During the next several lessons you will write a literary analysis essay of 500–750 words about a literary element in The Alchemist. To begin, save this document to your computer with your name at the end of the filename (e. g., NG_ELA9-10_W_11_GA_Alice_Jones. docx). You will write your essay in this document, and will submit this document to your teacher for grading. Refer to the Write a Literary Analysis Essay Assignment document and follow the steps to complete the assignment. Check with your teacher regarding the date you need to submit the assignment. Your teacher will score your assignment using the Literary Analysis Grading Rubric. Look at the rubric yourself so that you know how your assignment will be scored. Type or copy your essay here.

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...”).