The Alchemist - Book Review

The Alchemist

-by Paulo Coelho 

The Physical 
and 
The Philosophical 
Perspectives

The Alchemist is a must-read, a book for a lifetime. A single read is enough to hit a raw nerve deep within the consciousness and shake up the core of one’s very being. It shreds all prejudiced perceptions about Life to bits. It leaves an everlasting impact on the reader with profound insights into human life and the Universe, encompassing everything between and beyond.

The book is at once both worldly and outworldly. While the book narrates the outward journey of the protagonist, with its many ups and downs, there is an underlying current of wisdom which pulls the readers inward, towards their own true selves. The external journey brings excitement, curiosity, thrills, and a euphonium of joy at the end when the protagonist succeeds in his mission. But the internal journey is reversed, it steadily calms the mind as one progresses deep into the tale, making one more open to marvelling at the Magic that is Life itself, so much so that the treasure at the end appears irrelevant.

Both perspectives need separate analysis. The external perspective is the journey of the Hero, which is analysed using Aristotle's Theory of Tragedy. The internal journey requires analytical tools from ancient Oriental wisdom, so the Theory of Nine Rasas, as explained in the Natyashastra and other Scriptures, is used. Taking hold of these two ancient theories helps in exploring and uncovering the depth and various dimensions of the story.

PART 1 : The External Journey 

From an outward perspective, the book can be seen as a typical adventure hero novel. The protagonist sets out on a treasure hunt, encounters various obstacles, meets various people, falls in love, learns Life Lessons, and finally gets his hand on the treasure and has a happy ending with the woman he loves. The Alchemist uses the same old time-tested template. 

Beginning with the analysis of the Outward Journey, Aristotle's Theory of Tragedy states that any work which involves a noble character suffering due to a personal mistake or weakness, which induces pity and fear in the audience and leads to a cathartic experience, is taken as a tragedy. The Alchemist, while not necessarily a tragedy, still fits this definition to the T.

“Tragedy,” says Aristotle, “is an imitation [mimēsis] of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude…through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation [catharsis] of these emotions.”

When the list of characteristics of a tragedy as per Aristotle is considered, The Alchemist checks every box. 

The book is whole. It is complete on its own, without any loose ends. There are no prequels, sequels or cliffhangers. The book is a standalone, complete in itself.

The novel narrates the tale of a human soul yearning for alignment with the Universe, thus achieving Enlightenment.

It is the tale of someone who dares and overcomes every imaginable obstacle in order to turn his dream into a reality. It is thus safe to say that the novel imitates the life story of a great heroic man. It narrates the journey of a brave young man, determined to reach his goal and takes every step towards it with great caution and confidence. It is, therefore, an imitation of real life, although it is a fable with supernatural elements. While density plays a crucial role, it's the choices of the man which primarily determine the outcome.

Keeping on par with Aristotle’s ideal, the book glorifies human virtues and capabilities. Its depiction of human existence is larger than life. It presents life better than it actually is, thus urging the readers to look at life from a fresh perspective,  as a bunch opportunities, rather than bickering about mere luck.

Aristotle opined that tragedy deals with serious, important, and virtuous people, while comedy, on the other hand, treats less virtuous people and focuses on human "weaknesses and foibles".

Following this principle, The Alchemist has weight, depth and a kind of gravitas. Lofty ideas about the Universe and human capability are expounded through this book. So, it is a higher type of imitation’ as per Aristotle. The book is a silent revolution in itself, as its ideas are radically revolutionary in the present-day scenario of slavish herd mentality. 

Aristotle opined that character determines quality. The character is supposed to support the plot. The distinctive qualities of the protagonist and his character determine the quality of the Tragedy. In this book, the protagonist is a clean-hearted, clear-headed, upright brave heart with a rebellious streak. His character supports the plot. Indeed, his character development arc IS the plot of the novel. 

The journey of the novel is dependent solely on the protagonist. There's no fixation on stroke of luck, fate, destiny and such. All of his actions spring from his thoughts and character. While he does get a lot of external guidance, his actions are driven primarily by his thoughts and his inherent character, which makes for a character-driven plot. 

Another aspect of a tragedy, according to Aristotle, is its ability to lead to catharsis. 

The term catharsis comes from the Greek word kathairein, which means "to cleanse or purge". According to Aristotle, catharsis is the releasing of heavy emotions, particularly fear and pity, through art. It is a form of purification, a purging of heavy emotions by experiencing them in a safe environment.

The myriad of experiences of the protagonist in The Alchemist certainly evoke a sense of pity and fear. With all the highs and lows in the story, the book ends on a virtuous and pure note. This leads to healing and catharsis. The book, no doubt, ends on a joyful and victorious note, but that joy gets overshadowed by the intensity of the underlying message of the book. The protagonist goes through a powerful transformation during the story, so much as would be said that he had a Death and Rebirth on a spiritual plane. All these aspects add an air of melancholy to the book, which cumulates at the very end, leading to a heavy cathartic release.

Tragedy calls for death. While the protagonist here doesn’t die a physical death, he does undergo such an emotional and intellectual rollercoaster that it can be said that he had a spiritual death and rebirth in the course of the book. The Alchemist is, therefore, qualified to be called a tragedy in view of Aristotle’s theory.

The novel is, without a doubt, thought-provoking. It seeks to prove something as the Truth. It is a philosophical discourse in itself. The plot of the novel is quite noble. It's spiritual and sacred. The plot is the journey of a young man looking for a treasure, guided by wise people and the Universe. The deep interconnection between the mighty power of the Universe and human beings is explored in this novel. 

The method of expression of this Truth is what makes this novel marvellous. The vivid and picturesque description of the various cities and sites makes them come alive in the mind's eye. The dialogues are elaborate. The overall feel of the book is just so serene and divine. Though just an adventure story, a kind of sad melody touches the heart of the reader, coupled with cryptic poetic dialogues. All of this makes the book enigmatic. 

Throughout all these, the unity of the plot is not once overridden or compromised. Through all the various places the protagonist travels through, through all the people he encounters and through all the strange experiences he endures – his goal is one. His purpose is one. His ultimate aim is one. At no point in the novel is there any deviation or diversion from the sole dream or purpose of the protagonist.

The impact of the novel is very profound, as it provides a new perspective towards the world around. It forges a deep connection with the readers as it takes them on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, ending on a high note of final joy and a sense of accomplishment. The sentiments stirred by the book stay for a long time. Coupled with the propounded philosophy, they nourish the core human essence of the readers.

Thus, when evaluated using Aristotle’s criteria, The Alchemist stands out as a Tragedy and a good one at that. It has a soulful plot, a robust character, poetic dialogues snuffed with wisdom and an overall metaphysical appeal. Overall, it’s a larger-than-life story, that imitates life and therefore inspires one to dream big and live up to full potential.

to be continued in Part 2: The Internal Journey 

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