Background of the Book
The novel The Alchemist is one of the bestsellers by Paulo Coelho. This work is filled with symbolism and discourse on life, love, and spirituality. Obviously, the author conveys his own vision of how to grow spiritually through the image of a shepherd who wants to know alchemy and travels around the world. The plot of the novel describes the life of a young man who, due to his desire to study alchemy, ends up in different countries. The book ends with the shepherd finding the treasure, despite the beating, where he started his journey.
Allusion in the Book
One of the literary tools Coelho uses in The Alchemist is an allusion. This element is intended to reflect a well-known fact, event, or phrase by giving the reader a sense of the fullness of the story. The use of this tool by the author is observed at the beginning of the book to create a special atmosphere. At the same time, if the reader has limited knowledge and is not erudite enough, an allusion may be incomprehensible to them. In The Alchemist, this tool is perceived as an appropriate element to add to the mystery of the story.
Allusion in the Essay
In my essay, I also used an allusion by referring to the catchphrase of Shakespeare, who drew an analogy between the world of people and the theater. In my desire to reflect my thought about the permanence of human nature, I remembered this statement immediately, and I believe that many people can recall it, although they may not know it belongs to the authorship of Shakespeare. This tool was appropriate in my context and helped convey a specific idea in a more literary way.
Personification in the Book
Personification, as a literary device, is designed to give human properties to inanimate objects to enhance the effect of perception. In the example of the pyramids presented, this element is appropriate since it fully conveys the grandeur of the ancient architectural objects. This is crucial not to confuse personification with comparison because the former is associated with the revival of inanimate objects while the latter only compares similar features.
Personification in the Essay
Having once resorted to personification in my essay, I wanted to convey the uniqueness of nature and how independent it could be perceived. The central goal that I set for myself was to describe the situation through a vivid image of the sun that, as a living object, itself chose where to shine. This literary element can be used more often to give an artistic touch to familiar natural objects.
Symbolism in the Book
As a novel including the life facts of the author himself, The Alchemist contains many symbolic examples. One of them is revealed through the prism of an oasis as an abstract place that a person looks for in life and with which no one wants to part, even in the case of need. This hidden message becomes clear after the reader deeply examines the content and analyzes the role of individual objects and plot twists.
Symbolism in the Essay
To convey the meaning not in a direct but in a figurative context, I have utilized symbolism in the essay. This experience seems successful because the anchor and hope are the concepts that relate easily to each other, although initially, they do not have a common nature. As a literary tool, symbolism is often applied, and in Coelho’s book in question, this element is constantly used to reflect specific phenomena or events through hidden meaning.
Conclusion
A detailed analysis of Coelho’s The Alchemist shows that the author uses a wide range of literary tools and is not limited to personification, allusion, and symbolism. As the writer who closely weaves philosophy into his plots, Coelho often uses hidden meanings. The essay also includes the aforementioned tools that fit organically, each highlighting its unique purpose. The examples of allusion, personification, and symbolism reflect the individual vision of specific events and concepts and help reveal those contexts that do not lie on the surface.
Work Cited
Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. Translated by Alan R. Clarke, HarperOne, 2015.