The Alchemist. Santiago? Significance in the name…. In the early 9th century the tomb of the Apostle St. James "Santiago" was found in Galicia, Spain.

The Alchemist

Santiago? Santiago? Significance in the name…. Significance in the name….

In the early 9th century the tomb of the In the early 9th century the tomb of the Apostle St. JamesApostle St. James "Santiago"  was found in Galicia, Spain.  "Santiago"  was found in Galicia, Spain. 

The Cathedral of Santiago is on the site of what is believed The Cathedral of Santiago is on the site of what is believed to the burial place of St. James.  St. James traveled to to the burial place of St. James.  St. James traveled to Spain during the 1st century to preach Christianity.  Upon Spain during the 1st century to preach Christianity.  Upon return to Palestine he was taken prisoner and tortured to return to Palestine he was taken prisoner and tortured to death.  His body was secretly taken back to Spain and death.  His body was secretly taken back to Spain and buried.buried.

In the Middle Ages, Christians began to make pilgrimages In the Middle Ages, Christians began to make pilgrimages to the site. to the site. 

Prayer to St. James the Apostle

O glorious Apostle, Saint James,who by reason of thy fervent and generous heart was choen by Jesusto be witness of His glory on Mount Tabor, and of His agony in Gethsemane;thou, whose very name is a symbol of warfare and victory:obtain for us strength and consolation in the unending warfare of this life,that, having constantly and generously followed Jesus,we may be victors in the strife and deserve to receive the victor's crown in heaven.Amen.

SymbolsSymbols

From the first pages of the text, The From the first pages of the text, The Alchemist is infused with symbolismAlchemist is infused with symbolism

– ChurchChurch– Sycamore TreeSycamore Tree– SheepSheep– ShepherdShepherd

Church Church

outside of the church- signifies outside of the church- signifies sacredness and spiritual nourishment. sacredness and spiritual nourishment. It is representative of your value It is representative of your value system and the things you hold system and the things you hold sacred.  sacred. 

in a church- suggests that you are in a church- suggests that you are seeking for some spiritual seeking for some spiritual enlightenment and guidance. You are enlightenment and guidance. You are looking to be uplifted in some way. looking to be uplifted in some way.

Sycamore TreeSycamore Tree

Trees of Life. From the highest . From the highest antiquity antiquity trees were were connected with the connected with the gods and and mystical forces in nature. forces in nature.

Sycamore continued Sycamore continued The sycamore was the The sycamore was the Tree of Life in in Egypt, ,

and also in Assyria. and also in Assyria.

It was sacred to It was sacred to Hathor at Heliopolis; and is at Heliopolis; and is now sacred in the same place to the now sacred in the same place to the Virgin Mary. Mary.

Its juice was precious by virtue of its occult Its juice was precious by virtue of its occult powerspowers

" The fruit and sap of the Tree of Life bestow " The fruit and sap of the Tree of Life bestow immortality."immortality."

SheepSheep

SHEEP - denotes lack of individuality. SHEEP - denotes lack of individuality.

The ewe is seen as stupid and harmless.The ewe is seen as stupid and harmless.

The ram is seen as strength, vitality, The ram is seen as strength, vitality, and unwavering determination. and unwavering determination.

In the lamb, the symbolism is innocence In the lamb, the symbolism is innocence

ShepherdShepherd

LeadershipLeadership

Higher guidanceHigher guidance

Christ Symbol Christ Symbol

Santiago visits a “dream Santiago visits a “dream interpreter”interpreter”

Gypsy- signifies ‘outsider’ or member of the Gypsy- signifies ‘outsider’ or member of the ‘non-establishment’ ‘ possibly pagan‘non-establishment’ ‘ possibly pagan

Implications of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Implications of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Gypsy Woman The Gypsy Woman - She is the first one - She is the first one Santiago consults about his dream. She is Santiago consults about his dream. She is mysterious and yet religious as can be mysterious and yet religious as can be attested by the Sacred Heart of Jesus attested by the Sacred Heart of Jesus picture on her wallpicture on her wall

Sacred Heart of Jesus Sacred Heart of Jesus symbolism of the heart

It is this symbolism that imparts to its meaning and its unity, and this symbolism is admirably completed by the representation of the Heart as wounded. Since the Heart of Jesus appears to us as the sensible sign of His love, the visible wound in the Heart will naturally recall the invisible wound of this love. This symbolism also explains that the devotion, although giving the Heart an essential place, is but little concerned with the anatomy of the heart or with physiology.

The Old Man The Old Man

Who is he? Who is he? What is his significance?What is his significance? Prophet? Prophet?

The Old King The Old King - He is the second to help - He is the second to help Santiago and gives him the stones named Santiago and gives him the stones named Urim and Thummim. He also advises Urim and Thummim. He also advises Santiago to never stop dreaming and follow Santiago to never stop dreaming and follow the omens. His name is Melchizedek. the omens. His name is Melchizedek.

Melchizedek? Melchizedek?

Melchizedek, the king of Salem Melchizedek, the king of Salem in the time of Abraham. in the time of Abraham.

Many believe that Melchizedek Many believe that Melchizedek was Jesus.was Jesus.

Melchizedek appeared in Genesis to Melchizedek appeared in Genesis to the patriarch Abraham. Whether he the patriarch Abraham. Whether he actually existed as a person or as an actually existed as a person or as an abstraction remains a mystery. abstraction remains a mystery.

Biblical ReferenceBiblical Reference

Hebrews 7:3 in the New Testament Hebrews 7:3 in the New Testament refers to Melchizedek as a king "without refers to Melchizedek as a king "without father or mother or genealogy", father or mother or genealogy",

a reference which some Christians take a reference which some Christians take as referring to Melchizedek's true as referring to Melchizedek's true nature as an angel or even as Jesus nature as an angel or even as Jesus himself, appearing thousands of years himself, appearing thousands of years before his Earthly incarnation. before his Earthly incarnation.

Significance of Emeralds Significance of Emeralds

Emerald, the first stones were mined in Emerald, the first stones were mined in the deserts of Egypt near the Red Sea in the deserts of Egypt near the Red Sea in what were known as Cleopatra's Mines.  what were known as Cleopatra's Mines. 

Symbolic of your inner healing powersSymbolic of your inner healing powersA symbol of love, healing and magicA symbol of love, healing and magicA stimulant for memory, vision and A stimulant for memory, vision and clairvoyance clairvoyance

Important Quotations Important Quotations

It's the possibility of having a dream It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. come true that makes life interesting. (p11)(p11)

What's the world's greatest lie? It's What's the world's greatest lie? It's this: that at a certain point in our this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what's lives, we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. (p18)become controlled by fate. (p18)

The boy didn't know what a person's The boy didn't know what a person's "destiny" was. It's what you have always "destiny" was. It's what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their destiny they are young, knows what their destiny is. At that point in their lives, everything is is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize that it will be impossible for them to realize their destiny. (p22)their destiny. (p22)

And, when you want something, all And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. (p23)to achieve it. (p23)

People learn early in their lives what People learn early in their lives what is their reason for being. (p25)is their reason for being. (p25)

How to Read Literature Like How to Read Literature Like a Professor- continueda Professor- continued

It’s more than just rain or snowIt’s more than just rain or snow– RainRain

fertility and lifefertility and life Noah and the floodNoah and the flood Drowning—one of our deepest fearsDrowning—one of our deepest fears

– Why?Why? plot deviceplot device atmosphericsatmospherics misery factor—challenge charactersmisery factor—challenge characters democratic element—the rain falls on the just democratic element—the rain falls on the just

and the unjust alikeand the unjust alike

– SymbolicallySymbolically rain is clean—a form of purification, baptism, removing rain is clean—a form of purification, baptism, removing

sin or a stainsin or a stain rain is restorative—can bring a dying earth back to liferain is restorative—can bring a dying earth back to life destructive as well—causes pneumonia, colds, etc.; destructive as well—causes pneumonia, colds, etc.;

hurricanes, etc.hurricanes, etc. Ironic use—April is the cruelest month (T.S. Eliot, Ironic use—April is the cruelest month (T.S. Eliot, The The

WastelandWasteland)) Rainbow—God’s promise never to destroy the world Rainbow—God’s promise never to destroy the world

again; hope; a promise of peace between heaven and again; hope; a promise of peace between heaven and earthearth

fog—almost always signals some sort of confusion; fog—almost always signals some sort of confusion; mental, ethical, physical “fog”; people can’t see clearlymental, ethical, physical “fog”; people can’t see clearly

– SnowSnow negatively—cold, stark, inhospitable, inhuman, negatively—cold, stark, inhospitable, inhuman,

nothingness, deathnothingness, death positively—clean, pure, playfulpositively—clean, pure, playful

……More Than It’s Gonna Hurt More Than It’s Gonna Hurt You: Concerning ViolenceYou: Concerning Violence

– Violence can be symbolic, thematic, biblical, Violence can be symbolic, thematic, biblical, Shakespearean, Romantic, allegorical, transcendent. Shakespearean, Romantic, allegorical, transcendent.

– Two categories of violence in literatureTwo categories of violence in literature Character caused—shootings, stabbings, drownings, Character caused—shootings, stabbings, drownings,

poisonings, bombings, hit and run, etcpoisonings, bombings, hit and run, etc Death and suffering for which the characters are not Death and suffering for which the characters are not

responsible. Accidents are not really accidents.responsible. Accidents are not really accidents.– Violence is symbolic action, but hard to generalize meaningViolence is symbolic action, but hard to generalize meaning– Questions to ask:Questions to ask:

What does this type of misfortune represent What does this type of misfortune represent thematically?thematically?

What famous or mythic death does this one resemble?What famous or mythic death does this one resemble? Why this sort of violence and not some other?Why this sort of violence and not some other?

Is That a Symbol?Is That a Symbol?

– Yes. But figuring out what is tricky. Can only Yes. But figuring out what is tricky. Can only discuss possible meanings and interpretationsdiscuss possible meanings and interpretations

– There is no one definite meaning unless it’s an There is no one definite meaning unless it’s an allegory, where characters, events, places have a allegory, where characters, events, places have a one-on-one correspondence symbolically to other one-on-one correspondence symbolically to other things. (Animal Farm)things. (Animal Farm)

– Actions, as well as objects and images, can be Actions, as well as objects and images, can be symbolic. i.e. “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frostsymbolic. i.e. “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

– How to figure it out? Symbols are built on How to figure it out? Symbols are built on associations readers have, but also on emotional associations readers have, but also on emotional reactions. Pay attention to how you feel about a reactions. Pay attention to how you feel about a text.text.

It’s All PoliticalIt’s All Political

– Literature tends to be written by people Literature tends to be written by people interested in the problems of the world, so interested in the problems of the world, so most works have a political element in themmost works have a political element in them

– Issues:Issues: Individualism and self-determination against the Individualism and self-determination against the

needs of society for conformity and stability.needs of society for conformity and stability. Power structuresPower structures Relations among classesRelations among classes issues of justice and rightsissues of justice and rights interactions between the sexes and among interactions between the sexes and among

various racial and ethnic constituencies.various racial and ethnic constituencies.