THE ALCHEMIST
BY PAULO COELHO
A teacher affects
eternity. Similarly a good book can influence you ad infinitum. The Alchemist
by Paulo Coelho, belongs to the category of positive influencers.Yes, here is a
life altering force tapped in the pages of an enchanting novel, a force that compels
you believe in your dreams no matter what. As page after page unfolds the
mysterious ways of the universe with which we are inextricably linked, we are
drawn into its powerful charisma and we find ourselves setting out on a quest of rich treasures carefully cached in
somewhere under the earth.
The Alchemist by the renowned
Spanish writer, has all the elements of magical realism. Coelho tells the story
Santiago, a very poor shepherd boy without any shelter, set in the backdrop of
Andalusia’s rugged countryside. He travels from his homeland to the Egyptian
deserts in search of a treasure which was revealed to him in a dream. Dreams as
well as ‘signs’ guide him along the journey. The people whom he meet on the way
from a gypsy woman to a real alchemist give a definite direction to his quest.
As the plot builds up, overcoming stumbling blocks, will the tide turns in
favour of Santiago? or will his strong determination to realize his dream bend
destiny to bow down to him?
If I am to make a candid confession I
would admit that it was Santiago’s prospect of finding the treasure that
sustained my interest along with the tug of powerful emotions and the wistful
clouds of magic hovering around the story line. The simple, lucid style of
writing takes you gently along the flow of the current leaving you in a helpless state, as you are powerless to put the book down.
It is a fact that most of us secretly
long for a fairy tale ending for our
lives as well as the books we pick up to read. The belief that the protagonist
will find his dream fulfilled in riches buried under Egyptian pyramids
imperceptibly strengthens our convictions in our own dreams all through the
wispy layers of magic. Yet the same magic lifts the veil of our delusion and
reveals the life transforming message that we carry in our hearts more
priceless treasures of confidence, determination and courage.
Even after years of reading the book some of the words resonate in the heart casting its unmistakable and eternal spell on us...``When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.’’This third highest selling book over the globe will certainly leave positive imprints in your mind. I strongly recommend you to read this book as it is sure to touch the deepest chords of your heart and embellish your dreams in shimmering radiance.
By,
Sreelakshmi
XI - 'B'
