Comparing and Contrasting Essay - Personal Legends

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In the final part of the novel were events that taught him what were the meaning of all his encounters and that ultimately led him to the treasure he was searching for the whole time. After leaving the crystal merchant's shop he traveled further toward Egypt. While waiting for a caravan to leave for Egypt he met an Englishman who in many ways mirrored what he was trying to do. For one the Englishman was also on a quest to fulfill his own personal legend. Santiago learned a lot from the Englishman, as did the Englishman learned from him as well. The Englishman was a bookworm who learned a lot from reading books and studying, Santiago on the other hand was less concerned with books and was more into reading signs and omens, as if the world was speaking to him. Another person he met was the mysterious alchemist who helped him learn a lot although he insisted that Santiago learn most on his own and that “when you want something, all the universe conspire to help you achieve it”. At the end of his journey he encountered thieves who mugged him, he told the thieves that he was only following a dream that told him about a hidden treasure at the foot of the Egyptian pyramids. To his surprise one of the thieves told him about a dream he also had about a treasure at under the root of a growing sycamore tree where shepherds usually lead their herd to rest. He was beaten and weak but now he knows where his treasure was, it was under his nose the whole time. This taught him that life rewards those who pursue their personal legends. Had he not went on that journey he would not have known that his treasure was there all along.

Sometimes we all get to a point in life where we get to comfortable and try to play it safe. This way we end up losing more because of our uncertainty in risks. We know may earn a lot from the risks we take but it may also be the other way around. We think too much of what might happen, creating problems that were not there to begin with. It freezes us to point where we stop moving forward and we are cowering back to where we feel the safest. Santiago took that leap of faith leaving everything he was used to behind. He was able to travel into the unknown not sure what will be on the other side even with the knowledge that he will have nothing to come back to. But in the process he was able to experience possibilities that he could not even imagine before he started his trip, he was able to traverse some of the most intriguing places and learn the one of most sought after knowledge in life. All of this because he took leap that pushed through and went all the way.