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104 The Alchemist Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is a timeless novel that has captivated readers around the world with its powerful message about following one's dreams and listening to the signs of the universe. As a popular choice for literary analysis in high school and college classrooms, students often find themselves struggling to come up with unique and engaging essay topics. To help inspire your next paper, here are 104 The Alchemist essay topic ideas and examples:

• The significance of Santiago's recurring dream of finding treasure at the base of the Egyptian pyramids.
• The role of personal legend in Santiago's journey and how it relates to the concept of destiny.
• Analyze the symbolism of the desert in The Alchemist and its impact on Santiago's spiritual journey.
• Explore the theme of love and its various forms in the novel, including romantic love, familial love, and self-love.
• The importance of omens and signs in Santiago's quest for his personal legend.
• Compare and contrast the characters of Santiago and the Alchemist in terms of their beliefs and philosophies.
• Analyze the theme of fear and how it motivates or hinders Santiago throughout the novel.
• The role of the crystal merchant in Santiago's journey and his own personal legend.
• Discuss the significance of the concept of "Maktub" and how it influences Santiago's decisions.
• The symbolism of the different elements in the novel, such as the wind, the sun, and the desert.
• Compare and contrast the different types of alchemy presented in the novel, including spiritual alchemy and physical alchemy.
• The theme of fate versus free will in The Alchemist and how it impacts Santiago's journey.
• Analyze the character of Fatima and her role in Santiago's personal legend.
• Discuss the theme of transformation and how Santiago evolves throughout the novel.
• The symbolism of the various animals in the novel, such as the hawks, the sheep, and the falcon.
• Explore the theme of sacrifice and how Santiago's sacrifices contribute to his journey.
• The significance of the concept of "the Soul of the World" and its impact on Santiago's understanding of the universe.
• Compare and contrast the different types of wisdom presented in the novel, including traditional wisdom and spiritual wisdom.
• Analyze the theme of destiny and how it is manifested in Santiago's journey.
• The role of storytelling in The Alchemist and how it shapes Santiago's perception of reality.
• Discuss the theme of self-discovery and how Santiago learns about himself through his journey.
• The symbolism of the oasis and how it represents a turning point in Santiago's quest.
• Analyze the theme of faith and how it influences Santiago's decisions and actions.
• The significance of the concept of "Personal Legend" and how it motivates Santiago to pursue his dreams.
• Compare and contrast the different types of love presented in the novel, including romantic love, familial love, and self-love.
• Analyze the character of the Englishman and his pursuit of knowledge through alchemy.
• Discuss the theme of destiny and how it shapes Santiago's journey.
• The symbolism of the desert and its impact on Santiago's spiritual growth.
• Analyze the theme of transformation and how Santiago evolves throughout the novel.
• The role of omens and signs in Santiago's quest for his personal legend.
• Discuss the theme of fear and how it motivates or hinders Santiago throughout the novel.
• The significance of the concept of "Maktub" and how it influences Santiago's decisions.
• Discuss the symbolism of the different elements in the novel, such as the wind, the sun, and the desert.
• Analyze the theme of sacrifice and how Santiago's sacrifices contribute to his journey.
• Explore the theme of storytelling and how it shapes Santiago's perception of reality.
• Discuss the theme of love and its various forms in the novel, including romantic love, familial love, and self-love.
• Analyze the symbolism of the different elements in the novel, such as the wind, the sun, and the desert.
• Explore the theme of sacrifice and how Santiago's sacrifices contribute to his journey. 92

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The Alchemist

By paulo coelho.

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• The Alchemist /
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Available to teachers only as part of the teaching the alchemistteacher pass, teaching the alchemist teacher pass includes:.

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Sample of Discussion & Essay Questions

• After sending him on his way, Melchizedek acknowledges to himself that, even though gods shouldn't have desires because they don't have Personal Legends, he desperately wants Santiago to succeed. Why does he feel this way about Santiago?

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W hy's T his F unny?

The Alchemist (Jonson)

By ben jonson, the alchemist (jonson) essay questions.

Is The Alchemist too cruel to be a comedy?

This question asks you to consider The Alchemist generically as a comedy, but to weigh its sense of humor with the cruelty of the play towards its characters (and perhaps, towards its audience). How would you define a comedy? Does The Alchemist fit your definition?

"Believ't, I will." (1.1.1). How important is "belief" to the play as a whole?

This question invites you to examine the concept of belief (and its synonyms) and relate it to your view of the play. Remember that this is the first line of the play, so it might be particularly significant in the author's view. Consider different modes of belief. Theater, remember, relies on what Coleridge called "the willing suspension of disbelief."

"Hieronymo's old cloak, ruff and hat will serve" (4.7.71). Analyse Jonson's The Alchemist in the light of what you know about Elizabethan and Jacobean theater.

This quote asks you to look at the play objectively as a piece of theater from 1610, and to combine insights about the play with opinions about the contemporary theater. Where and how is theater mentioned in the play? Are there specific in-jokes within the play itself? (Looking up "Hieronimo" will give you a further clue.)

What is the importance of the title of the play?

Consider why Jonson might have called his play The Alchemist . How does alchemy as an idea relate to the play as you understand it? What part does alchemy play in the play? Who is the alchemist--and in what ways is he really an alchemist?

"I would be glad to thrive, sir." (1.3.13). Write a character study of Abel Drugger.

Describe Drugger's role in the play by asking questions such as, What sort of man is he? How is he essential to the plot? Why might this quotation be an appropriate starting point for an answer?

"His Satire points at no Defect, / But what all Mortals may correct..." (Swift). Do you think The Alchemist 's satire is corrective?

This question invites you to consider the different groups that the play satirizes, looking in detail at how they are satirized. Swift here suggests that satire should only point out things that people could then correct; is that how Jonson's satire works? You also should define satire as you see it in relation to The Alchemist .

DAPPER: Is this the cunning man?

FACE: This is his worship. (1.2.8-9).

Write about the various roles which Face, Subtle, and Dol Common play within The Alchemist and comment on the effect of this role-playing.

Outline the different roles played by each of the characters (and consider, briefly, why these might be appropriate or humorous characters for them to take on) and then examine why--within the plot and within the play--they might choose to role-play in this way. Why is acting a good method of gulling?

"... you'll make her royal with the stone / An Empress, and yourself King of Bantam." (2.3.319-20). Write a character analysis of Epicure Mammon.

There are many possible approaches to this huge question. What is Mammon's purpose in the play? What does his name mean? What sort of character is he? How does he interact with Surly, and what does Surly teach us about Mammon?

"'Fore God! My intelligence / Costs me more money, than my share oft comes to" (1.4.107-8). How important is money to The Alchemist ?

This question asks you to look at the play through a thematic lens. Money is the reason that Face and Subtle carry out the cons, but it is also the reason many of the gulls want to visit the Blackfriars house. A good answer to this question might consider both angles. Does the play suggest anything about Jonson's financial purpose in writing the play?

"I fart at thee." (1.1.1). Analyse the continuing quarrel between Face and Subtle in The Alchemist .

Describe the various points of quarrelling (start at the first scene) during the play, and look at the roles they take in the play as a whole. What is each quarrel about? Especially important might be an interpretation of the ending: how does the quarrel crucially change the final events before Lovewit's re-arrival? For comparison, consider the other quarrels in the play.

The Alchemist (Jonson) Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Alchemist (Jonson) is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Discuss satire with reference to Alchemist?

In The Alchemist , Jonson satirizes, or mocks, Anabaptists, Spaniards, and knights arrogant, all who would all have been familiar to the contemporary audience.

How Ben Johnson does satirize the follies and vanities of the people of his age in The Alchemist?

Jonson's play was a modern-dress play in its day (1610), and it is hugely steeped in the culture of its time. The locations it names—the Temple Church, Deaf John's and the Pigeons Tavern, to name but three—were all close to the Blackfriars theater...

Where is the play alchemist set

The play is set in contemporary London of the time so around 1610.

Study Guide for The Alchemist (Jonson)

The Alchemist study guide contains a biography of Ben Jonson, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Alchemist (Jonson)
• The Alchemist (Jonson) Summary
• Character List

Essays for The Alchemist (Jonson)

The Alchemist literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Alchemist.

• Rôle playing, character, transformation, and disguise in Volpone, The Alchemist and Bartholomew Fair
• The Alchemist: Too Cruel to Be a Comedy?
• Gulls Onstage, and in the Audience: Perspective in The Alchemist
• The Importance of Money in The Alchemist.
• Can Identity Be Self-Created?: Characterization in 'The Alchemist' and 'Marriage-a-la-Mode'

Lesson Plan for The Alchemist (Jonson)

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Alchemist (Jonson)
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Alchemist (Jonson) Bibliography

E-Text of The Alchemist (Jonson)

The Alchemist e-text contains the full text of The Alchemist.

• Introduction
• Dramatis Personae
• Act 1, Scene 1.1
• Act 2, Scene 2.1

Wikipedia Entries for The Alchemist (Jonson)

• Stage history

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Last updated on March 15, 2023

Paulo Coelho wrote “The Alchemist” as a reflection of his own spiritual experience, but, ironically, he also predicted his future success in this book. The Alchemist was written in 1988 and published the same year. The novel was originally in Portuguese, and in 1993 published in English. The Alchemist tells the story of a young shepherd who leaves home to find his destiny. The book is quite famous, and students are often assigned to write an essay or research paper on it. If you are one of such students, we recommend you to check out the following documented essay topics for “The Alchemist.” They will help you to choose the most suitable one and write an interesting paper.

Discussion “The Alchemist” Essay Topics

• Discuss Coelho’s use of one or more (but not many) literary elements, techniques, or devices in developing a theme about the discovery and pursuit of a preordained destiny, calling, or purpose as more essential to personal transformation and fulfillment than the eventual realization of that destiny. It is a quest that requires choices involving commitment, courage, dismissal of fears and self-doubt, risk, active awareness, observation, listening, intuiting, surrender, simplicity, detached love, and other possibilities.
• Discuss identity and self-recognition.
• Oftentimes protagonists in literary works go on a journey in order to attain an intended goal, but end up resolving a major character flaw as a result of the journey’s trials and challenges. Based on the work you chose, select a flaw that the protagonist of “The Alchemist” has before the journey. In your essay, discuss how the journey acts as an attempt to resolve the flaw and to what degree it is successful. Make sure to use specific references from the text to support your claims.
• Choose a character in “The Alchemist” who does not appear at all, or only briefly appears, and explain the role of that character in the novel. Discuss how the character affects the action, theme, or the development of other characters.
• Discuss the significance to the ending of “The Alchemist” – of the boy finding his treasure back where the journey began, buried among the roots of a tree in the very church where he dreamed of his treasure. Did the ending surprise you? Did it change the way you look at everything that leads up to it? What might the tree represents in this context? Why did the boy have to go so far to find that the treasure was back home?
• Discuss universal language from the novel “The Alchemist.”
• Discuss your “Personal Legend” as referred to in the novel “The Alchemist.”
• Discuss what the literate arts might be good for considering “The Alchemist.”
• Discuss the research on Levanters, Siroccos, and other regional weather features described in “The Alchemist.”
• Discuss how the theme of succeeding as a personal legend and the journey of self-discovery tie into the character’s development throughout “The Alchemist.”

Argumentative “The Alchemist” Research Topics

• Is it possible to live a fulfilling life without ever achieving one’s Personal Legend?
• How does the story of Narcissus relate to the broader message of “The Alchemist”?
• How do events such as omens and dreams support the novel’s theme?
• Why should the board of education have students read “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho instead of reading “The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway again?
• What is the major theme(s) in the novel? How does the author arrive at it, and how does this theme(s) affect or shape the main character?
• Is the main idea revealed in Paulo Coelho’s allegorical novel “Alchemist” that the whole universe helps those who pursue their dreams?
• Was there anything about the author’s style, tone, or diction that you found compelling or repelling?
• How does the author use shifts in setting to indicate shifts in theme?
• Apprenticeship in Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist.”
• What is the thematic message behind the religious symbols?

Research Topics From “The Alchemist” on Characters

• Character flaw resolution in the book “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho.
• First person narrative for “Julius Caesar” or “The Alchemist.”
• The Alchemist’s journey to pursue his dreams.
• Write a character analysis essay based on your understanding of a character and his or her actions in the novel. As you read, look at what the narrator says about the character you chose. Look at their actions, speech, thoughts, as well as at what other characters say or think about your character.
• Is it a dream that first leads Santiago to pursue his destiny?
• Was it love Santiago felt for the merchant girl?
• While Santiago’s quest yields significant spiritual insights, its original motive is monetary gain. What is the narrative of “The Alchemist” trying to say about the relationships between material wealth and spirituality?
• How did Santiago’s experiences and omens shape him to be the mature man that he is at the end of the novel?
• Santiago makes some terrible mistakes shortly into his journey. Why does he make the mistakes that he does?

Interesting topics on ‘The Alchemist’

• Overcoming problems by changing your mindset according to The Alchemist.
• The Alchemist and the pursuit of happiness.
• Achieving your dreams according to The Alchemist.
• The power of dedication according to The Alchemist.
• The common hero and his journey in The Alchemist.
• The power of listening to the heart according to the author P. Coelho.
• The connection of the hero to the spiritual realm in The Alchemist.
• The factors of fate as discussed in The Alchemist.
• A character analysis of Santiago.
• What is the price of success in The Alchemist?

5 Lessons We Learned From The Alchemist

When brainstorming exciting Alchemist topics for your essay, consider these lessons one can learn by reading this remarkable novel.

Find your personal legend

The problem of understanding oneself, a central theme of the novel, causes readers to reflect on their own ambitions and to consider the meaning of their own actions. Identifying your personal legend can help to look at your life from different angles. The main idea of the personal legend is that it can be found within you – so the main goal is to be attentive to your desires and follow them without hesitation. When you are going to start something big, be that the reason you are taking your journey is truly yours. If it is, then the world will help you to achieve any goal.

Take failures easier

This lesson is about making brave decisions and not being afraid to fail. When Santiago meets an Englishman during his journey, he realizes that this man knows a lot about turning metal into gold, but never tried to do it because he was afraid of failure. The power of decisions people make can lead to success, but only after we start acting boldly.

Live in the moment

Traveling through the desert, Santiago hears the story of a camel herder who had become very successful. He learned that after an earthquake had ruined the man’s farm, the man had found another way to earn money for his family – by becoming a camel herder. The lesson we learn from this story is that spending too much time regretting the past or too much time daydream about the future will get us nowhere, but living in the present can guide us to where we want to be.

Do not give up

Anyone who starts working to achieve his or her dreams and goals, fails at a certain point. The failures can happen over and over and lead to feelings of despair. The Alchemist teaches us that you should never give up on your dreams nor let the fear of failure control you. Only allowing the fear of failure to win makes your personal legend impossible to achieve. Lose your fear and be who you want to be.

Letting go of attachments

When one ignores his or her desires and rejects their personal legend, focusing only on the simple things in life like food and sleep, comfort, and pleasure, they settle. Once you settle, you will most likely stay in these conditions, and never start living your life to the fullest. Instead of settling, let go of your comforts and over attachments. Be willing to sacrifice your comfort in order to make your dreams come true. If you do everything to achieve your dream, nothing can keep you from achieving them.

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“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho Literature Analysis Essay

Considering sacrificing the personal wishes for the sake of love the ultimate manifestation of true love is typical for the majority of writers, poets, and painters exploring the romantic themes. However, Paulo Coelho has managed to amaze the readers with a wholly new approach to exploring the nature of love and describing its role in the person’s life in his famous novel The Alchemist . Coelho demonstrates that while the love demanding the sacrifice of one’s dream is not true, the genuine love serves as a stimulus for living out the Personal Legend and achieving the happiness.

The first lesson the reader learns about love while reading The Alchemist is that the wrong understanding of this feeling often becomes an obstacle on the way to the person’s pursuit of self-realization. The author shows that untrue love can stop the person from living the life full of meaning, which is essential for discovering the purpose of one’s. This step is crucial for the person’s ability to move to the next level of self-development. However, the author shows that the problem is related to people’s perception of love, not the feeling itself.

Coelho demonstrates that true love cannot prevent the person from realizing his/her dreams through the words of the alchemist: “You must understand that love never keeps a man from pursuing his destiny. If he abandons that pursuit, it’s because it wasn’t true love… the love that speaks the Language of the World” (Coelho 67). The main protagonist feels the temptation to leave his Personal Legend because of the feeling of affection towards a woman two times: after meeting the merchant’s daughter and after he falls in love with Fatima.

Though Santiago is not bounded with the merchant’s daughter by serious feelings, after meeting her he feels the desire to lead a purposeless life: “He recognized that he was feeling something he had never experienced before: the desire to live in one place forever” (Coelho 3). After meeting Fatima, the described desire appears to dominate Santiago’s plans one more time with even bigger power. Falling in love with Fatima motivates him to stay in the oasis and refuse from living his dream.

The Alchemist tells the boy that such decision will lead to the unhappiness of both Santiago and Fatima as he will regret refusing from a dream, and Fatima will feel the guilt for forcing him to do it. In such way, Coelho teaches the reader that refusing from a dream for the sake of love is the severely wrongful act. Though Santiago manages to overcome the temptation to leave his dream because of the affection and love towards a woman, the reader gets a clear impression that sacrificing one’s dream for love can be an obstacle on the way to one’s happiness and purposeful life.

Such position is unique in regard to world literature, as most writers describe the sacrifice of one’s dreams and wishes for the sake of love as the highest manifestation of true love. Coelho, on the contrary, reveals that such sacrifice serves as a proof of the untrue love, which can ruin the person’s happiness. Fatima also demonstrates the untraditional understanding of love.

While most female protagonists described in the literature strive for making their beloved ones stay with them, Fatima encourages Santiago to leave her and continue his trip: “That’s why I want you to continue toward your goal. If you have to wait until the war is over, then wait. But if you have to go before then, go on in pursuit of your dream” (Coelho 53). Such approach to true love opposes the traditional beliefs and changes the explanation of its nature.

Another lesson learned about love from The Alchemist is related to the significant role love plays in achieving the goal of self-realization by a person. Coelho demonstrates that though the misleading understanding of love is an obstacle to one’s happiness, the feeling itself is one of the main components of human life. The author reveals the primary role of the powers that are not controlled by a human in encouraging the person to fall in love: “One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving” (Coelho 68).

Coelho emphasizes that love is a gift from the universe through Santiago’s words addressed to Fatima: “So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you” (Coelho 68). By overcoming many obstructions and finding the knowledge about the rules guiding human life, Santiago comes to a conclusion that love should serve as the stimulus for self-improvement: “And that’s where the power of love comes in. Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are” (Coelho 85).

These words illustrate one of the main thoughts shared by the author with the readers: love is not the goal of life, it is the power helping to fulfill Personal Legend. Though Coelho does not place love in the center of Santiago’s motivations, he shows that it is crucial to person’s happiness. Love serves both as a stimulus for Santiago’s pursuit of the dream and the ultimate reward for living out the Personal Legend, as the novel ends with the reunion of Fatima and Santiago.

Therefore, the author does not deny the importance of love but points to its true purpose. This lesson differs from most of the traditional ideas about love, as literature and traditions mostly put love in the center of the person’s life and praise the suffering caused by it. Coelho, on the contrary, celebrates the love that helps the person to realize his/her dreams instead of abandoning them.

The lessons about true love given by Coelho in The Alchemist can save many people from losing their personalities and happiness. I know several examples of people who have sacrificed their dreams for the sake of love and live an unhappy life.

Their sacrifices have caused immense regrets and, as a result, serious misunderstandings with the partners. Such examples from the real life make me believe that Coelho’s approach to defining what the true love is and how it should help to achieve the lifelong goals instead of ruining them is truthful and can be supported with the abundance of real life experience.

Paulo Coelho has managed to create an innovative approach to defining the true love. According to the assumptions he makes throughout the text of The Alchemist , the trueness of love cannot be assessed by the readiness of a person to sacrifice his/her dreams for its sake. On the contrary, true love stimulates for achieving the lifetime goals and self-realization and serves as the power guiding the person towards the happiness.

Works Cited

Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist . Trans. Alan Clarke. 1992. PDF file. Web.

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The Alchemist - Essay Examples And Topic Ideas For Free

The Alchemist is a novel by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho that explores themes of personal growth, destiny, and spirituality. Essays can delve into the novel’s symbolism, allegory, character development, and its exploration of philosophical or spiritual themes. A vast selection of complimentary essay illustrations pertaining to The Alchemist you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

“The Alchemist” Personal Legend

In The Alchemist, Coelho talks about the importance of the "Personal Legend", that is, the path that each person should take to achieve the greatest happiness. In the book, a young shepherd boy, named Santiago is sent on a journey to find his own Personal Legend. On his journey he deals with frustration, devastation, hope, love, confusion, learning all along the way. From the people he meets to the scenarios he must adapt to, the boy persists on his journey […]

Literary Devices in “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

In the opening of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Coelho uses numerous stylistic techniques to not only inspire his readers but also to instill his message through thematic elements. Through the character interactions, symbols, and allusions presented in the first few pages of this novel, Coelho is able to present various lessons to the reader. To explain, a significant technique of Coelho is his use of style and language. The novel is told in past tense, which provides him with […]

Hero’s Journey in “The Alchemist”

In The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, we read the story about a boy named Santiago who has dreams and visions about finding this treasure. The Alchemist can come across as a mythic, universally applicable story due to the use of the Hero's Journey hidden throughout the book and all the stylistic strategies given. The book portrays an idea to follow your dreams, and listen to your heart which is exactly what Santiago does. The first stage of the Hero's journey […]

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The Monomyth in “The Alchemist”

The Alchemist, a novel written in 1988 by the author Paulo Coelho, whom received the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum and France. He is known for other major works such as Aleph and Eleven Minutes. The Alchemist is his most famous work, which is one of the most translated works. The story take place in Spain as a young shepherd boy named Santiago start his search for finding his personal legend after having a dream about a treasure […]

Journey of a Young Shepherd Boy Santiago in “The Alchemist”

In the novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho shows the journey of a young shepherd boy named Santiago who is determined to fulfill his Personal Legend, which is to find a hidden treasure. Learning life lessons along the way Santiago starts realizes the importance of listening to his heart. The theme of the book is to listen to one's heart and not be afraid to take risks. In The Alchemist the author shows those who chose to follow their dreams […]

The Alchemist and the Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho

Literature is the mirror of the society. Literature writers always reflect the social, economic, political and cultural realities in the society and captures the same is their artistic expressions. It is on this basis the literature is the mirror of the society. Paulo Coelho in the novel The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage fundamentally offers inspiration to people to always follow their dream regardless of the circumstances that they go through. The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage are a compelling novels by […]

The Alchemist Book Review

Often in works of literature, characters gain wisdom through experience. The novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is about a shepherd named Santiago. Santiago is not an ordinary shepherd, he reads regularly, which surprises the merchant's daughter. Santiago enjoys his life as a shepherd not only because it allows him to travel, but also because he loves his sheep. Santiago notices his flock's ability to find contentment through food and water alone, and he almost envies the fact that they […]

The Alchemist: Santiago

The Alchemist tells the tale of Santiago, a young shepherd in search of his personal legend. Santiago did not know what the future entailed and at first, did not know he would travel far to reach ""his"" legend, however, it is the relationships with strangers that shaped him and helped him to ""his"" legend. Coelho introduced characters such as the king, the alchemist, and Santiago's heart to positively affect Santiago and transform him. These relationships are a major focus for […]

Fantasy Book “The Alchemist”

The Alchemist is a fantasy book series that takes place in the twenty-first century in America. The first pages of the book introduce us to Josh and Sophia Newman who are twins. Josh works at a bookshop with Nick Flemming who is actually an immortal alchemist named Nicholas Flamel who is hiding from Dr. John Dee who is also immortal and who was once his apprentice. One day Dee finds Flamel and he takes his wife and the codex which […]

The Alchemist’s Wisdom and its Universal Themes

Paulo Coelho's opus "The Alchemist" has mesmerized readers globally, transcending its identity as merely a narrative to become a compendium for navigating existence, brimming with sagacity and profound insights into the human psyche. This extraordinary chronicle of Santiago, a youthful Andalusian shepherd embarking on a odyssey to unearth his Personal Legend, proffers themes of profound significance that strike a chord with humanity at large. Through Santiago's expedition, Coelho delves into the essence of apprehending one's fate, the pivotality of heeding […]

Santiago’s Quest for the Personal Legend in the Alchemist

Within Paulo Coelho's mesmerizing tome, "The Alchemist," voyagers embark alongside Santiago, a youthful Andalusian shepherd, as he quests for treasures of cosmic magnitude. Yet, Santiago's odyssey transcends mere material wealth; it epitomizes an introspective pilgrimage toward self-realization and the comprehension of his Personal Legend—the singular path ordained for each soul to attain ultimate fulfillment. Santiago's odyssey commences with a vision, a dream wherein he glimpses the untold riches awaiting him at the Egyptian pyramids, igniting a fervent yearning to transcend […]

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How To Write an Essay About The Alchemist

Understanding 'the alchemist' by paulo coelho.

Before writing an essay on 'The Alchemist,' it's essential to thoroughly understand the novel. 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho is a philosophical story about Santiago, a young Andalusian shepherd in his journey to Egypt, after having a recurring dream of finding treasure there. Delve into the themes of the novel such as following one's dreams, the interconnectedness of all things, and the importance of seeking one's own path. Grasping these themes is crucial as they form the backbone of your essay and give depth to your analysis.

Developing a Clear Thesis

The next step is to develop a clear and concise thesis statement for your essay. This statement should reflect your unique interpretation or perspective on the novel. Whether you focus on how the story reflects the journey of self-discovery, the role of destiny and free will, or the symbolism of the characters and events, your thesis should guide the direction of your essay and provide a central argument for your readers to consider.

Gathering Textual Evidence

An essay about 'The Alchemist' should include detailed textual evidence to support your thesis. This involves close reading of the novel to identify significant quotes, events, and characters that align with your thesis. For instance, if you're exploring the theme of personal legend, you might analyze Santiago's decisions and the obstacles he faces. By providing specific examples from the text, you can create a more convincing and well-supported argument.

Analyzing and Interpreting the Novel

In this section, you should analyze and interpret the evidence you have collected, explaining how it supports your thesis. This is where you delve deeper into the themes, characters, and symbolism of 'The Alchemist'. Discuss Coelho's writing style, the significance of the novel's setting, and its philosophical underpinnings. Your analysis should demonstrate a deep understanding of the novel and provide a unique perspective on its meaning and significance.

Concluding Your Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points of your analysis and restating your thesis. Your conclusion should bring together your interpretations and insights, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of your perspective on 'The Alchemist'. This is also an opportunity to reflect on the broader implications of the novel, such as its relevance in today's world or its contribution to literature.

Final Touches: Review and Editing

After completing your essay, it's important to review and edit your work. Ensure that your arguments are clearly articulated and supported by textual evidence. Check for grammatical errors and ensure that your essay flows logically. You might also seek feedback from peers or instructors to refine your essay further. A well-written essay will not only showcase your understanding of 'The Alchemist' but also your ability to engage critically with literary texts.

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Fall 2025 UGA Essay Questions

  david graves        may 22nd, 2024 in blog.

For First Year students applying to UGA for Fall 2025, we will keep the same longer personal essay (250-650 words) as before, using the essay prompts from the Common App . The shorter UGA specific essay (200-300 words suggested) topic will also remain the same as last year, with the following essay prompt:

“ The transition from middle to high school is a key time for students as they reach new levels of both academic and personal discovery. Please share a book (novel, non-fiction, etc.) that had a serious impact on you during this time. Please focus more on why this book made an impact on you and less on the plot/theme of the book itself (we are not looking for a book report).”

• FYI – We are not restricting you to the exact years of 8th-9th grades, but rather the general timeframe of the middle to high school transition, which can extend somewhat further than one year on each end. Feel free to use your discretion in your choice of the timeline focused on the shift to your high school years.

As always, we also share an essay from an enrolling First-Year student that we believe shows great writing skills:

As a middle-schooler on the brink of entering high school, I was like lost cattle entering a vast social and academic wilderness. In the center, a winding, sun-soaked desert path stretched far into the horizon, beckoning my gaze with its promise of adventure and discovery. Enter The Alchemist and its magnificent idea of the “Personal Legend”– a life goal so lofty that it made locating my locker on the first day of high school appear easy. Forget about the difficulty of making new hobbies or friends; the content from this novel sure played an essential role in determining my ideology related to pursuing my future.

The protagonist enthusiastically praised the significance of believing in one’s dreams, which led my younger self down the correct path. Generating profits after extensive hours of work through my business, navigating changes in learning after COVID-19, and confronting adversity due to my darker skin color all presented difficult periods where persistence and faith were important in progress. Although self-belief was a crucial aspect of pushing through difficult times, it also motivated me to be more confident. Taking risks, from soloing in my 8th-grade jazz band to giving my crush a cringeworthy love letter, changed my belief in embracing adversity.

Furthermore, the book’s emphasis on interacting with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and belief systems mirrors my journey into the real world. Whether developing a dancing board at a Purdue summer camp or a calculus Halloween graph, collaboration enforces the ability to work with others who may share different ideas. Diverse backgrounds boosted my understanding, tolerance, and empathy while increasing my engineering career readiness. Not only was The Alchemist a great book, but it enforced critical systems that I use until this day to succeed in life. The Alchemist played an essential role in instilling new concepts I needed as an adolescent. “And when you want something, all the universe conspires you to achieve it.” Thank you, Paulo Coelho.  – Josh W, Collins Hill HS.

• This essay gives us insight into the student’s feelings and thoughts, and he shares his ideas through descriptive word choice. This is an excellent essay, but please know that we are not expecting this level of writing from the applicant pool overall. This essay example is meant to show our applicant pool how to express themselves through examples, personal growth and emotion. When we are reviewing essays, we are looking more at the student’s voice coming through and less on technical writing skills.

Tags: admissions , essays , file reading , freshman admission

The Alchemist

73 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Introduction

Before Reading

Reading Context

During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

After Reading

Discussion/Analysis Prompt

Essay Questions

Exam Questions

Exam Answer Key

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

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Reading Check

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1. Whose story does the alchemist read during the caravan trip?

2. What is Santiago’s occupation?

3. What did Santiago’s family want him to be?

4. Why does Melchizedek give Santiago Urim and Thummim?

5. What must Santiago balance with his Personal Legend, lest he become too selfish?

6. Where does the old woman tell Santiago he will find a great treasure?

7. What happens when Santiago hires a man to help him cross the Saharan desert?

Short Answer

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Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Santiago’s father likely give him three Spanish gold coins?

2. According to The Alchemist , what is the “world’s greatest lie”?

3. What is a Personal Legend?

Paired Resource

“ The Ruined Man Who Became Rich Again Through a Dream ”

• A tale from The Thousand and One Nights
• Shares a similar lesson with The Alchemist
• Why might Coelho have chosen to expand this folktale into The Alchemist ?

“ The Myth of Narcissus and Echo ” retold by Iseult Gillespie

• A five-minute TED-Ed video recounting the myth of Narcissus
• How does this myth differ from the story of Narcissus in the Prologue? Why might Coelho have changed the story?

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An Appraisal

Alice Munro, a Literary Alchemist Who Made Great Fiction From Humble Lives

The Nobel Prize-winning author specialized in exacting short stories that were novelistic in scope, spanning decades with intimacy and precision.

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By Gregory Cowles

Gregory Cowles is a senior editor at the Book Review.

The first story in her first book evoked her father’s life. The last story in her last book evoked her mother’s death. In between, across 14 collections and more than 40 years, Alice Munro showed us in one dazzling short story after another that the humble facts of a single person’s experience, subjected to the alchemy of language and imagination and psychological insight, could provide the raw material for great literature.

Listen to this article with reporter commentary

And not just any person, but a girl from the sticks. It mattered that Munro, who died on Monday night at the age of 92, hailed from rural southwestern Ontario, since so many of her stories, set in small towns on or around Lake Huron, were marked by the ambitions of a bright girl eager to leave, upon whom nothing is lost. There was the narrator of “Boys and Girls,” who tells herself bedtime stories about a world “that presented opportunities for courage, boldness and self-sacrifice, as mine never did.” There was Rose, from “The Beggar Maid,” who wins a college scholarship and leaves her working-class family behind. And there was Del Jordan, from “Lives of Girls and Women” — Munro’s second book, and the closest thing she ever wrote to a novel — who casts a jaundiced eye on her town’s provincial customs as she takes the first fateful steps toward becoming a writer.

Does it seem reductive or limiting to derive a kind of artist’s statement from the title of that early book? It shouldn’t. Munro was hardly a doctrinaire feminist, but with implacable authority and command she demonstrated throughout her career that the lives of girls and women were as rich, as tumultuous, as dramatic and as important as the lives of men and boys. Her plots were rife with incident: the threatened suicide in the barn, the actual murder at the lake, the ambivalent sexual encounter, the power dynamics of desire. For a writer whose book titles gestured repeatedly at love (“The Progress of Love,” “The Love of a Good Woman,” “Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage”), her narratives recoiled from sentimentality. Tucked into the stately columns of The New Yorker, where she was a steady presence for decades, they were far likelier to depict the disruptions and snowballing consequences of petty grudges, careless cruelties and base impulses: the gossip that mattered.

Munro’s stories traveled not as the crow flies but as the mind does. You got the feeling that, if the GPS ever offered her a shorter route, she would decline. Capable of dizzying swerves in a line or a line break, her stories often spanned decades with intimacy and sweep; that’s partly what critics meant when they wrote of the novelistic scope she brought to short fiction.

Her sentences rarely strutted or flaunted or declared themselves; but they also never clanked or stumbled — she was an exacting and precise stylist rather than a showy one, who wrote with steely control and applied her ambitions not to language but to theme and structure. (This was a conscious choice on her part: “In my earlier days I was prone to a lot of flowery prose,” she told an interviewer when she won the Nobel Prize in 2013. “I gradually learned to take a lot of that out.”) In the middle of her career her stories started to grow roomier and more contemplative, even essayistic; they could feel aimless until you approached the final pages and recognized with a jolt that they had in fact been constructed all along as intricately and deviously as a Sudoku puzzle, every piece falling neatly into place.

There was a signature Munro tone: skeptical, ruminative, given to a crucial and artful ambiguity that could feel particularly Midwestern. Consider “The Bear Came Over the Mountain,” which — thanks in part to Sarah Polley’s Oscar-nominated film adaptation, “ Away From Her ” (2006) — may be Munro’s most famous story; it details a woman’s descent into senility and her philandering husband’s attempt to come to terms with her attachment to a male resident at her nursing home. Here the husband is on a visit, confronting the limits of his knowledge and the need to make peace with uncertainty, in a characteristically Munrovian passage:

She treated him with a distracted, social sort of kindness that was successful in holding him back from the most obvious, the most necessary question. He could not demand of her whether she did or did not remember him as her husband of nearly 50 years. He got the impression that she would be embarrassed by such a question — embarrassed not for herself but for him. She would have laughed in a fluttery way and mortified him with her politeness and bewilderment, and somehow she would have ended up not saying either yes or no. Or she would have said either one in a way that gave not the least satisfaction.

Like her contemporary Philip Roth — another realist who was comfortable blurring lines — Munro devised multilayered plots that were explicitly autobiographical and at the same time determined to deflect or undermine that impulse. This tension dovetailed happily with her frequent themes of the unreliability of memory and the gap between art and life. Her stories tracked the details of her lived experience both faithfully and cannily, cagily, so that any attempt at a dispassionate biography (notably, Robert Thacker’s scholarly and substantial “Alice Munro: Writing Her Lives,” from 2005) felt at once invasive and redundant. She had been in front of us all along.

Until, suddenly, she wasn’t. That she went silent after her book “Dear Life” was published in 2012, a year before she won the Nobel, makes her passing now seem all the more startling — a second death, in a way that calls to mind her habit of circling back to recognizable moments and images in her work. At least three times she revisited the death of her mother in fiction, first in “The Peace of Utrecht,” then in “Friend of My Youth” and again in the title story that concludes “Dear Life”: “The person I would really have liked to talk to then was my mother,” the narrator says near the end of that story, in an understated gut punch of an epitaph that now applies equally well to Munro herself, but she “was no longer available.”

Read by Greg Cowles

Audio produced by Sarah Diamond .

Gregory Cowles is the poetry editor of the Book Review and senior editor of the Books desk. More about Gregory Cowles