Alchemist Essay - Choices Can Direct Life

Choices Can Direct Life

“I can control my destiny, but not my fate. Destiny means there are opportunities to turn right or left, but fate is a one-way street. I believe we all have the choice as to whether we fulfill our destiny, but our fate is sealed“(Coelho). In life people have choices to make, whether their decision is right or wrong. They can control their own destinies. In the book The Alchemist by Coelho a boy who’s appellation is Santiago; his life and travel towards his personal legend is controlled by his own choice.

Santiago was faced with many decisions throughout his life, some life changing and others ordinary. His first transformative decision in his life was to become a shepherd instead of his parent’s expectations of becoming a priest. His parents didn’t agree with his choice, but they still supported him. At the age of 18, Santiago had to make the life changing decision based on whether or not he should accept the journey to venture to the Pyramids. Part of the deciding factor for Santiago was his own destiny and his personal legend. Without that decision of him traveling to the Pyramids he would have never directed himself towards a life long amicable decision.

When Santiago was robbed the first of several times he chose to conclude his journey. It was apparent to him that he needed to earn money to revert home. In order to earn money he had to have his employments at the crystal shop and work quickly and decisively. While at the shop he accumulated life long lessons he would later learn from. This employment at the shop lasted a year and by that time he had accrued enough money to return home “It had been eleven months and nine days since he had first step foot on the African continent.”(Coelho 60). Even though he earned enough money to return home, he instead chose to continue his journey to the Pyramids.

While on his way to the Pyramids, Santiago visited the Oasis.  During his stay at the Oasis he had a vision from the birds of the desert of an army attacking like a swarm of bees. He made the choice to tell the tribal chieftains about it.  Despite the consequence of being killed if his vision was incorrect, he was pleased with his decision. Later in the night Santiago was found by the alchemist “Why did you read the flight of the birds? I read only what the birds wanted to tell me. They wanted to save the oasis…The boy had met the alchemist”(Coelho 110-112).  Without the choice of revealing his vision to the tribal men, Santiago would not have meet the alchemist who lead him on the rest of this journey.

         Santiago is in control of his own life and destiny in the book The Alchemist. Santiago’s decisions can relate to the everyday life and struggle of todays society. Its important to maintain everyday life decisions and remember every decision affects the daily life of all. In life people are influenced by the environment they surround themselves with on a daily bases.