The Alchemist michael paulson per. 3

“It is this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what is happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That’s the world’s greatest lie.” (10)
This quote is very powerful in the sense that we are not bound to this set plan "fate" has for each and every person. When King Melchizedek said this to Santiago it was critical that the king chose that timing because that's when Santiago needed that advice the most. This relates to me in this vital chapter in my life while I choose the path I want to pursue. The question I have to ask myself is do I follow the path life subtly sets out for me or do I turn the tables and take an unruly risk into the unknown style of life where everything's spontaneous.
“Well, when I took my sheep through the fields some of them might have died if we had come upon a snake. But that’s the way life is with sheep and with Shepherds.” pg. 54
This quote contains a very deep meaning in life that everyone needs to know. In the books context Santiago simply states that his he and his sheep constantly walk through meadows and snakes could be any where around them but must take that risk to live. This aspect parallels our lives in the way we must live our lives knowing there is danger all around us but must not worry about it because we would drive ourselves crazy when we could have been living life to the fullest.
“We make a lot of detours but were always heading for the same destination.” (87)
In life we face numerous, almost unending, obstacles or set backs which can be very discouraging in life. Many individuals like me love to plan out goals in there lives according to there "wants" and "concerns" and life always seems to throw obstacles at you during the process of reaching your end goal. Well this connects to the passage above when it says we make many detours but always end up heading for the same destination. Whether or not you face obstacles or detours on your journey if your true to your goal you'll arrive either way.
“ Every search begins with beginner's luck. And every search ends with the victor’s being severely tested.” 137
This quote talks about how when you start a quest in life its usually easy and throughout your journey you learn important things in life if you pay attention on it or reflect your journey. Right before you hit that end you get one last obstacle which you must overcome to complete your mission. This intersects with real life students, if you think about AP testing. When the years starts it's most likely easy as the year commences then you go through the year learning and face obstacles like tests and at the end of the year you must take that dreaded AP test which you must overcome or pass to get your college credits.
“When you possess great treasures within you, and try to tell others of them, seldom are you believed.” (140)
In the context of the story, the Alchemist says this to santiago when people laugh when he says he can turn himself into the wind. This is interesting because in life when someone has a gift in anything from cooking to running its rarely believed until someone shows that they can actually do it. It seems to me that in this day and age people rarely believe the in the crazy or "impossible". In another sense people never take leaps of faith everyone focus's on facts rather than heart.
“I’m an Alchemist simply because I’m an alchemist” p130
The significance of this quote is just the simplicity of it. It’s easy to make it more complicated but it really means he’s an alchemist because that’s who he is and in the context of the story that’s what the alchemist is trying to explain to Santiago. This quote is also important to note in life today. In humanities goal to simplify things they actually have made things more complex and complicated. This alchemist is trying to show Santiago that sometimes things should just stay simple to be simple.

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