Essay on The Stranger and the Alchemist - 1130 Words

THE STRANGER and THE ALCHEMIST Belief and Response Essay As one would make it through The Alchemist or The Stranger they would start to notice a clear separation of what each of these books portray. On one side you have The Alchemist which represents more of a positive outlook on life and following your dreams. On the other you have The Stranger which depicts more of a negative connotation on life. Although these two accounts seem far from each other, they present themes throughout the text that show up in both novels. A theme commonly noticed in both books is â€Å"love† and its effects on each books main character. Another is â€Å"the meaning of life†, which explains why we are here on this earth. The last is the idea of â€Å"destiny/fate†, which†¦show more content†¦The â€Å"meaning of life† also shows up a lot in both of these books. In The Alchemist the meaning of life is stated as finding your personal legend and following your dreams. â€Å"†¦whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, its because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. Its your mission on earth. (pg. 22) Melchizedek states this saying, follow what the universe is telling you to do. That is what you were put on the earth to do. We see The Stranger’s view in the very last lines of the novel†¦ â€Å"As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself—so like a brother, really—I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again. For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate.† (pg. 122-123) Meursault finally accepts that death is inevitable and he can’t avoid it. He also comes to a conclusion that life in general lacks meaning and order no matter who you are. At a ripe age of 18 and still much to learn, I seem to think life isn’t based on finding your personal legend. Life is life, and I play it by year and go with the flow. I wasn’t put on this earth forShow MoreRelatedThe Alchemist And Gifted Hands Essay897 Words   |  4 Pagesnot enough for you in the real world. To become a doctor you actually need experience but knowledge is just as important. I believe that this quote can be applied to â€Å"Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story† by Ben Carson with Cecil Murphey and â€Å"The Alchemist† by Paulo Coelho, because in these books the author portrays the challenges and hardships the people faced which is their experience and the completion of their personal legend which could also be the character. In the autobiography/biography ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Paulo Coelho s The Alchemist 1378 Words   |  6 Pages EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ASSIGNMENT NAME: Abhishek Aggarwal DIVISION AND ROLL NUMBER: C-003 DATE OF SUBMISSION: 9th MARCH 2016 Title of the book: ‘The Alchemist’ Written by: Paulo Coelho WHY THIS PARTICULAR BOOK? I have always been interested in books and movies which have a strong message.According to the critics’ review,Paulo Coelho’s books have had a life-enhancing impact on millions of people. 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However in the first part of theRead MoreThe Alchemist Symbolism1838 Words   |  8 PagesAn Analysis of Mirage Symbolism In The Alchemist Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist tells the story of Santiago, a young shepherd living in an abandoned church in a small Andalusian town, who is stripped of his comfortable and safe lifestyle after an encounter with Melchizedek, an Islamic king who tells him of his â€Å"Personal Legend† (21). Melchizedek points Santiago in the direction of his treasure only after taking one-tenth of his money, giving him two stones, and a lesson on reading omens. ThroughoutRead MoreThe Alchemist By Paulo Coelho2307 Words   |  10 Pagesthey usually get what they want! Life is not easy and sometimes it knock us down, the most important thing is to be strong and to get back up. Sometimes we fail to achieve what we want, but the failure is not a failure if we learn from it! In the Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho the boy named Santiago faces a lot of obstacles to achieve his own dream which was to visit the pyramids in Egypt and to find the treasure that he saw in his dream. During his journey, Santiago meets a lot of people and he learnsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Alchemist By Pablo Coelho738 Words   |  3 Pages In The Alchemist by Pablo Coelho, there is a passage that happens right after Santiago is robbed, losing all of his money. In following section he looks back onto himself that has led up to thus far. He starts to have doubts that his Personal Legend is nothing but a rouse to make him give up on everything he had accomplished. He starts to take inventory on the last of his possessions and in doing so finds Urim and Thummim still in has bag telling him he had truly talked to the old king