Personal Legend is "what you have always

wanted to accomplish" (21).

Then he acknowledges his Personal Legend with the help of

old king.

The language of the world will attempt to reveal his

personal legend to him in many different ways, whether it is

through omens, mentors or signs. Whichever way he came to know

his personal legend it is important that he acknowledge it and

took make action for his dreams a reality. After all, "when you

really want something, the universe always conspires in your

favour" (36).

The boy didn’t know what a person’s “destiny” was. Then,

the old man says, “It is easiest for people to realize their

legend when they are young because "at that point in their

lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are

not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would

like to see happen to them in their life. But, as time passes,

a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be

impossible for them to realize their Personal Legend" (21).

SINDU 61

This is why Santiago is called by the name ideal candidate,

because he has not become tired over time. That being said,

everyone can able to pursue their Personal Legend at any time

in their life!

Santiago had set the Clear Goal to reach his destiny.

Without a clear, explicit goal, or Personal Legend, it is

impossible to ever achieve it. The King said that "you must

always know what it is that you want" (56). Santiago's goal was

to find the treasure awaiting him in Egypt.

Coelho uses Santiago's sheep to illustrate a life of

someone who has ignored the call to their Personal Legend. They

live a monotonous life, where "all they think about is food and

water" (11). While these are important things, there is so much

more to life than just the necessities. Money and greed corrupt

some people so that all they think about is how to get more,

which is similar to how the sheep are focused only on one thing

at a time. The sheep "don't even realize that they're walking a

new road every day," (11) very similar to the way some people

get so caught up in the day-to-day that they forget to stop and

SINDU 62

smell the roses. So, do not be like a Sheep if anyone has the

dream about personal legend.

The success of Santiago is, he appreciates the simple

things. The gypsy tells Santiago that "It's the simple things

in life that are the most extraordinary; only wise men are able

to understand them" (15).

When Santiago feels like giving up his personal legend, he

doesn’t do it. Sometime during his quest, he felt if the

universe is not conspiring to help him achieve his Legend. At

this point, the King will "always appear in one form or

another. Sometimes [he] appears in the form of a solution, or a

good idea. At other times, at a crucial moment, [he] makes it

easier for things to happen" (22). Santiago experiences this

when he first arrives in Tangiers and is robbed. He thinks to

himself that he's "too insignificant to conquer the world"

(39), and is really down on himself, but that is when he

remembers the stones the King gave him. This omen tells him to

continue on his journey! Remember the old proverb, "It is said

SINDU 63

that the darkest hour of the night came just before the

dawn."(127)

"Every search begins with beginner's luck. And every

search ends with the victor's being severely tested." (127)

Santiago goes towards his personal legend journey with

fears and doubts. Santiago realizes after hearing about the

baker's ignorance to his Personal Legend that "there [is]

nothing to hold him back except himself" (28). The main reason

why the average person, including the baker and the crystal

merchant, will fail to seek out their Personal Legend is

safety. People are more concerned with making a name for

themselves and being comfortable that they choose to settle for

an average life. When Santiago meets the camel driver, he

reveals to Santiago that people "are always afraid of losing

what [they] have, whether it's [their] life, or possessions and

property. But this fear evaporates when [they] understand that

[their] life stories and the history of the world were written

by the same hand" (76).

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By trusting in fate, you are able to free yourself from

these fears. The alchemist teaches Santiago this as well when

he says “Don’t give into your fears... If you do, you won't be

able to follow your heart... There is only one thing that makes

a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure" (141).

Santiago follows the Omens. In his life the good omens are

follows him to achieve his destiny. When Santiago has first

meeting with old king, Santiago thought a butterfly as a good

omen. “Before the boy could reply, a butterfly appeared and

fluttered between him and the old man. He remembered something

his grandfather had once told him: that butterflies were a good

omen.” (28)

"In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow

the omens. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You

just have to read the omens that he left for you." (28)

Omens help guide Santiago in his quest and the King

repeat this lesson over again before he leaves, so that

Santiago will not forget it, saying, "Don't forget the language

of omens" (30). The crystal merchant asks Santiago at one

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point, "Why ask more out of life?" and Santiago replies,

"Because we have to respond to omens" (52). It's clear that the

merchant has not responded to the omens, and that is why he has

a hard time understanding Santiago’s constant quest for

greatness. Santiago’s journey completes with the help of the

small indent of omens.

Santiago changes himself outlook and learns from every

obstacle. Like the old king said, “You cannot change the

direction of the wind, you can only adjust your sails,"

Santiago realizes that when he thinks positively about his

situation he is much closer to his legend. After receiving the

omen from the King in Tangiers, he thought to himself that

"this wasn't a strange place, it was a new one" (41). Also,

when facing the vast desert Santiago has to cross to reach

Egypt, he recalls "[he's] learned things from the sheep, and

[he's] learned things from crystal... [He] can learn something

from the desert, too" (73). Even though Santiago is not

thrilled with the long walk ahead of him, he knows that if he

looks positively towards his obstacle, he'll be able to learn

valuable lessons from it.

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Carpe Diem means used to urge someone to make the most of

the present time and give little thought to the future.

(https://www.google.co.in/#q=carpe+diem+meaning). Santiago was

urged to make his precious time to be a best part of future.

"I can always go back to being a shepherd, the boy

thought... But maybe I'll never have another chance to get to

the Pyramids in Egypt.... The hills of Andalusia were only two

hours away, but there was an entire desert between him and the

Pyramids. Yet the boy felt that there was another way to regard

his situation: he was actually two hours closer to his

treasure" (64).

Santiago knows that his old life is always waiting for

him, but if he doesn't pursue his Personal Legend now, he may

never be able to do it again. The camel driver also says to

him, "If you can concentrate always on the present, you'll be a

happy man" (85).

Since this is such an important message, it comes up again

when the topic of the seer comes up. The seer says "The secret

is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present you

can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what

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comes later will also be better... Each day, in itself, brings

with it an eternity" (103). Santiago doesn’t be distracted by

the past, or future.

Every step, Santiago forward with brave and courage and he

is a good decision maker too. Santiago begins to understand

that "intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into

the universal current of life... where we are able to know

everything" (74). Our heart knows how to interpret the omens,

and therefore knows the right decision when our conscious mind

is not able to decide on its own. Santiago later realizes that

he "and his heart had become friends, and neither now was

capable of betraying each other" (134). When you really get to

know your heart, you are able to listen to the soul of the

world. The Alchemist tells Santiago, "You already know what you

need to know. I am only going to point you in the direction of

your treasure" (115). This quote illustrates how the power to

find your Personal Legend within you, otherwise it wouldn't be

your Legend! The Alchemist is a mentor of Santiago for gives

him strength and encouraged him to push in to the right

direction that he may need for time to time. Santiago trusted

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himself that his heart can always make the right decision,

after getting the treasure.

Santiago realized when he arrived at his Personal Legend.

He was very happy with his final destiny. He could speak with

his own heart, the desert and wind. Not only had that he

himself changed into wind. He knows the soul of world.

From this novel Paulo Coelho is trying to say what is

called Personal Legend and how to achieve it. In an interview,

he talks about “Four Pillars of Alchemy– four important “tips”

for finding one’s Personal Legend:

One must believe in “The Soul of the World.” The

ancient Latin term for this concept is “anima mundi.”

In short, this idea suggests that everything in the

world is interconnected; that is, what one does

affects everything else, from the smallest grain of

sand to the largest whale, and vice versa. Writers

and thinkers such as Plato, Walt Whitman and Khalil

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Gibran have attempted to illustrate this

interconnectedness in their works.

One must listen to the voice of the heart. Coelho

suggests that sometimes we must

follow our feelings and intuitions, even if we do not fully

understand them. Through

feeling one gains wisdom.

One must be faithful to one’s dreams, for they both

test and reward us. In other words, the path to

achieving one’s Personal Legend may not be an easy

one, but we must endure the tests in order to gain

the rewards.

One must “surrender oneself to the universe.” Coelho

suggests that we must allow ourselves to be open to

recognizing and learning from omens and signs which

come our way (http://www.scribd.com/doc/3036345/Four-

Pillars-of-Alchemy-time 4pm -16/2/14).

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Coelho has said, “When I wrote The Alchemist, I was trying

to understand the reason for the existence of life. Instead of

writing a philosophical treatise, I decided to converse with

the child inside my soul.”

Treasure

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According to Madonna the book “The Alchemist” is a

beautiful book about magic, dreams and treasures we seek

elsewhere and then find on our doorstep.

(http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/titles/9780007487943/the-

alchemist-world-book-night-edition-paulo-coelho)

It is an unforgettable story about the essential wisdom of

listening to the heart and, above all, following the treasure.

"Where your treasure is, there also will be your heart," the

alchemist had told him (149).The earth is a treasure for food,

water, air, metal, and mineral sources for all living beings.

Every soul in this world seeks the treasure of it is own, the

soul of the world is also nourished by people's happiness.

Treasures are made to be followed. "In order to find the

treasure, you will have to follow the omens. God has prepared a

path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens

that he left for you."(28) The king had spoken about signs and

omens, and Santiago had thought about the omens.

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Paulo Coelho described about an omens in an interview by

Laura Sheahen:

Omens are the individual language in which God talks to

somebody. My omens are not your omens. They are this

strange, but very individual language that guides you

towards your own destiny. They are not logical. They talk

to your heart directly. The only way that you can learn any

language is by making mistakes. I made my mistakes, but

then I started to connect with the signs that guide me.

This silent voice of God that leads me to the places where

I should be. (168)

The first and best omen is Melchizedek, (B.C 2000) the king

of Salem. He was very the old king in the bible history. “Of all

God’s ancient high priests nun where greater (Alma 13:19)” And

He was called the Prince of Peace Melchizedek was a king of

Salem, and his people had waxed strong in iniquity and

abomination, but Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and

received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy

order of God, Did preach repentance unto his people and behold,

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they did repent and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land

in his days; therefore called prince of peace and he did reign

under his father. In ancient Jewish traditions Melchizedek is

often thought to be Shem, son of Noah Melchizedek is title

meaning “King of Righteous”. Nothing is recorded about his

birth or ancestry, even though The Book of Mormon states that he

did have a father (Alma 13: 17-18).

Melchizedek was a king of Jerusalem and the people who were all

his country pay the tithes to his presence and God chosen him to

be a collect the tithing from the people.

Old Man saith to Santiago while he searching for his treasure

“If you want learn about your own treasure, you will have to

give one –tenth of your flocks” (23)

Tithing is the donation of one-tenth of one’s income to

God’s Church. This commandment has been known since Old

Testament times. The prophet Malachi taught the importance of

tithing and the blessings that come from obeying this law:

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, and prove me now

herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the

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windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall

not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). And

Melchizedek also holds the Urim and Thummim to be used in

receiving revelations and translating ancient records from

unknown tongues. The old man wore a breastplate of heavy gold,

covered with precious stones. “Take these," said the old man,

holding out a white stone and a black stone that had been

embedded at the center of the breastplate. "They are called Urim

and Thummim. The black signifies 'yes,' and the white 'no.' when

you are unable to read the omens, they will help you to do so”.

(28)

From time to time, as his purposes require, the Lord

personally, or through the ministry of appointed angels,

delivers to chosen prophets an Urim and Thummim to be used in

receiving revelations and in translating ancient records from

unknown tongues. With the approval of the Lord these prophets

are permitted to pass these instruments on to their mortal

successors. An Urim and Thummim consists of two special stones

called seer stones or interpreters. The Hebrew words Urim and

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Thummim both plural, mean lights and perfections. Presumably one

of the stones is called Urim and the other Thummim. Ordinarily

they are carried in a breastplate over the heart. (Ex. 28:30;

Lev. 8:8.)

Because of the sacred nature of these holy instruments they have

not been viewed by most men, and even the times and

circumstances under which they have been held by mortals are not

clearly set forth. Undoubtedly they were in use before the

flood, but the first scriptural reference to them is in

connection with the revelations given the Brother of Jared.

(Ether 3:21-28.) Abraham had them in his day (Abra. 3:1-5734),

and Aaron and the priests in Israel had them from generation to

generation. (Ex. 28:30; Lev. 8:8)

Here, Santiago had a strong desire to go to the pyramids to get

his treasure. Whenever he felt sad about his journey, he looked

at the stones, he felt relieved for some reason. He may have

exchanged six sheep for two precious stones that had been taken

from a gold breastplate. He could sell the stones and buy a

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return ticket. But he is smarter and put them in his pocket.

Then he gets the confident to going to find his treasure. He

learned to recognize omens, and followed them. He said to

himself that, “I’m an adventurer, looking for treasure” (40).

After a struggle, he had a faith and finally he got his treasure

under a sycamore tree in the destroyed chapel. This is the

beautiful moment in “The Alchemist” novel, he took out Urim and

Thummim from his bag and he realized they were also a part of

his new treasure, because they were a reminder of the old king,

whom he would never see again.

The following chapter deals with the conclusion part of the

Hermeneutic study on “The Alchemist”.

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Conclusion

Dreams are made to be followed.

Life is meant to be lived.

Some books are meant to be read,

Loved and passed on.

The Alchemist is one of those books.

Paulo wrote very different book, it touched the heart of

every people. His words guide readers towards their own

destiny. It concludes, when a person close to God, they will

reach the most happiness. “The secret of happiness is to see

all the marvels of the world” (30). The pursuit of happiness is

the destiny of every mankind’s life. Once Santiago said that,

“I am following my destiny. It's not something you would

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understand."(106). Happiness leads destiny. Holy Bible teaches

eternal life of happiness, so the author of this book

understands the reality of the happiness. He understands and

feels the true happiness. So, the author used the parables and

references from the Bible.

He adopting a few text lines and symbolism, as discourses

and thematic codes, which are spread in the narrative dialogue

and create an ambivalent storyline, which expresses the

author’s philosophy of return. That arrival is considered by

the author as the great come back to identity, to the eternal

values that are the treasures of love. In truth, the Bible and

biblical fragments are utilized by the author towards

completely fulfilling the artistic requirements of his novel.

In this fable, biblical discourse remains as the major element

in storytelling. And through this semantic axle, are

articulated many wide and overarching views of the individual’s

life, a life which the author always knows how to furnish it,

with a universal character.

This novel discussing what the “Personal Legend” is. If

person has a dream he can achieve his life. The Alchemist

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influenced the way which would think about the dream, which

helps to start exploring the world; only thing is to realize

the dream.

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that

makes life interesting” (10).

The hermeneutics study is interprets the inner meaning of

the text. Inspirational alchemical quest stories will remain

timeless in their encouragement. Ultimately, the author talks

about what the destiny is the people never realize what they are

capable of, at any time in their lives, of doing what they

dreamt of and when you want something all the universe conspires

in helping you to achieve it.

Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted

following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful

simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd

boy, Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the

Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids.