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To what extent is the fable of Santiago an allegory to my life? By Garrett

Spahn

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Santiago’s Journey:

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Santiago begins his journey and searching for his personal legend by leaving his sheep. He had to realize, that he no longer had to watch over them like he had for so many years. He had learned a lot from his herd, but it was time to move on. Santiago had to leave in search for much bigger and better things.

“Looking around, he sought his sheep, and then realized that he was in a new world. But instead of being saddened, he was happy. He no longer had to seek out food and water for the sheep; he could go in search of his treasure, instead.” (42)

Santiago leaving his sheep was much like a bird leaving it’s nest. The bird has to leave it’s easygoing life and venture off into the world he has not yet explored. Much like Santiago had to leave his accustomed life of being a Shepard in order to explore the world in search of his great treasure.

Santiago begins his journey and searching for his personal legend by leaving his sheep. He had to realize, that he no longer had to watch over them like he had for so many years. He had learned a lot from his herd, but it was time to move on. Santiago had to leave in search for much bigger and better things.

“Looking around, he sought his sheep, and then realized that he was in a new world. But instead of being saddened, he was happy. He no longer had to seek out food and water for the sheep; he could go in search of his treasure, instead.” (42)

Santiago leaving his sheep was much like a bird leaving it’s nest. The bird has to leave it’s easygoing life and venture off into the world he has not yet explored. Much like Santiago had to leave his accustomed life of being a Shepard in order to explore the world in search of his great treasure.

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Santiago’s Journey:

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Along Santiago’ travels, he learns about an unspoken language when coming across two men working together, but speaking different languages. He believes it to be the language of the world and how all things in the world communicate. The unspoken language is just one of the many things Santiago learns along his quest that gives him a better understanding for life and his own personal journey.

“When he had gone only a short distance, he realized that, while they were erecting the stall, one of them had spoken Arabic and the other Spanish. And they had understood each other perfectly well” (43)

The unspoken language is a lot like things like sign language and Braille. Sign language and Braille are both ways for people to communicate with one another without even talking. This is a lot like the Spanish and Arab man setting up the stall, although they were speaking in different languages and couldn’t understand each other, they could accomplish a task by using the language of the world. QuickTime™ and a

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Santiago’s Journey:Santiago also learns to listen to the omens along his journey. The omens are a form of foreshadowing, they are a way to tell how things are going to play out. He uses these omens to guide him in his travels and help him make good decisions. For example, when the old man who owned the crystal shop didn’t want to improve on things, Santiago told him to listen to the omens and that they were a sign of good fortune. They should act quick while the good luck was on their side.

“I’m doing much better, and soon you’ll be able to return to your sheep. Why ask more out of life? Because we have to respond to the omens.” (52)

My symbol for this passage is the old expression “Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky at morning, sailors warning.” The red sky is an omen, and when a sailor sees a red sky at night, he knows the next day will be smooth sailing. However, if a sailor sees red sky in the morning, there will be bad weather for sailing that day, and he is thus warned.

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Santiago’s Journey:Santiago’s Journey:When Santiago arrives at the Pyramids and finds no treasure, he is confused and depressed. However, he is then told by a man who tried robbing him that he is stupid, the robber told Santiago he also once had a dream, the dream was that he should search for treasure where Shepard's and their sheep slept in Spain near an old church.

“But before they left, he came back to the boy and said, “You’re not going to die. You’ll live, and you’ll learn that a man shouldn’t be so stupid. Two years ago, right here on this spot, I had a recurrent dream, too. I dreamed that I should travel the fields of Spain and look for a ruined church where Shepard's and their sheep slept. In my dream, there was a sycamore growing out of the ruins of the sacristy, and I was told that, if I dug at the roots of the sycamore, I would find a hidden treasure. But I’m not so stupid as to cross an entire desert just because of a recurrent dream.” And they disappeared. The boy stood up shakily, and looked once more at the Pyramids. They seemed to laugh at him, and he laughed back, his heart bursting with joy. Because now he knew where his treasure was.” (162-163)

After the man shared his dream with Santiago he realized, his treasure was at home the whole time. If it was ,why did the omens lead him all the way out to the Pyramids? The answer to that is for the journey, Santiago learned a lot along his journey, just like his personal legend required him to. This part of the story resembles a rainbow. It’s not about what is at the end or beginning of the rainbow, because some may never know or even find it, but the importance of the rainbow is the rainbow itself.

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Santiago’s Journey:In the end, Santiago realizes what his journey was all about. He realized that the journey wasn’t about the treasure at the end, but the experiences and lessons that came along with the it. The point of his quest, was to experience his personal legend first hand, he had to travel all the way across the desert, just to realize his treasure was right at home. Santiago learned that all of his hard works and struggles, will always payoff, with or without him knowing it.

“It’s true; life really is generous to those who pursue their Personal Legend, the boy thought.” (166)

When you work hard in school like Santiago did on his journey across the desert, it will payoff. Hard work in school is a perfect example of how someone’s work can really pay off. For example good grades can get you a well paying job, a nice house, and maybe even buried treasure just like Santiago.

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My JourneyMy Journey

I believe my personal legend is to leave the most positive impact on all the people, places, and things I encounter through my actions. However, I hadn’t realized my personal legend until this past summer, which was an epiphany in my journey.

I believe my personal legend is to leave the most positive impact on all the people, places, and things I encounter through my actions. However, I hadn’t realized my personal legend until this past summer, which was an epiphany in my journey.

My JourneyMy Journey

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In 2005, I moved from St.Charles, Illinois to Granby, Connecticut. I could be anyone I wanted in my new town, but what would I be? I had to think of what I wanted to be looks upon as. Much like Santiago had to think after he was robbed.

“As he mused about these things, he realized that he had to choose between thinking of himself as the poor victim of a thief and as an adventurer in quest of his treasure.” (42)

A situation that is a symbol of this situation is someone going off to college. They don’t know what to expect and are going to be living in a whole new environment. There will be new people, places, and things, just like in a new town.

In 2005, I moved from St.Charles, Illinois to Granby, Connecticut. I could be anyone I wanted in my new town, but what would I be? I had to think of what I wanted to be looks upon as. Much like Santiago had to think after he was robbed.

“As he mused about these things, he realized that he had to choose between thinking of himself as the poor victim of a thief and as an adventurer in quest of his treasure.” (42)

A situation that is a symbol of this situation is someone going off to college. They don’t know what to expect and are going to be living in a whole new environment. There will be new people, places, and things, just like in a new town.

My JourneyMy Journey

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As the expression goes “first impressions are everything.” So I figured by when I first moved here, I should be as nice as possible and try to impact people in a positive way. Little did I know it but my personal legend was starting to form. Although it was hard sometimes, I always tried nice, like Santiago was to the elderly man even when he didn’t want to talk with him.

“The boy was tempted to be rude, and move to another bench, but his father taught him to be respectful of the elderly.” (16)

Being nice and leaving a god impression has always been a good thing to do. A symbol for me doing that is like a kid bringing an apple into school to give to the teacher on the first day of school. The teacher will then think of the student as generous and kind.

As the expression goes “first impressions are everything.” So I figured by when I first moved here, I should be as nice as possible and try to impact people in a positive way. Little did I know it but my personal legend was starting to form. Although it was hard sometimes, I always tried nice, like Santiago was to the elderly man even when he didn’t want to talk with him.

“The boy was tempted to be rude, and move to another bench, but his father taught him to be respectful of the elderly.” (16)

Being nice and leaving a god impression has always been a good thing to do. A symbol for me doing that is like a kid bringing an apple into school to give to the teacher on the first day of school. The teacher will then think of the student as generous and kind.

My JourneyMy Journey

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Upon moving to Granby, my family joined Pilgrim Covenant Church, which would play a huge role in my personal legend, sending me on my mission trip. I felt it was an omen, that God out out in my path, much like Santiago was told by the old man buying his sheep.

“In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens he has left for you.” (29)

The church seemed to me to be an omen, it seemed to be lucky or have something special about it. Much like a 4 leaf clover is special and brings good luck.

Upon moving to Granby, my family joined Pilgrim Covenant Church, which would play a huge role in my personal legend, sending me on my mission trip. I felt it was an omen, that God out out in my path, much like Santiago was told by the old man buying his sheep.

“In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens he has left for you.” (29)

The church seemed to me to be an omen, it seemed to be lucky or have something special about it. Much like a 4 leaf clover is special and brings good luck.

My JourneyMy JourneyI was right about the church being an omen, last year in the middle of the school year, I was presented with an amazing opportunity. It was to to go on a mission trip with my church to Ponce, Puerto Rico, an extremely poor town to build people houses. The omens lead me to this trip.

“If God leads the sheep so well he will also lead a man.” (35)I was led to this trip by the omens, they guided me in the right direction. Much like a compass will lead a person in the right direction.

I was right about the church being an omen, last year in the middle of the school year, I was presented with an amazing opportunity. It was to to go on a mission trip with my church to Ponce, Puerto Rico, an extremely poor town to build people houses. The omens lead me to this trip.

“If God leads the sheep so well he will also lead a man.” (35)I was led to this trip by the omens, they guided me in the right direction. Much like a compass will lead a person in the right direction.

My JourneyMy Journey

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Up until I had gone on the mission trip I was focused on what I had. Going on the mission trip made me realize my personal legend. It wasn’t about what I had that mattered, it was about what I did that was important, like helping the people in Puerto Rico. Because in the end, what I will have had won’t matter, the only thing that will last is what I did and the affects of my actions.

“Love is the force that transforms and improves the Soul of the World. When I first reached through it, I thought the Soul of the World was perfect. But later, I could see that it was like other aspects of creation, and it had it’s own passions and wars. It is we who nourish the Soul of the World, and the world we live in will be either better or worse, depending on whether we become better or worse. And that’s where the power of love comes in. Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are.” (150-151)

On the trip you could say the symbol was a light bulb that went off in my head. Like Santiago, when staring at the pyramids he realized that his treasure was at home, a light bulb clicked in my head, where I realized my personal legend that I should aspire to.

Up until I had gone on the mission trip I was focused on what I had. Going on the mission trip made me realize my personal legend. It wasn’t about what I had that mattered, it was about what I did that was important, like helping the people in Puerto Rico. Because in the end, what I will have had won’t matter, the only thing that will last is what I did and the affects of my actions.

“Love is the force that transforms and improves the Soul of the World. When I first reached through it, I thought the Soul of the World was perfect. But later, I could see that it was like other aspects of creation, and it had it’s own passions and wars. It is we who nourish the Soul of the World, and the world we live in will be either better or worse, depending on whether we become better or worse. And that’s where the power of love comes in. Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are.” (150-151)

On the trip you could say the symbol was a light bulb that went off in my head. Like Santiago, when staring at the pyramids he realized that his treasure was at home, a light bulb clicked in my head, where I realized my personal legend that I should aspire to.

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