by Paulo Coelho
trans. by Alan R. Clarke

My first thought upon reading the last word and closing the book to see the title on the cover was this: why did the author give his story this title? It is clear that the central character that the story revolves around is the boy, Santiago. The alchemist appears only in the latter half of the book, almost two-thirds through, and yet the book is named after this character.

However, as I pondered over it, I realised that it did make sense after all. What is alchemy about? Essentially, it is about change. Alchemists are well-known for being obsessed with the transmutation of lead into gold. They are always chasing after the elusive “Philosopher’s Stone”, a legendary substance that was believed to be a vital ingredient in transmutation or prolonging of one’s life. Thus, it would reasonable to say that one of the tenets of alchemy is the pursuit of change. More specifically, it involves refinement – improving upon something base.

That is something that everyone is familiar with, for we are all striving to improve ourselves and our lives all the time. In this sense, each and every one of us is an alchemist. We move through life changing not only ourselves but everyone we meet, just like the boy Santiago. This is the reason why The Alchemist is such a successful bestseller all over the world. The Alchemist is ostensibly a story about a simple shepherd who is merely trying to follow his dream, with some help from the supernatural along the way. However, in his journey, he influences the people he meets and brings about change in some aspect of their lives and thoughts. We can identify with this boy because he is in every one of us. Though we may not realise it, we make an impact on everyone we meet just as they make an impact on us.

This brings us to an important question: how do we prevent ourselves from losing track of who we are, with all the changes around and within us? The answer can be found in this year’s theme – ‘Ties that bind’. In the novel, the King of Salem tells the boy about realising one’s ‘Personal Legend’, which is, says the King, “…what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is.” Basically, he is referring to our hopes and dreams. Everyone has dreams, and Coelho believes that we should try our best to fulfil them as far as possible. However, in our journeys, we must not forget our ties – to our family and friends. These are the people who will keep us rooted to our true identities.

The Alchemist is a novel that will appeal to most people, if not all, because its themes (and there are many; I have merely touched on one) are timeless and relevant. The language is romantic and poetic, if the translation of Alan R. Clarke is anything to go by, and phrases of wisdom occur sporadically throughout the novel, making it particularly inspirational and readable for people of all ages.