The alchemist analysis:

Archetypes and literary devices

By Anaeli Aparicio
P.4
Main/central idea
The main/central idea of the
Alchemist is to pursue your dreams
by following what your heart
desires. During Santiago’s journey,
he learns to listen to his heart and
to follow the language of the omens.
With each obstacle Santiago faced,
it’s a lesson that he learned.
During his journey, he has met new
people who has taught and helped him
achieve his personal legend.
Archetype- The Task
The task: The nearly superhuman feat(s) the Hero must
perform in order to accomplish his quest. Santiago
speaks omens to follow his quest to find the treasure
in the pyramids. When Santiago meets the king of
Salem, Santiago tells him about his never ending dream
about going to the pyramids. The king said something
similar to what the gypsy said, “It’s in Egypt, near
the pyramids.” In the book, The king says something
about omens. “In order to find the treasure, you will
have to follow the omens. God has prepared a path for
everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens
that he left for you.” Ever since the king told him
that, Santiago has been using omens while traveling
the desert.
Archetype- The Mentor
The Mentor: is an older, wiser teacher to the
initiates. He often serves as a father or mother
figure. He gives the hero gifts (weapons, food, magic,
information), serves as a role model or as hero’s
conscience. The Alchemist teaches Santiago skills,
gives him important life lessons, and food during
their quest to find the treasure at the pyramids. In
the book, The Alchemist gives a lot of lessons to
Santiago but the one that stuck out to me the most was
when he gives a lesson about love. The Alchemist says,
“You must understand that love never keeps a man from
pursuing his Personal Legend. If he abandons that
pursuit, it’s because it wasn’t true love...the love
that speaks the Language of the World.” He says this
because he thinks that Santiago shouldn’t stay just
because of love, the Alchemist thinks he should follow
his personal legend.
Archetype- White Goddess
White Goddess: Good, beautiful maiden, usually
blonde, may make an ideal marriage partner; often
has religious or intellectual overtones. Santiago
met Fatima at a well. In the book, Santiago tells
Fatima after meeting at the well several times,
“I came to tell you just one thing, I want you to
be my wife. I love you.” He thinks Fatima is his
ideal marriage partner. After he said that to
her, they met everyday at the well for fifteen
minutes and they later became friends.
Archetype- The Platonic Ideal
The platonic idea: A woman who is a source
of inspiration to the hero, who has an
intellectual rather than physical attraction
to her. Santiago likes fatima on the way she
thinks and the way she sees things. “...And
I am part of your dream, a part of your
Personal Legend, as you call it...That’s why
I want you to continue toward your goal.” By
Fatima saying things like that, Santiago
realizes he should go find his personal
legend because Fatima wants him to become
his better self.
Archetype- The Outcast
The outcast: A character who banished from a
social group for some real or imagined crime
against his fellow man, usually destined to
wonder place to place. The Alchemist is always
traveling and doesn’t stay in one place for a
long time and no one knows who he is in the
oasis. In the book, Santiago goes looking for the
Alchemist at the oasis and he goes up to ask a
woman at the well. “Good afternoon ma’am. I’m
trying to find out where the alchemist lives here
at the oasis...The woman said she never heard of
of such a person and hurried away.” The woman
never heard of the alchemist because no one
really knows who he is.
Literary and rhetorical Devices- Imagery
Imagery: Word or words that create a picture in the
reader's mind. Usually this involves the five
senses. Authors often use imagery in conjunction
with metaphors, similes, or figures of speech. In
the book, the author uses a lot imagery. The image
that stood out to me was when he arrived at the
oasis. “People were shouting at the new
arrivals,dust obscured the desert sun, and the
children of the oasis were bursting with excitement
at the arrival of the strangers.” In this image, I
see a big crowd of people being excited that new
people have arrived.
Literary and Rhetorical Devices: Motif
Motif: A recurring idea in a piece of literature. The
recurring idea in the Alchemist is that Santiago always
mentions following his personal legend. Whenever he meets
a new person, he tells them about his personal legend.
His personal legend is about finding his treasure and he
also tells them about his journey that he's going to
take. ¨I am always nearby, when someone wants to realize
their Personal Legend”. The king says that because the
boy wants to learn more about his personal legend.
Another time personal legend was mentioned was when the
alchemist said “Or is it your Personal Legend that brings
you here.” The alchemist mentions the personal legend
because Santiago wants to talk to him about it because a
person like the alchemist would know things about his
personal legend.
Literary and Rhetorical Devices: Personification
Personification: Giving human-like qualities to
something that is not human. In the book,
there’s a part where santiago talks to the
desert. “...And that’s why I have to turn myself
into the wind...The desert didn’t answer him for
a few moments. Then it told him, I’ll give you
any sands to help the wind blow, but, alone, I
can’t do anything. You have to ask for the help
from the wind.” In this quote, the author gave
the desert human-like qualities to the desert.
The human-like qualities was that the desert was
talking to Santiago about giving him his sand
and the wind will help him.