52
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY DIMENSIONS IN PAULO
COELHO’S NOVEL THE ALCHEMIST
– Manju Muraleedharan*
Abstract: This paper analyses how Paulo Coelho portrays the
theme of The Alchemist – how to achieve one’s vision of life –
through apt handling of his vast knowledge in various
disciplines namely History, Geography, Philosophy, Theology,
Psychology and Mythology. The abstract and concrete symbols
of the novel which can be categorised under the above
mentioned disciplines are meticulously analysed to show the
novelist’s acumen in establishing the strong bond between the
man and the universe. This bond and the subsequent
interdependence help to satiate the quest and the deep-rooted
desires of the individual.
Keywords: History, Geography, Theology, Philosophy,
Psychology, Mythology, Transcendentalism, Existentialism,
Platonic idealism, Advaita Vedanta, Soul of the World, elemental
force, multidisciplinary dimensions, dream, treasure, spiritual
quest, personal legend,battle, alchemy, salvation, Narcissism
Paulo Coelho’s the most famous novel The Alchemist
depicts the story of an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago
who goes in search of a treasure that appears to him in a dream. It
symbolises man’s insatiable spiritual quest and suggests a four-fold
way to make one’s dream satiable. The four basic principles are
listening to the heart, following the omens of the world, compre-
hending the interconnecting nature of the things in this world, and
realising the importance to follow the personal legend. To establish
these four basic principles, Coelho has made tremendous use of
abstract and concrete symbols which represents various disciplines
like History, Geography, Theology, Philosophy, Psychology, and
Mythology. These symbols are the Moorish eyes of the Andalusian
girl and Egyptian pyramids (History); Andalusia, Africa, hill,
Vol.III.5-6 Jan-Dec,2011
53
Sahara desert, sand dunes, and Al-Fayoum oasis (Geography);
Santiago’s life, elemental force, universal language, Soul of the
World, paradise, battle and alchemy (Philosophy); Melchizedek
(Theology); Santiago (Psychology); Santiago’s father and the leader
of the refugees from the tribal war (Mythology).
The historical foundation of the novel throws light on the
Moorish Invasion and the Spanish Inquisition. The adventures of
the Moorish people had created a collective personal legend for
their community by invading almost all parts of Europe. The
‘Moorish eye’ of the Andalusian girl represents the history of the
Moorish invaders in the Iberian Peninsula. ‘Moorish eye’ implies
the racial mixing of the Moors with the natives. This suggests that,
once we achieve our personal legend, it will survive through many
generations in some way or the other.
The other historical incident which Coelho hints through The
Alchemist is The Spanish Inquisition which was established in 1478
by Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella to maintain Catholic
orthodoxy in their kingdoms and it was under the direct control of
the Spanish monarchy.
Coelho employs Melchizedek as a symbol to represent the
‘Great Spanish Inquisition’. Later in Africa, Santiago being a past
seminarian, cannot even remember the name of Melchizedek, who
gave him the precious stones of prophetic quality. This forgetfulness
indicates the Jewish alienation in Spain due to the inquisition.
The Egyptian pyramid is another historical symbol used in the
novel to declare that human beings can create wonders in this world.
Ancient Egyptians collectively generated their personal legend by
building pyramids almost two thousand years before, which still
stands as a monument of their collective personal legend.
Paulo Coelho has made extensive use of the geographical
features of various places in the novel. He has represented the
cultures and lifestyles of two different but neighbouring continents
through geographical symbols like Andalusia and the Sahara
desert,in which Andalusia stands for the European continent
whereas the Sahara desert represents the African continent.
Vol.III.5-6 Jan-Dec,2011
 54
Andalusia’s physical features provide a space for
shepherding, farming, trade and agricultural productions. Santiago’s
life in Andalusia as a shepherd is a peaceful and easygoing one. He
has enough time to read books and there is no complexity in his
life. The second setting in Africa transforms Santiago’s personality
from a shepherd boy to an adventurous man capable of facing
death many times with courage. The Moors, who dwelled in Africa,
lead a dangerous and adventurous life in the capricious Sahara
desert and it is reflected through Santiago’s difficult and adventurous
life over there.
A good geographical understanding of the locale makes
Santiago a good entrepreneur. With the help of the crystal merchant
he opens a tea shop at the top of the hill and it becomes a grand
success because no pilgrims can find such a decent shop there, to
get something to drink after such a climb.
The novel provides a very vivid picture of the Sahara desert
which is the greatest geographical symbol employed in the novel.
Crossing the Sahara is the major part of Santiago’s journey which
is the symbolic representation of the hazardous segment of his
spiritual quest. In the beginning of his journey, Santiago is ignorant
of the nature of the desert. But as the journey progresses, he
familiarises himself with the desert and accumulates more
information about it through his close observation. His life in the
desert brings out the very courageous part of his personality.
Towards the end, Santiago begins to meditate on the desert and
then goes through the different stages of meditations on the wind,
the sun, and the God to realise the soul of the God as his own soul.
Thus, the geographical feature of the desert provides a base for
Santiago’s self realisation.
The desert sand dunes, the other major geographical symbol
plays a vital role in the novel. When the alchemist sees the gigantic
sand dunes in the desert, he feels that it is an omen that foretells the
arrival of the dangerous desert wind Simum. He uses this knowledge
intelligently when the military soldiers keep both of them in custody.
Vol.III.5-6 Jan-Dec,2011
55
The alchemist warns them that the boy is a sorcerer who can even
destroy the military camp by changing himself into Simum. Later,
when the Simum occurs spontaneously, everyone in the camp
consider the boy as a sorcerer who can create dangerous desert
winds. They respect him and set them free.
Al-Fayoum oasis is the most beautiful and romantic
geographical symbol. It is the meeting point of Santiago and Fatima.
There he understands the meaning of true love, which transforms
and raises him to the highest level of his personality.
Santiago’s life unveils the philosophy of Existentialism that
the human existence is an investigation of the meaning of being.
Santiago’s journey symbolises his search for the meaning of his
own life. Dreyfus says that, according to Existentialism, the existence
is inclusive of diverse possibilities from which man must make a
selection and he should be committed to that selection. It also
advocates that human beings are fully responsible for creating the
meaning of their own lives and people actually make decisions
based on what is meaningful to them rather than what is rational.
Santiago’s life extends to him a variety of possibilities from which
he has to choose. He has to select from the alternatives like
priesthood or shepherding, going back to Andalusia or crossing
the desert to reach Egypt, and finally, living in the Al-Fayoum oasis
with Fatima or going to Egypt in search of his treasure. From all
these alternatives he makes the wisest choices of shepherding,
crossing the desert, and going to Egypt in search of his treasure.
He is truly committed and responsible to his selections. It is obvious
that Santiago is assertive of his basic interests and is also capable
of dismissing the Sartrean existential angst of ‘being for others’.
Existentialism also preaches that human nature and human identity
vary depending upon the values and beliefs one holds. Santiago
believes in Melchizedek’s words that, “When you want something,
the entire universe conspires in helping you to achieve it” (Coelho
23). Even in the most difficult situation, this belief only gives him
enough courage to pursue his path. It makes him a confident man
Vol.III.5-6 Jan-Dec,2011
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capable of achieving his treasure. His identity itself is shaped by
this belief.
Elemental force is the philosophical symbol that represents
transcendentalism, which conveys that divinity permeates all animate
and inanimate objects i.e. nature and humanity. Santiago identifies
divinity as the ‘elemental force’ possessed by every animate and
inanimate thing in this universe. Whenever he sees the sea, fire and
the desert, he is impressed by the ‘elemental force’ and remains
silent because of the goodness with which they are pregnant.
Transcendentalism considers intuition as the highest human
faculty. The transcendental idea of intuition is implemented in the
novel by the philosophical symbol ‘universal language’. Santiago
begins to understand the universal language from his sheep. He
believes that there is a language which everybody can understand.
He remembers that his mother calls it ‘hunches’ (77). He considers
it as the sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of
life, where the histories of all the people are connected; and there,
we are able to know about the totality, because everything is already
written there. Thus, by watching the flight of two hawks, Santiago
is able to predict an attack on the oasis and saves the oasis from
destruction.
The philosophical symbol ‘Soul of the World’ represents
the Advaita Vedanta which discloses that there is ultimately no atman
(individual self or soul). Only the Brahman or the Ultimate Soul is
real (“Advaita Vedanta”). When one attains self-realisation, the
individual soul is identified with the Brahman and the world is realised
as an illusion. While describing the nature of the soul of the world,
Melchizedek says that “All things are one” (Coelho 23). This means
that all individual souls are part of the soul of the world. The novel
treats the ‘soul of the world’ as a source from which everything in
this universe is evolved. It is obvious when Santiago thinks that
“there was no need to be concerned about dying – the Soul of the
world awaited him, and he would soon be a part of it” (116).
Here, death is considered as the union with the whole. There is
Vol.III.5-6 Jan-Dec,2011
57
another incident in which Fatima says to Santiago that, “The desert
takes our men from us, they don’t always return. Those who don’t
return, become a part of the clouds, a part of the animals that hide
in the ravines and of the water that comes from the earth. They
become part of everything… they become the soul of the world”
(102-103). This suggests that if a person dies, the elemental force
within him will join the cosmic energy from which everything has
evolved.
Platonic idealism is represented by the philosophical symbol
‘Paradise’. It states that the fundamental reality around us is only
a reflection of a higher truth. According to Plato, ideas are more
real than things. He has also developed a vision of two worlds: a
perfect and ideal world of unchanging ideas, and an imperfect world
of changing physical objects (“Platonic Idealism”). This concept
of ideal world is reflected when the Alchemist advises Santiago
that “The wise men understood that this natural world is only an
image and a copy of paradise. The existence of this world is simply
a guarantee that there exists a world that is perfect” (Coelho 133).
This means that the natural world is only a reflection of the perfect
ideal world, paradise.
The philosophical symbol ‘battle’ in the novel represents
the Neo-Platonic idea that there is no absolute good and evil.
Sandmel explains that according to Neo-Platonism, evil is the
absence of good. Thus, the quality of anything as good and evil is
the matter of balancing the level of its goodness. This is suggested
through the lines, “It is not a battle of good and evil. It’s a war
between forces that are fighting for the balance of power, and,
when that type of battles begins, it lasts longer than others – because
Allah is on both sides”(101).
The philosophical symbol ‘alchemy’ represents the Neo-
Platonic idea of salvation. According to Neo-platonism, human
perfection and happiness are attainable in this world, through
philosophical contemplation (“Neoplatonism”). In the novel, the
alchemist explains to Santiago that “the world is only the visible
Vol.III.5-6 Jan-Dec,2011
 58
aspect of God. And that what alchemy does is to bring spiritual
perfection into contact with the material plane” (Coelho 150). This
idea is expounded by exploiting the soul transmuting aspect of
alchemy. Here, the philosophical contemplation can be considered
as the psychic process of alchemy and universal love is the catalyst
that transforms Santiago into a higher spiritual personality.
All these abstract and concrete philosophical symbols
together convey that all the things in this universe are evolved and
interconnected and they ultimately lead to the only one truth which
is indivisible.
The theological symbol employed in the novel is Melchizedek,
who is a priest-king in the Old Testament Genesis 14:18-20. He
represents both Christianity and Judaism (“Melchizedek”). In the
biblical episode, Melchizedek has encountered Abraham on the
latter’s return from a battle with the Mesopotamian kings. He gives
Abraham bread and wine and in return receives a tithe of Abraham’s
booty. Through Melchizedek, the novel discloses the similarities
between Lord Krishna, Gautama Buddha and Prophet
Muhammad, to echo that different religions are different ways to
reach the same destination. Melchizedek is introduced in the novel
to motivate and guide Santiago to achieve his goal. Melchizedek
tells Santiago that his duty is to help those who are in the search of
their destiny and he will take up different forms to help them. In the
novel, there is a parallel to the story of Abraham. Melchizedek
demands him a tenth of Santiago’s flock and later in the Sahara
desert Melchizedek in the form of Alchemist offers him wine even
though it is prohibited there. Santiago can be seen as the double of
Abraham himself. In the novel, Melchizedek thinks that like
Abraham, Santiago would not come back to him.
According to the Hindu mythology, lord Krishna is a king
who came as an envoy of peace and the King of ‘Dharma’ or
righteousness. This reminds us of Melchizedek who held both the
statures of a priest and a warrior. Krishna preaches the importance
of action rather than its result. In the same way, Melchizedek under
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59
the disguise of the alchemist affirms that “There is only one way to
learn, it’s through action” (Coelho 132).
Like Melchizedek, Gautama Buddha also played both the
roles of a king and an ascetic in his life. According to the teachings
of Buddha, salvation is achieved by human effort, apart from divine
help (McDermott). Melchizedek counsels Santiago that the world’s
greatest lie is “at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of
what is happening to us, and our lives become controlled by our
fate” (Coelho 18). Like Buddha, Melchizedek teaches Santiago
the importance of human effort in material and spiritual life.
We can trace a semblance between the warrior-priest
Melchizedek and the last prophet of Islam named Muhammad.
Muhammad served not just as a prophet, but as a military leader
who helped to defeat the Makkans during the Battle of Badr
(“Muhammad”). Like Melchizedek, he also declared the existence
of one true God. In The Alchemist, Santiago finds the similitude
between the Muslim crystal merchant and learns the five obligations
of Islam such as: believe only in one true God, pray five times a
day, fast during Ramadan, be charitable to poor, and at least once
in life a visit to the holy city of Mecca. Through this merchant
Melchizedek suggests that religion is only a means not an end in
itself.
Santiago acts as a psychological symbol in the novel. His
aspirations, life-style, and needs act as the basis for the psychological
foundation. Analytical psychology, individual psychology and
humanistic psychology are the major branches of psychology used
in the novel. The intuitive aspect of analytical psychology shapes
the character of Santiago. It exalts the importance of paying heed
to our heart since this leads to the development of intuition that
helps in critical situations. Alchemist teaches Santiago to listen to
his heart so that he can acquire knowledge directly from the soul of
the world. Santiago uses his intuitive abilities to save the oasis from
death and destruction. Thus the prophetic aspect of his personality
is developed. Alfred Adler’s Individual psychology conveys that
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the main motive of human thought and behaviour is the individual
man’s striving for superiority and power, partly in compensation
for his feeling of inferiority. Santiago has selected the life of a
shepherd and he is very content with that life. But he feels inferior
when he realises that bakers are more important than shepherds
just because they can easily get their brides than shepherds. He
strives for his superiority by taking up an adventurous journey for
treasure and worldly wisdom. His decision to follow his dream is
the compensation to this inferiority complex. Kassin says that
humanistic psychology is concerned with the full growth of the
individual in the areas of love, fulfilment, self-worth, and autonomy.
The American humanistic psychologist Abraham H. Maslow
proposed a hierarchy of needs or drives in the order of increasing
sophistication and decreasing priority or potency. He listed it as
physiological needs, safety, belongingness and love, esteem, and
self-actualisation. When the primitive needs are met, the individual
progresses to higher levels in the hierarchy. Santiago passes each
level of this hierarchy and finally reaches self-actualisation. His coat
and sheep helps him to meet his physiological needs and provides
him a sense of safety and belongingness. His psychological drive
for love is fulfilled when he and Fatima fall in love with each other.
When he transforms to the wind Simum, the soldiers in the military
camp show a high degree of esteem for him. Thus his drive for
esteem is also fulfilled and he gradually moves towards the highest
goal, self-actualisation. He attains it when he reaches the Egyptian
pyramids thinking that he has fulfilled all of his needs. By reaching
self-actualisation, he has fully realised his potential.
‘Santiago’s father’ and ‘the leader of the refugees from
the tribal war’act as the mythological symbols. In Greek mythology,
Narcissus is a handsome youth, the son of the river god Cephissus.
He rejects the desperate advances of the nymph Echo. As a
punishment, he is doomed to fall in love with his own reflection in a
pool of water. He is unable to consummate his love. So he pines
away and transforms into the flower that bears his name, the
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61
narcissus. The term “Narcissism” describes the character trait of
self-love (“Narcissus”). Coelho introduces his own version of the
myth as a prologue to The Alchemist. The story is that the lake
becomes very sad at the demise of Narcissus. It hasn’t noticed
Narcissus’ charm though Narcissus spent all his time with the lake.
It is because the lake always sees its own beautiful reflection in the
depth of his eyes. Only from the forest goddesses, it learns that
Narcissus was a very charming youth. By this twist in the myth, it is
implied that self-love is good but it should not be at the cost of
missing a valuable opportunity in life. Everyone in this world is in
search of an opportunity to attain their goal. But most of the time,
those who are deprived of an opportunity, realise the value of it
when those who are blessed with it, miss it by not utilising it properly,
like the lake. In the novel, Coelho uses the characters like Santiago’s
father and the leader of the refugees from the tribal war to echo
this idea. Santiago’s father, in his early times strongly wishes to
explore the world. But he has to work for his daily bread and a
permanent place to sleep. So he gives up his desire. But when his
son reveals his passion for travelling, he permits him because,
through his son, he can fulfil his desire. He knows the value of an
opportunity to fulfil the dream and allows his son to be a shepherd
to explore many places. Later, when the boy again expresses his
desire to go to Egypt, he gives his consent.
Coelho has portrayed the character of the leader of the
refugees from the tribal war as a person who has missed an
opportunity to attain his treasure. In his dream he clearly sees the
exact location of the treasure. But his ‘self-love’ makes him reluctant
to take up any endeavour to achieve it, because his heart does not
want him to suffer in his pursuit of the treasure. That’s why he says
to Santiago that, “I’m not so stupid as to cross an entire desert just
because of a recurrent dream” (Coelho 172). But Santiago has the
strong and deep desire to follow his dream. He is willing to accept
the pain involved in achieving the treasure and attains the treasure
at the end.
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The theme of this novel, the vision of life, is built upon the
foundations of various disciplines like historical-geographical,
philosophical-theological and psychological-mythological
foundations. The historical-geographical foundation suggests the
need for following one’s personal legend and observing nature.
The philosophical theological foundation conveys the
interconnection of various things in this world. Psychological-
mythological foundation confirms the need to follow our heart.
Coelho proposes these principles and establishes his vision of life
that when a person really wants something, the entire world will
help him to achieve it just because a deep-rooted desire is first
born in the Soul of the World.
63
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Redmond:Microsoft Corporation, 2008. DVD-ROM.
“Transcendentalism.” Microsoft Student 2009 DVD.Redmond:
Microsoft Corporation, 2008. DVD-ROM.
*
Ph.D Research Scholar, Department of English, Madras Christian
College, Tambaram, Chennai, Tamilnadu.

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