Task 3 - Illustrating Marxist Criticism

JAFET P. SOLIDUM
MAEd- English

October 30, 2021

THE ALCHEMIST
by Paulo Coelho
(A Short Story Version / Summary: An Analysis Paper)
https://www.gradesaver.com/the-alchemist-coelho/study-guide/summary

SUMMARY

The Alchemist recounts the tale of a youthful shepherd named Santiago who can

discover a fortune beyond anything he could ever imagine. En route, he figures out

how to pay attention to his heart and, all the more significantly, understands that his

fantasies, or his Personal Legend, are his as well as a feature of the Soul of the

Universe. Santiago is an unassuming shepherd whose wants are not many he needs

to be allowed to meander with his sheep, to have some wine in his wineskin and a

book in his pack. Destiny mediates, nonetheless, as the common length for an

extraordinary fortune covered up a great many miles away at the foundation of the

Egyptian Pyramids. At the point when Santiago meets Melchizedek, an abnormal

savvy man who claims he is a ruler from a distant land, he chooses to look for his

fortune. The following day, Santiago sells his sheep and sets out to Africa to seek

after his fantasy.

After showing up in Africa, however, it becomes clear that things won't be just about

as simple as he suspected. The first day Santiago is in Quite a while, he is looted

and let be, not able to express a solitary expression of Arabic. From the outset,
Santiago examines surrendering and pivoting. He recollects the expressions of the

insightful man, however, and chooses to continue finding a new line of work at a

nearby precious stone shop. In the wake of working at the precious stone shop for a

year, finding out much about existence and his Personal Legend, Santiago brings

insufficient cash to purchase another group of sheep and get back. Without a second

to spare, however, Santiago chooses to chance everything and join a train to Egypt.

Once in the caravan, Santiago meets an Englishman who has come right to Africa

to look for an eminent chemist. As they travel through the desert, the Englishman

enlightens Santiago regarding the mysteries of speculative chemistry. Santiago

discovers the Englishman's plans to be the same as Melchizedek's. The two of them

discuss a Soul of the World to which we are completely associated and of the need

of depending on our instinct's actual longings or our Personal Legend.

Santiago, in any case, likes to become familiar with these mysteries by noticing

the world, while the Englishman likes to gain from complex books. While they travel,

they start to hear rumors of a coming tribal war.

When they finally arrive at the Al-Fayoum oasis–the home of the titular Alchemist–

Santiago meets a beautiful girl named Fatima with whom he immediately falls in

love. He finds that affection, similar to the Personal Legend, comes straightforwardly

from the Soul of the World. While strolling in the desert, Santiago has a dream of a

forthcoming fight. He surges back to caution the older folks at the desert garden

and, when his vision is affirmed, they offer him a situation as a guide. Santiago
considers remaining at the desert garden with Fatima, however, the Alchemist

discovers Santiago and discloses to him that he will lead Santiago to his fortune.

By and by progressing, the Alchemist trains Santiago to pay attention to his heart.

Hearts can be slippery, yet the most ideal approach to hold them back from tricking

you is to pay attention to them eagerly. Nearly to the pyramids, Santiago and the

Alchemist are taken prisoner by a fighting clan. The Alchemist tells the tribesmen

that Santiago is an amazing entertainer who can transform himself into the breeze.

The tribesmen are dazzled and will save the existence of the men if Santiago can do

it. The lone issue is that Santiago has no clue about the thing he is doing. Following

three days of reflecting, Santiago utilizes his insight into the Soul of the World to

request that the components help him. First, he asks the desert, then, at that point,

he asks the breeze, then, at that point, he asks the sun, and, at last, he requests the

Soul from the World. Promptly, the breeze prepares, and Santiago vanishes and

returns on the opposite side of the camp.

The Alchemist withdraws from Santiago, who progresses forward to the Pyramids.

Once there, Santiago is assaulted by looters. Asked what he is doing there, Santiago

answers that he had a fantasy of a fortune covered at the foundation of the

Pyramids. One of the looter's giggles at him, and says that he has had precisely the

same dream, then again, actually in his the fortune was covered in Spain. Santiago

understands that the fortune was back in Spain the whole time.
The story then, at that point hops forward on schedule and discovers Santiago

burrowing an opening at the foundation of the tree where he had his first dream.

Adequately sure, he discovers a trunk loaded with gold–enough for him and Fatima

to live joyfully for quite a while.

MARXIST THEORY

Based on the theories of Karl Marx (and so influenced by philosopher Georg

Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel), this school concerns itself with class differences, economic

and otherwise, as well as the implications and complications of the capitalist system:

"Marxism attempts to reveal how our socioeconomic system is the ultimate source of

our experience" (Tyson 277).

According to Marxists, and other scholars literature reflects those social institutions

out of which it emerges and is itself a social institution with a particular ideological

function. Literature reflects class struggle and materialism: think how often the

quest for wealth traditionally defines characters. So Marxists generally view literature

"not as works created by timeless artistic criteria, but as 'products' of the economic

and ideological determinants specific to that era" (Abrams 149). Literature reflects

an author's class or analysis of class relations, however, piercing or shallow that

analysis may be.

What is the social class of the author?

What is the social class of the author?

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author. When Coelho was 38 years old, he had a

spiritual awakening in Spain and wrote about it in his first book, The Pilgrimage. It

was his second book, The Alchemist, which made him famous. He’s sold 35 million

copies and now writes about one book every two years. Paulo Coelho’s net worth is

estimated up to $500 million. Most of his earnings come from his books, and also

from them being adapted into series and movies.

Paulo Coelho de Souza was born on the 24th of August, 1947, in Rio de Janeiro,

Brazil. As a teenager, Coelho wanted to become a writer. Upon telling his mother

this, she responded, “My dear, your father is an engineer. He’s a logical, reasonable

man with a very clear vision of the world. (Wallin, 2014)

How did Paulo Coelho relate this book to himself? He said in one of his interviews,

“In The Alchemist”, I relate myself to the Englishman – someone who is trying to

understand life through books. It’s quite interesting how many times we use books
to understand life. I think that a book is a catalyst: it provokes a reaction. I am a

compulsive reader. I read a lot, but from time to time, some books changed my life.

Well, it’s not that the book itself changed my life; it’s that I was already ready to

change, and needed to not feel alone. The same thing happens with the Englishman

in The Alchemist.”

Invoking the fundamental image of the book, he clarifies that speculative

chemistry includes persuading lead to experience its Personal Legend of developing

into gold. At long last, Santiago, in something like his thought of speculative

chemistry, changes himself in a real sense into the breeze.

Whom does it benefit if the work or effort is accepted/ successful /

believed , etc.?

People who are on the verge of giving up can benefit from this book. Those people

who experienced different failures and those who are scared of failing. It teaches

the

readers to not give up during the process. “And when you want something, all the

universe conspires in helping you to achieve it” –The Alchemist. This is one of my

favourite lines from the book because it tells us that you should know and recollect

where you are and who you are to get to where you need to be and whom you need

to be.
Nothing worth having at any point comes simply. On the off chance that you need

something, you must be set up to change everything. You need to dispose of all

uncertainty and overlook your feelings of trepidation. Be that as it may, if you plan

for an impressive future, pay attention to your heart and commit your life to

accomplishing whatever it very well might be, the universe will consistently

remunerate you with fulfillment.

However, know this, you will fail. Disappointment is a piece of the interaction. As

when you work out and lift loads, it is the disappointment that makes it feasible for

you to develop. You must be crushed down, all together to get the spirit up more

grounded.

So in conclusion, this captivating story brings the reader into the new universe of

Northern Africa. Using the voyaging chemist, Coelho successfully fosters the idea of

connectedness between man and nature. It is revealed to the reader that the life

lessons Santiago learned while on his quest to complete his Personal Legend were

just as important as the actual treasure he finds upon returning to his Spanish town.

During his journey to find the treasure, Santiago is also educated regarding the

oneness of nature.

How do characters overcome oppression?

intends to reveal the personality of the main character by identifying the

characteristic traits of the main character. This is enlightened when the Alchemist

says, “‘There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of

failure’” (141). This specific second shows that even though Santiago has both the

capacity and the information to accomplish his fantasy, it is difficult to achieve it on

the off chance that he fears in any event, endeavoring to arrive at it. Subsequently,

this dread goes about as his foe and obstruction that holds up traffic of the

significant and cheerful life he is bound to achieve.

The boy overcomes his fear of failure when he contemplates Fatima, the lady he

cherishes. At first ill-equipped to transform himself into the breeze, he takes a stab

at requesting help from the desert: “‘Somewhere you are holding the person I love,’

the boy said. ‘So I want to return to her, and I need your help so that I can turn

myself into the wind’” (144). Love is the thing that conquers his dread. His craving

to get back to Fatima is the thing that drives him to succeed. In any case, the desert

can't help him, thus Santiago additionally communicates his affection for Fatima to

the breeze. He needs to be the breeze not exclusively to demonstrate to the

tribesmen that they were in fact explorers, however, to get back to Fatima, and to

be “able to reach every corner of the world, cross the seas, blow away the sands

that cover [his] treasure, and carry the voice of the woman [he] love[s]” (146). He

then, at that point likewise tells the breeze, "When you are adored, you can do

anything in creation.
In short, Santiago confronted various impediments and difficulties. Conquering

cheats, looters, and fighting tribesmen was our legend's thing to take care of.

Furthermore, he needed to fight inside uncertainties and nerves identified with his

deficiencies as a shepherd kid.

This general exercise ought to be scratched into our souls and psyches. The best

way to achieve anything incredible is to be adequately strong to look dependent

upon one's dread. Quieten the cynics and the voices of uncertainty that attack you,

and rope in loved ones to encourage your heart for the difficulties ahead.

REFERENCES

Abrahams, M.H. (1999) “Marxist Criticism.” A Glossary of Literary Terms. 7 th ed. Fort

Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. 147-153

Anonymous (2020). Marxist criticism. Purdue Online Writing Lab.

Rebecca, B. (2019). Biography of Paulo Coelho, Brazilian Writer. ThoughtCo.