Anisha’s Reviews > The Alchemist > Status Update

Wednesday's HW:"Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turns out, indeed, to be a threatening place." This is so true-I think everyone knows it, but that doesn't make them any less wary.

It's hard to tell if the Alchemist is really an alchemist, or just another metaphor/omen placed in Santiago's path by the King of Salem. I like this book, but the amount of metaphors makes it hard to distinguish the actual facts/events of the story.

Weekend HW: “The alchemists spent years in their laboratories, observing the fire that purified the metals. They spent so much time close to the fire that gradually they gave up the vanities of the world. They discovered that the purification of the metals had led to a purification of themselves.”

Thursday Hw: We are afraid of losing what we have, whether it’s our life or our possessions or our property. But this fear evaporates when we understand that our life stories and the history of the world were written by the same hand.” Fear is often what deters us

Wednesday's HW:"Everything in life is an omen.There is a universal language, understood by everybody, but already forgotten." (pg 70) In a way I agree with this quote-everyone is presented with omens almost constantly, but instead of being related to anything spiritual, they are simply a result of your decisions.I don't agree with calling it THE universal language-it's common to people, but there are other things too

Tuesday's HW: “Don’t forget that everything you deal with is only one thing and nothing else. And don’t forget the language of omens. And, above all, don’t forget to follow your destiny through to its conclusion.” page 32. I love the first part of this quote, because it made me think "what else is there anyway?" and the last part, I feel, exemplifies the entire book.