Miscellaneous Topics
The Alchemist and The Old Man and the Sea Critical Analysis:
Many times, we feel stuck while doing our jobs. All of us want to achieve our goals. We desire to be successful as far as can be, but we can never achieve our targets without some work motivation which is a very important topic in the world nowadays. In my article, I am going to show you the value of work motivation through The Alchemist and The Old Man and the Sea critical analysis.
In the novels, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the main characters' name is the same, Santiago. With different stories, these fictional books give us the same lesson that we must never give up and continue our journeys like brave people. We strive to overcome all the hurdles to reach our destinations in this world, so we must never forget one thing that our positive efforts will bring beneficial results for us.
In The Alchemist, the story revolves around an Andalusian shepherd boy, Santiago, who tries to get his treasure which he saw hidden in the pyramids of Egypt during his recurrent dreams. In the end, he gets what he wants. This moral story has some interesting themes which are:
1. The significance of personal legends:
In the novel, Santiago finds that personal legends play a very important role in the lives of those people who pursue them consistently. He figures out during finding his treasure that personal ambitions play a central role in making human lives better and meaningful. Besides, I have a quote about personal legends for you which is inspiring and captivating at the same time. “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” It is a quotation from an old king of Salem in The Alchemist.
2. The unity of natural things:
Santiago learns during his journey that all things of nature are connected, and they are the parts of the soul of this world. He realizes the basic spiritual aspect of things and reaches a point where he believes that the soul of the world is a part of the soul of God. Then, he also interprets that the soul of God is present in his body, so he can perform miracles.
3. The threat of fear:
In the story, Santiago covers a long way to reach his goal, and he passes through many trials. He faces the threat of fear during his tests. For example, he fears that he cannot change himself into the wind when the alchemist forces him to do so during a difficult condition. Besides, one response of the old alchemist is very fascinating and instructive for all of us. The boy (Santiago) was fearful of some danger which the alchemist removed. Then, the alchemist answered the young Santiago’s question about his method for removing danger: “Your eyes show the strength of your soul.” This indicates a moral lesson that we must never feel fear of any danger because there can be no undefeatable problem if we show courage.
I believe that the relation between human beings and their personal legends has been denoted impressively by the story of Narcissus which an alchemist read in some book in the prologue of The Alchemist. When Narcissus dies by getting drowned in a lake, then the lake mourns over his death because it used to see its attractive reflection when he used to see his beautiful image by kneeling on its banks. So, the story of Narcissus tells us that human beings pursue their aims, but their ambitions also follow them through the forces of this interconnected world. In today’s era, some researchers say that people find what they are searching with the help of natural forces, no matter what it is, if they struggle with passion without having constant fears or doubts.
In the first part of The Alchemist, Santiago travels to search a treasure hidden in Egyptian Pyramids after consulting an old woman (gipsy) and an old man (the king of Salem). This part deals with the main character’s life details from his childhood to youth and his working as a shepherd due to his passion for travelling. It is very surprising for readers that Santiago’s some life incidents or upcoming decisions are not secrets for the old man and the old crystal merchant. For example, the old man knew the names of his family members, seminary, the merchant’s daughter (which he did not know himself) and some unknown facts which he never exposed. Then, during the last day of Santiago at the merchant’s shop, the merchant knew that he was not going to buy some sheep in Africa for becoming a shepherd and moving back into his country. However, for your information, the merchant’s thought has been revealed in the second portion of The Alchemist. Besides, the part one finishes with Santiago’s decision to work as a servant of African crystal merchant. During his stay there, he apparently rejects the idea to pursue his treasure.
The first section is made up of two main inspirational or motivational segments. Firstly, the whole universe helps people to realize their personal legends through some helpful people like a real gipsy’s (the old woman’s) service of dream interpretation for Santiago. Secondly, some precious life lessons (e.g. the value of courage for Santiago when a thief steals his money in Africa) can only be learned when people fight with the odds in life during fulfilling their wishes or dreams.
During the second part of The Alchemist, the guidance of the alchemist for Santiago is very impressive. There are two reasons for it. The number one reason is that the alchemist already knew that Santiago was pursuing his personal legend. The number two reason is that he helped Santiago in strange manners. For example, the alchemist forced him to learn how he could change himself into the wind so that he could figure out the nature of the universe which is all about the unity of natural things. The situation was that Santiago communicated with the elements of nature like the sun, wind, and the desert to help him in saving his life from tribesmen who essentially wanted to see his transformation into the wind. Besides, the matter was that the men of the tribe wanted to confirm whether Santiago was an extraordinary being as told by the alchemist or their enemies’ spy. So, they wanted to remove their doubt by witnessing the display of his exceptional powers. At last, he learnt to empower his position by convincing the wind to blow like a storm and saved his life for displaying a magical scene in front of the tribesmen.
The epilogue of The Alchemist is exceptionally surprising. Santiago finally concludes that his treasure is not hidden in the pyramids of Egypt but in the ruined church which he visited with his sheep in Spain. The story comes to the point where it started like a circle. The major plus point of the journey which Santiago takes to find his treasure is that he found his true love in the desert of Egypt. Her name is Fatima, and he considered her more precious than his treasure. So, Santiago found two treasures because of his circular journey.
In The Old Man and the Sea, an old man named Santiago drives his boat on the sea with the determination to catch a big fish. With much struggle, he catches a big fish, in fact, the biggest fish of his life. Then, he is unable to return with the purchasable fish because its flesh gets eaten by the sharks in the way, and only the skeleton remains which the old man brings to the shore. Also, he gets that fish with much difficulty and after spending many days on the sea.
Now, I shall discuss some themes of The Old Man and the Sea. The major themes of this story are:
1. Perseverance:
We find perseverance throughout this novel by the old man’s struggle in catching a big fish. The old man struggles to catch a large-sized marlin on the sea without any help continuously. The fish was taller than his boat. He does not feel fear nor he loses hope to kill marlin. His impressive determination, diligence, courage, and consistency make him able to kill the fish and tie it with his boat.
2. Sufferings:
The whole tale is mainly about the sufferings of the old man. This story shows that a poor old man bears all pains like a brave young man in catching a very big fish. For example, his hands, face, and back were badly injured, and he spent three days in catching the marlin on the sea. So, he suffered a lot for his fish.
3. The model of life:
The sea represents the pattern of life in the novel. Life and death play roles on the earth, and they play their roles inside the sea as well. For example, marlin eats small fish, sharks eat marlin, and men eat all of them. So, the succession of a predator and prey carries on.
4. Strength and skill:
Although the old man is physically weak in the novel due to his old age, he proves himself to be a strong man because of his fishing skill. He becomes able to catch the marlin due to his fishing tricks or tips despite all hurdles or obstacles.
5. Pride and respect:
The old man is a very respectable and humble person in the story. He knows how to respect others and become worthy of being respected. His pride for having strong physique during youth and appreciable fishing skill never reaches the limits of arrogance in the novel. When other fishermen were making fun of the old man due to his bad luck for not catching a single fish for 84 days, he did not argue or comment about them. This example shows the level of his tolerance despite his old age. So, the old man is a symbol of tolerance and humility.
I feel that the first part of The Old Man and the Sea tells us about the qualities of Santiago and his student, Manolin. Santiago is a very good person in general. He knows how to stay calm and focused despite multiple failures in fishing. The people of his area (Havana) started calling him a salao (the worst form of unlucky) due to his bad luck in fishing for many days constantly, but he did not care about their ideas and kept on focusing on his routine tasks like newspaper reading. He remains peaceful or satisfied all the time in the first section of the story. Manolin is a true disciple who loves his teacher, Santiago. He is very devoted to his teacher, and I feel that he behaves like his responsible son. He helps the old man as far as he can. For example, he helps him in carrying fishing necessities to the boat regularly. So, the first part of the novel represents Santiago’s tolerance, hope, and satisfaction.
Also, I believe that the journey of the old man on the sea is highly admirable. When he was struggling with the marlin, he said some highly inspiring lines which are captivating and enthusiastic as well. For example, he said: “But man is not made for defeat.” “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” At another occasion, he said: “And, pain does not matter to a man.” Then, at another point, he spoke a very encouraging line: “But I will show him what a man can do and what a man endures.”
It is also notable that the old man was saying religious prayers during fishing over the sea although he was not a very religious person. His ambition forced him to do that. This aspect shows us that people pray to God for their tasks to get completed whether they are highly religious or not. A person’s highly desired ambition is enough for him/her to pray in front of his/her lord.
When the old man kills his big fish then he seems to me as a solid conqueror. However, when the old man fights with the sharks and kills many of them to save his fish, then I see him as a fighting hero of the novel who tries to rescue his treasure (a marlin). So, Santiago plays a fantastic role as a fisherman and guard despite having insufficient sleep and food, and, of course, despite his old age.
In the last part of the novel, when the old man returns with the skeleton of his fish, then he appears disappointed because he thinks that the sharks defeated him. He discloses his disappointment in front of Manolin. However, when Manolin consoles him by saying that the marlin could not beat him and distracts his attention from the point of dismay, Santiago feels better again as he is an optimistic person. I believe that the old man is a symbol of life which goes on despite multiple sufferings, calamities, hurdles, and trials.
Conclusion:
That's all about The Alchemist and The Old Man and the Sea critical analysis. The story of The Alchemist tells us that the worldly people and things help individuals in getting their targets. All characters and natural elements of the novel help Santiago to find his treasure, and, even, the thief, who steals his money teaches him not to trust anyone blindly and not to understand situations based on suppositions. Then, the motivational lesson of The Old Man and the Sea is that there is something in every journey for us. It may have a lesson or prize, and, sometimes, both. In the case of Santiago, he learns that he must never go too far for fishing, and, anyhow, he got his reward, the biggest fish of his life. After all, the skeleton of the marlin is a proof of his victory in fishing.