Turning Lead into Gold

Santiago, a shepherd, has a reoccurring dream of finding buried treasure near the pyramids in Egypt. On one of his travels with his sheep, he comes across the path of a gypsy woman who claims to be psychic. Santiago tells her about this dream of his, and she tells him that he should go to Egypt. The next character that Santiago meets is the "King of Salem" or Melchizedek, who tells him that going to the pyramids is his personal legend. Santiago eventually sells his sheep and heads to Tangier. While in Tangier Santiago works in a store with a crystal merchant, who teaches him about omens. And in turn, Santiago teaches him to take risks with his business. After about a year, Santiago takes the money he has earned from working for the crystal merchant and continues on his journey to the pyramids. He joins a caravan to get to Egypt and meets and Englishman who is studying alchemy. The Englishman tells Santiago a little bit about alchemy and the alchemist that he is looking for. The caravan stops at an oasis, and Santiago meets Fatima, the love of his life. He also meets the alchemist here. The alchemist and Santiago travel through the desert together, and the alchemist teaches him a lot about the Soul of The World. Santiago arrives in Egypt alone, and is robbed and beaten by some thieves when digging for his treasure. When Santiago told them why he thought there was treasure (his dream), one of them men says they had a dream of finding treasure under a sycamore tree near an old church in Spain (Santiago's home). He returns to Spain and finds his buried treasure and plans to return to Fatima to live happily every after.

When Santiago is in the desert with the alchemist, and captured and accused of being spies in the tribal wars, the alchemist explains that Santiago is an alchemist and that he could destroy their tents

with wind. The chiefs don't believe it, until they see it. So Santiago shows them. He is having a conversation with the desert, the wind, the sun, and the hand that wrote all. I thought this part was lovely. Not just the imagery in the writing, but the symbolism behind it. I took this part as Santiago becoming in tune with all the different parts of him; his body, his mind, his heart, and his soul. He became aware of and in touch with every part of himself. Doing so, he realized that he is capable of anything. I believe that if anyone realizes this power within themselves they will be successful in anything they desire to accomplish. I hope that I can fully come in touch with these aspects of myself someday.

There were parts in The Alchemist that I didn't enjoy, but maybe if I read it again I'll understand it more enough to enjoy it? I'll have to try that, after all I've got nothing to lose, only something to gain.

I liked that the book was inspiring in symbolic ways. It reminded me of The Secret, except not as general. The way they The Alchemist told stories within the story made it seem very wise. It got me to think about a lot of things, from which I made my own interpretation about, rather than being told directly. I did not like that Santiago traveled all the way to the pyramids just to discover that his treasure was at home. To me, it seemed like it was a huge waste of time. I think that he could have found his Personal Legend without going on such a long journey. 

I would not recommend this book to a friend that is my age. I feel as though it is more for people who are already aware of who they are, not still learning and growing into the person they'll become. I would, however, recommend this book to my mother, my father, and my brother Stephen. I believe they would enjoy it a lot. I think that my brother Stephen would discover many things about himself from reading it. I think that my mother would become more confident in herself from reading it. And I think my father would realize that he is only living to survive, and maybe it would inspire him to discover his personal legend. 

This Week's Poem about The Alchemist:

The desert is like the body

Confined to one physical place

Changing and growing,

Yet always in the same place

The mind is like the wind

Traveling everywhere

Just like our thoughts,

All up in the air

The heart is like the sun

Thinking it knows all

But when the heart does not have the answer,

Who does it call?

The hand that wrote all, 

Or in other words the soul

Which will always lead you

To your own personal goal

All four forms

Coming together as a whole

Each one, providing their own

Uniquely special role

To open the eyes

And the ears to hear

Beyond the doubt

Beyond the fear...