The theme of one’s own Personal Legend recurs many times in the story. It refers to that which is your own dream or goal in life and is part of the path God has created for you. You have the free will to turn your back on your Personal Legend, but it is a decision which you could live to regret. Most people never achieve it because it is a journey filled with hardships and many turn back. For those who continue their search, the fulfillment of their Personal Legend is immensely satisfying and rewarding.The theme of perseverance is also an important idea. Many times, Santiago finds himself wanting to turn back and it’s only when he reaches deep within himself that he finds the strength of will to go on. It teaches us allabout how good things come to those who reach out for them, not to those who wait! Life is a struggle no matter what path we may choose, but if we stay strong and continue on, the consequences are all good.The theme of the Soul of the World is a theme which makes the reader think about how we are all connected in some way to each other, to the animals around, to the plant life, and to every element created by God. The Master Work is actually his creation of earth and everything on it and around it in sixdays. So we are all an element of his creation. Once we realize that, we can find our Personal Legend and understand the language of the world.The theme of faith/positive thinkingis also an intrinsic part of this story. Without faith that he could succeedand without the faith others had in him, Santiago would have been lost. Santiago’s faith also made him able to find the positive aspects of seemingly negative situations. Again, it is a message to us all about believing in ourselves and our part of theSoul of the World.The final theme is very close to perseverance, but refers to the need to confront the four obstacles of life and overcome them. This refers to the obstacles found in Coelho’s Introduction.If we can climb over these four walls, our treasure will be close at hand and we will have discovered our fulfilled our own Personal Legend.Source for theme explanation: Pinkmonkey.comPROMPT:In a 4-paragraph essay, decide which of the following themes is the most prominent/important/relevantinThe Alchemistand explain why.Also, consider how this theme functions throughout the book.ASSIGNMENT SPECIFIC ELEMENTS:1.Introductory Paragraph:includes hook (general thoughts/ideas about your theme), title, author, précis, thesis that directly answers the prompt with 2 reasons (your two body paragraphs)2.Body Paragraph 1:Should have ample support (quotes and passages) as well as topic and conclusion sentences. This proves your reason number 1. 3.Body Paragraph 2:Should have ample support (quotes and passages) as well as topic and conclusion sentences. This proves your reason number 2. 4.Conclusion Paragraph:revisits thesis and explains with convincing commentary the reasons that support it. Leaves the reader with general thoughts regarding your theme, possibly unrelated to Santiago or The Alchemist.5.MLA Format with Works Cited:original title, 1” margins, heading, page numbers, spacing, TLQ’s, internal citations, works cited format (see MLA handbook)6.Insight:Did you think deeply and portray your thoughts using mature diction, present tense, and NO 1stperson(“I think the most important theme is...”).
