Life is full of joys, expectations, uncertainties, and hardships. There comes a time in life when one is left stranded alone, there is no ray of hope. And there also comes a time when it seems that life has offered everything that one can dream of. However, some experiences have a long time influence on life. Such events are, in fact, watershed moments in life, as they give you an aim or shake you out of your conscience. But other things in life also motivate and encourage a person to become a better person. Similarly, there are obstacles in life that also influence the course of life. However, a person should remain strong and determined to pursue his dreams at any cost. This is what Paul Coelho is trying to convey in his masterpiece, the Alchemist. One of the main lessons or themes that can be drawn from this literary masterpiece is that every person has some dreams in life and they should be pursued. But is it easy to achieve dreams? What should be done in the face of recurrent obstacles? What are the necessary prerequisites to achieve a dream? Apart from a dream, these are the most important questions that Coelho tries to answer in his masterpiece. In fact, the realization of dreams is contingent upon these questions. It requires that a person avoid sadness, constantly focus, and show perseverance to achieve their dreams. So, the novel has two main points: the importance of dreams and the required determination to pursue them.
Firstly, the novel itself shows and conveys the importance of dreams. The importance can be understood from the fact that it is the first step in the journey of a human being to do something. More importantly, dreams are not just the inner desires of the person. These dreams push a person to do some soul searching and connect himself with the inner soul at a broader level. Coelho wants to imply that dreams are the ones that allow a person to realize what the inner self of the person is demanding. In this way, the true person of anyone can be actualized. For instance, Santiago’s dream of finding treasure in Egypt reveals to him the true legend that resides in himself. Gradually, it is the dream of Santiago that pushes to connect itself with the soul. As a result, Santiago reflects on himself and endeavors to explore the actual person inside himself. This is what a dream exactly does, it encourages the person to do some soul searching. Without a dream, this kind of communication with the soul is not possible. As a result, a person may be wandering here and there In life and cannot know the true existence of himself. So, the existence of a dream is essential to realize the true person in oneself.
Secondly, the dream has a direct link with satisfaction and contentment in life. It is a dream that allows a person to draw satisfaction and work towards life. In fact, those who have no dream remain unsatisfied and anxious. This lack of satisfaction is the most fundamental factor in achieving happiness. The majority of the people have imagined life as a race where people tend to outlast every other person as they have no dreams of their own. As a result, they set their bars relative to other people. As a result, the essential factor of satisfaction that is so essential to have a happy life loses its value. So, a person draws satisfaction by trying to compete with another person. For instance, this is what Santiago was suffering in the novel. When he did not understand his dream, he was in a constant state of confusion and was not satisfied. However, after realizing his dream, his life becomes satisfactory as his attention was drawn towards that goal and dream. The point is that people have to set their satisfaction based on their priorities and choices. These choices should reflect their meaning and purpose in life. These opinions should be solely personal. If they have achieved that level, they should be satisfied with that.
Another fact that underscores the importance of the dream is that it gives the person a purpose in life. Indeed, it is the most important role of dreams in life. It is a dream that grants a person life and goal. Without purpose, it can be said that life is meaningless. However, here, the dream comes into play and injects meaning into the course of life. This can be said because everyone who has achieved a goal in life has first pursued some kind of dream.it was the dream that initially sets the base for a person and injects a goal into life. For example, the American revolution was a brainchild of a dream that wants to see a new nation built on the frameworks of democracy, equality, and liberty. This dream of equal society gives the founding fathers of America a purpose to strive to build a better world. They dreamed of land free from colonial subjugation and rule. As a result, it has become a purpose in their life to fight against this colonial misrule and oppression. So, the dream led to a goal and pushed them to achieve their purpose. So, it can be said that a dream plays an instrumental role in giving the person a way to develop purpose and goal in life.
In addition to the importance of the dream, Paul Coelho also wants to stress the determination to pursue one’s goal. Indeed, it is the most indispensable thing to actualize dreams. It is a reality that impediments will come in the pursuit of a goal. So the novel stresses the role of determination and perseverance to achieve the end destiny. Here, I would like to cite the case study of my mother to depict the role of determination in the pursuit of goals. My mother was a lady of great perseverance and determination. This can be noted from how she pursued her goals. She was brought up in a conservative society where she observed how women were barred from pursuing their desires and dreams. No doubt being born in a conservative household and being male, she always disparages restrictions placed on girls. She has always thought that girls should be treated equally and not only avoided patronizing behavior towards women but also hated such behavior because it smacks of undue superiority and dominance. From the beginning, she believed in the principle of equality and loathed these outmoded norms which marginalized women. However, as a woman, she was determined to pursue her future goals irrespective of the fact that societal conditions were hell-bent to force her to adopt a traditional attitude. Considering this, she fought and at last managed to complete her education and emerged as a respectable citizen of society. This was very motivating for me, considering that I know how women were barred to pursue their dreams. Yet, my mother managed to fight all these challenges and achieved her dreams. In this way, I admire her determination and willpower to pursue one dream, no matter what the circumstances. The sheer determination and perseverance of my mother are unmatchable. And this encourages me to view her as my role model. So I aspire and want to inculcate the attributes of determination and courage from my mother and become as strong akin to her.
Not only this, the most important thing that I have learned from my mother is to have a vision in life. She regularly says that life is indispensable without any vision. This is one of the best traits of my mother. Basically, her determination is underpinned by her solid vision and struggle for her. She has a vision of women’s empowerment and gender equality. No doubt that her background is one of the reasons to choose this path. But what I like most about her is that she is not a typical woman who would just sit and follow the obsolete mores and norms. She has a vision and she knows how to make her way. In fact, this is one of the best features that has inspired me and forced me to learn a lot from her. Over time her progressive and enlightened attitude incorporates these ideas in me. Thanks to her visionary approach, I don't behave like a traditional patriarchal man.
The novel, The Alchemist, written by Paul Coehlo has many important lessons. Yet, the most important point is the dream. The concept has been important as it has a very keen role in setting the course of human life. It points out that dreams have a defining role in human life. However, the trajectory is not a child’s play and it requires constant determination. So, only a dream is not sufficient. It is the constant hard work that helps in realizing this goal.
References:Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. 1988.
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