The Importance of an Educated Imagination in the Alchemist

An author's work enables a reader to develop his intellect and emotion through nurturing his imagination. Literature not only lets the reader experience life from the character's perspective, but also allows him to go beyond the realm of ordinary experiences. The importance of imagination highlighted by Frye's Educated Imagination is quite relevant in understanding The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. The protagonist's journey in pursuing his dreams represents the "universal human event" and the framework of "the loss and regaining of identity" that is common to every protagonist. His adventures also help the readers to extend their boundaries of imagination by letting them experience his unexpected adventures.

The Alchemist tells the story of a literate shepherd, Santiago who sets on a journey to find a treasure. His journey reflects the universal theme of pursuing one's Personal Legend which is something one "always wanted to accomplish" (Coelho, 21). In the story, "universal human event" of the protagonist's quest for his Personal Legend symbolizes a common man's desires, dilemmas and pursuits. His pursuit reflects "the kind of thing that always takes place...not what did take place" (Frye, 35). Various characters in the novel undergo the fear of losing everything in pursuit of their goal. The crystal shopkeeper decides not to visit Mecca because he does not want to imagine a life where his Personal Legend has been fulfilled. Unlike Santiago, he fails to realize that once a Personal Legend is reached, beings evolve to become something better and thereby seek a new goal. Thus, the characters from the story articulate the universal desires, fears and dilemmas associated with finding the satisfaction in one's life.

Frye refers to "loss and regaining of identity" as the "framework of all literature" (Frye, 30). Santiago's journey also embodies his quest for a new identity that is not afraid to follow imagination. It is a dream about the treasure that awakens him to the reality of his Personal Legend. Since "it [imagination] even produces dreams" (Frye, 82), his dream symbolizes his ability to imagine. In the beginning, his hesitation to sell his sheep, not meet the merchant's daughter and let go off the "world [he is] living in" (Frye, 5) represents the fear of change. After his encounter with the Old king of Salem, he learns that his freedom has been imprisoned by the very things that he thinks give him freedom. The King teaches him that the "world's greatest lie" (Coelho, 18) is that lives are controlled by fate. He learns to follow the omens and trust his heart, will and imagination to create a world he "wants to live in" (Frye, 5). As he sells his sheep, he loses his identity as a shepherd and becomes a traveller in search of his Personal Legend.

Along with the loss of his identity as a shepherd, his experiences expose the readers to the limitless boundaries of imagination. While travelling to Egypt, the imaginative level of mind helps him to overcome fears of the unknown. However, he faces the same dilemmas once again when he meets Fatima. Having earned enough money, he wants to settle down with her. This phase of his