Turning to the Next Chapter
Turning to the Next Chapter
Have you ever had a dream you wanted to chase after? Perhaps, it’s a dream that gave you an epiphany for a life greater than your current aspirations. Or, perhaps, it’s a dream to discover a whole new world greater than the life you currently live. Then, have you ever suddenly found yourself in a desolate desert? A vast, sandy, dry, and barren desert that you have to navigate through in order to reach what you want. While oddly specific, both books the Alchemist and the Little Prince encapsulates the description! When we think of classic books that have made a mark in the literary world, these two books will come to mind! As a fond reader myself, I’ve always been a fan of these books. For the Alchemist, I grew fond of the thrilling yet comforting aura of following the adventures of the novel. I read the Little Prince when I was a child. Thus, the Little Prince is a book near and dear to my heart. These two books intertwine each other through its themes and sentiments. In this blog, let’s explore different planets and places to find the treasures to be discovered in between the pages of these novels.
The Alchemist is a novel that follows the journey of a shepherd boy named Santiago who leaves his former life as a sacristan, training to be a priest, to explore the world with his flock of sheep. Then, after a dream about a treasure, he goes to meet Melchizedek, the king of Salem, who teaches him the inner workings of the universe. Upon learning about the role of the personal legend and omens, he goes through several trials and places that help him understand the importance of understanding the universe and the way in which it speaks to people. He is not only able to find his treasure in the end, but also discover himself and find new treasure along the way!
Let me paint you a picture. You are stranded in a desert with little to no resources, and a low will to survive. Then, out of nowhere, you see a small man walking toward you. He prompts you to draw images of a sheep! Now, what if I tell you that that small man will change your entire perception of life. (But, Rianne, how does this connect to the books?) Well, this literally is how the story of the Little Prince starts off! The novel follows a stranded pilot in a remote desert as he talks to the little prince who narrates the story of his adventures through different planets. The book explores the paradox of adults knowing less as they grow older through characterizations of different adult traits in different planets. Furthermore, the book delves deeper into the little prince’s innocent view on life, friendships, true love, and the concept of maturity. The story was written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who served in the French Air Force in the early to mid 1900s. Saint-Exupéry wrote the novel inspired by his encounters in the Air Force after being stranded in a desert.
Have you ever pondered on your life’s purpose? For the Alchemist, the purpose of one’s life can be illustrated with the term “personal legend”. The personal legend refers to what one has always yearned to accomplish in life, which is also what is destined to happen to an individual. For Santiago, in the Alchemist, he learns that his personal legend is to travel to the pyramids to find his treasure. However, the personal legend does not only refer to a singular goal. It is through achieving and finding one’s personal legend that they understand the meaning of life, the fulfillment of bonds made with friends and loved ones, and to connect with the Soul of the World! As the book states, “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” Sounds cool, right? The Little Prince, on the other hand, follows the little prince as he discovers the meaning of life through the lenses of a child. The little prince learns a few lessons on life that we can pick up. One of the most important lessons of all is to not forget to live. Again, I hear you ask, what do you mean by that, Rianne? Well, the book features the people living on each planet who all end up not living their lives to the fullest because of having to conform to the expectations of being an adult. They do not realize that the entire world is in front of them, waiting for them to see it. What I meant by not forgetting to live is to think and live outside the box of being a conventional adult. To live is to enjoy life, all the while finding meaningful purposes outside of meaningless and trivial tasks. It is through living life with a hope of a child that we see life in its truest beauty. For the Little Prince states, “Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.”
Love is ubiquitous. It is a prominent force, feeling, and presence we all encounter in our lives. If you are an enthusiast of themes of love (like me), these books both explore the different forms of love that we constantly encounter in life and how these impact us. I’m sure you can think of a love that has profoundly impacted your life. Whether that be from a family, friend, or someone special. Both books teach us how love presents itself and how we are to act on it in our lives. For the Alchemist, love helps and encourages an individual to accomplish their life’s purpose. A line in the Alchemist states, ““This is what we call love. When you are loved, you can do anything in creation. When you are loved, there's no need at all to understand what's happening, because everything happens within you.” The Alchemist emphasizes that whether it is a person you love pushing you to reach for your dreams, or something leading you to love something or someone immensely, love becomes a force that pushes you to the trajectory of your life. On the other hand, the Little Prince explores love as the unconditional surrender to an aspiration, object, or person. The Little Prince explains that when we love, what is concerned is not what is possessed, but rather what we give to the thing we love. The Little Prince symbolizes love in the form of a rose. When the little prince realizes that roses are common, he realizes that the love he gives to his rose makes that one unique, in particular. As mentioned in the novel, “it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” Furthermore, it also states, “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.” Both of the novels feature love being the force that an individual acts upon and acts upon the individual. Both novels feature love as characters. For the former book, love is shown through the progression of the story. For the latter book, love is shown through symbolism. All I can say, my friends, is swoon.
Changes in life are inevitable. Oftentimes, we find ourselves trying to restrict change instead of transformation. However, what I’ve learned from both of these texts is that transformation is to be embraced, not hidden from. The Alchemist follows Santiago as his entire perception on life transforms. From a hesitant and meek tone comes a confident and contented tone by the end of the story. The story teaches its readers that situations in life happen for us to learn from it. Thus, we must not be scared of the changes, for it is a sign that something good for us in the future is brewing. I recall one of my favorite lines from this book which states, “The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and get up eight times.” In the Little Prince, on the other hand, the prince undergoes a transformation upon maturing. As he matures, he gains a new perspective on life beyond his little planet. He learns that as adults grow older, they lose the admirable qualities for monotonous dreams. Furthermore, he realizes the importance of the bonds he makes with those he meets along the way, such as the fox and the rose. From that, toward the end of the story, we see the little prince transform to enjoy the little things in life and transform into a more open-minded person.
I mentioned the themes, concepts, and perceptions on life that the books cover. These ideas are relatively deep and philosophical, prompting the average reader to sit and ponder on these ideologies. However, for me, the beauty behind the novels (which I hope you see as well) is that we are able to grasp these themes immediately. It is almost as if it is inherently implanted into our minds for us to understand it to some deep degree. Perhaps, as a child, you’ve read one of those fables in kindergarten. Maybe it’s the story of the rabbit and the hare, or the three little pigs! The main idea behind those stories is that they are able to convey deep and meaningful concepts that the minds of children can fully grasp and comprehend. This is the exact same for the Alchemist. The Alchemist is a simple, and allegorical story that conveys deep philosophical ideas about life in a direct narrative. It is in the third person. It is almost as if you’re going through the experience with them. The Alchemist uses literary devices such as foreshadowing, personification, and other literary devices to amplify the message it aims to give. On the other hand, the Little Prince has a soft and simple tone, almost as if one were to talk to a child. This taps into the inner child of the reader, thus helping them also tap into their creative thinking skills. It alternates between the first person and the third person, all the while taking on a narrative structure. Furthermore, the Little Prince uses symbols such as the characters like the adults on planets, fox, and rose, as well as other objects like the desert to illustrate different sub lessons.
The Alchemist and the Little Prince are two texts that play an important role in the literary world. Not only are the books a quick read, but also taps into the sentiments of the readers. Reading these books feels like a tap on the shoulder or a gentle rub on the back. As simple as the way these books are written, the impact of the themes of the texts hits the heart and immerses you into it. I remember my first time reading both texts. Both of them left me wanting for more, thus prompting my reading slump. These are books I always come back to, even when I’ve moved on to the next chapters of my life. Now, I leave you with a question. Would you like to turn to the next chapter of your life with these lessons in your heart?
Until next time,
Rianne O, Pocsidio
Neighborly Curly Head
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