The Alchemist

HI zaman here! I think this blog is not only about my thoughts but also reviews of books I've read. This book is also a kind of small record for me. The second record, after bandung menjelang pagi by Brian Khrisna. I finished the alchemist in only about 1.5–2 days (214 pages), honestly… felt a bit off at the beginning.

Because my expectations were already off the charts. The story suddenly shifts to a shepherd, dreams, a journey, and things that just didn’t connect with my thoughts at the time. I even thought, “Why is this book so hyped up?” 

Well, i’ve summarized the main points about this book.

A Boy Without a Name

In the alchemist, Paulo Coelho doesn’t even bother to give the main character a full name. He is simply a boy a shepherd from Andalusia. 

He chooses to be a shepherd instead of becoming a priest, as his parents wanted, for one simple reason: he wants to see the world. He wants to walk, move, and experience life directly.

His father once says something that quietly hits hard: "mereka datang untuk mencari hal-hal baru, tapi ketika mereka pergi lagi, sebenarnya mereka sama saja seperti saat mereka datang"

As if physical journeys don’t always mean inner growth. And maybe that’s the difference between people who only move, and people who truly grow.

The Biggest Lie in Human Life

The boy’s meeting with the King of Salem is one of the most powerful moments in the book. The king says that the biggest lie in the world is "bahwa pada satu titik dalam hidup kita, kita kehilangan kendali atas apa yang terjadi pada kita, dan hidup kita jadi dikendalikan oleh nasib, demikianlah dusta terbesar itu"

The sentence is simple, but honestly, it’s annoying in a good way. Because it’s much easier to say, “It’s destiny,” than to admit that we’re actually afraid of making choices.

The king also says that "takdir adalah apa yang selalu ingin kaucapai. semua orang, ketika masih muda, tahu takdir mereka". And that feels true. When we are children, we know what excites us. We know what makes our eyes light up. But as we grow older, that voice becomes quieter covered by fear, logic, and life’s expectations.

About Signs and the Courage to Read Life

“Tuhan telah menyiapkan jalan yang mesti dilalui masing-masing orang. kau tinggal membaca pertanda-pertanda yang ditinggalkan-Nya untukmu”

This sentence is often misunderstood as surrendering to life. But it actually means the opposite. Signs don’t appear when we stay still. They appear when we move.

Life doesn’t talk to people who only wait. Life responds to those who dare to walk, even when they don’t know where the road will lead. That’s why the king says life wants you to achieve your destiny. It’s not life that blocks us, it’s often us who don’t respond. 

There is another line that stayed with me, "yang membuat hidup ini menarik adalah kemungkinan untuk mewujudkan impian menjadi kenyataan" 

If everything were certain, there would be no reason to move. No reason to risk. No reason to listen to signs at all.

The Spoon and the Two Drops of Oil

There is a small story about a wise man, a spoon, and two drops of oil. The secret of happiness, the wise man says "rahasia kebahagiaan adalah dengan menikmati segala hal menakjubkan di dunia ini, tanpa pernah melupakan tetes-tetes air di sendokmu"

If we focus too much on responsibility, life becomes dry. But if we only enjoy the world, we lose direction. Life is not about choosing one, it’s about balance.

The Crystal Merchant and an Unlived Dream

This part is the saddest and most honest for me.

The crystal merchant has a big dream: going to Mecca. He has the money. He has the chance. But he chooses to keep dreaming instead of making it real. Because for some people, dreams are not meant to be achieved, they are meant to keep them alive.

“sebab justru impian hendak pergi ke Mekkah-lah yang membuatku bertahan hidup. impian itu yang membantuku menjalani hari-hariku.....aku takut kalau impianku menjadi kenyataan, aku jadi tidak punya alasan lagi untuk hidup”

That line hurts. And it made me realize that not everyone is happy when their dreams come true. Some people are afraid of the emptiness after that. It’s not wrong, but it is a choice.

The shepherd boy is different. He chooses to walk. And without realizing it, his choice makes others see what their lives could be, even if they choose not to take that path.

Maktub and the Soul of the World

“kalau kau menginginkan sesuatu sepenuh hatimu, seluruh jagat raya bersatu membantumu.”

This line often sounds cliche. But after following the boy’s journey, it feels less magical and more realistic. It’s about clarity.

When someone truly knows what they want, their actions change. Their decisions become braver. Their focus becomes sharper. And the world responds to people who move with certainty. That’s where maktub makes sense, not that we have no choices, but that our choices are part of the story being written.

The book then reaches one of its biggest truths:

"siapapun dirimu, apa pun yang kaulakukan, kalau engkau sungguh-sungguh menginginkan sesuatu, itu karena hasrat tersebut bersumber dari jiwa jagat raya. itulah misimu di dunia ini"

Why Is It Called The Alchemist?

At the beginning, I also wondered why the book is called The Alchemist. Because at first, we only meet a shepherd boy, dreams, journeys, the King of Salem, and signs. The alchemist himself doesn’t appear yet.

Later, a British man appears, searching for alchemy. The science of turning metal into gold. That’s when the word alchemist starts to make sense literally.

But the deeper the story goes, the clearer it becomes: this book is not really about alchemist.

The Real Alchemy

When the alchemist finally appears, he is not a warm teacher or a motivational speaker. He is quiet, firm, and sometimes cold. His role is not to give answers, but to guide. He walks with the shepherd boy toward the pyramids. He tests his courage. He forces him to face fear, trust signs, intuition, and himself.

That’s when I realized: the alchemist is not the main character.

Alchemy in this book is not about turning metal into gold, but about transforming humans. Turning fear into courage. Confusion into belief. A physical journey into an inner one.

The shepherd boy is performing the greatest alchemy: changing himself.
And the alchemist is the symbol of someone who has already reached that point—someone who has become “gold” in his own life.