The Influence of The Alchemist
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75 be seen through his reactions. When Santiago meets the Gypsy woman, he feels afraid.
But after realizing that the Gypsy woman has the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he tries to reassure himself and prays Our Father silently. Fourth, Santiago is described as an
independent person. This characteristic can be seen through his reactions. When Santiago decides to quit from the seminary and becomes a shepherd, he is ready to leave
his family and to live alone. The last, Santiago is described as a determined person. It can be seen through his thought and reactions. Santiago chooses to find the treasure and
leaves his sheep because he is very sure that his flock is accustomed to his absence and so do his family.
There are four minor characters who influence Santiago’s motivation in realizing his dream. They are Melchizedek, the crystal merchant, Fatima, and the Alchemist.
The personal description of Melchizedek shows that he is an old man. The reader can find that he is a king who is both an intelligent and a wise person through his
speech, thought, reactions, and conversation with Santiago as the main character. From these ways too, I can find that Melchizedek is a generous person and is able to read
what a person thinks and what happen in one’s life. Moreover, the author’s comments suggest that he is a God’s servant.
The characteristics of the crystal merchant can be seen through his speech, reactions, and direct knowledge from the author. The readers may find that the crystal
merchant is a conservative person. In addition, through his reactions too, the readers can understand that he is a generous and a selective man. Moreover, from his speech to
another character, Santiago, the readers can find that he is a dreamer. The personal description of Fatima shows that she is a beautiful Arab girl with
dark eyes. The author’s direct comment also shows that her beauty makes Santiago falls in love with her at his first sight. Through her speech and reactions, the readers may find
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76 that she is a supportive girl. Even loves Santiago, she keeps supporting and encouraging
him to pursue his dream in finding the treasure near the Pyramids. And from these two methods of characterization too, Fatima’s sincerity is seen.
The author describes the Alchemist’s personal description as a mysterious desert man. The readers may find that the Alchemist is a wise man through his thoughts,
speech, and actions. In addition, through his reaction and direct comment from the author, the readers can understand that he is a cautious person. Moreover, from his
speech to other characters, the readers will find his brave side. Those minor characters influence Santiago. They have different ways of
influencing. These minor characters consciously and unconsciously use their traits in influencing Santiago’s motivation in realizing his dream.
The first minor character who influences Santiago’s motivation is Melchizedek. Melchizedek influences Santiago through their interactions. As a wise and a generous
person, Melchizedek gives many advices to Santiago. He also uses his intelligent trait to convince Santiago to keep pursue in finding the treasure. His speech to Santiago and his
attitude on self-control, responsibility, and leadership influence Santiago’s motivation to search it. Melchizedek shares the same traits as the one in the Holy Bible. Because of it,
Santiago remembers Melchizedek easily. Through Melchizedek’s advices, Santiago gains back his motivation to continue his journey. Melchizedek realizes that he has
power to help people to get back their motivation toward their Personal Legend. Based on the hierarchy of needs, Santiago’s motivation is included in esteem
needs. It is because in esteem needs a person tends to look for freedom and Santiago looks for his freedom by travelling around the world. His kind of motivation is
categorized in extrinsic motivation. Santiago’s motivation in realizing his dream is influenced after he hears and understands Melchizedek’s advice. Santiago is convinced
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77 to keep searching the treasure.
The crystal merchant is the second minor character who influences Santiago. The crystal merchant uses his conservative trait to influence Santiago’s motivation. As a
generous person, he hires Santiago in his shop. They have a good interaction as an employee and an employer. Unconsciously, the merchant’s generosity influences
Santiago’s motivation. Since Santiago has a low self-control to his motivation, he loses his motivation when the crystal merchant tells him that it is impossible for him to go to
the Pyramids, when he knows that the merchant also has dream but he just keeps it as dream, and when Santiago has everything that he needs to get back as a shepherd after
working at the crystal shop. In this case, the crystal merchant controls Santiago as his employee at his shop.
Santiago and the crystal merchant share a mutual interaction. Through an interaction, a person can influence his or her environment. In this case, the crystal
merchant influences Santiago’s motivation in realizing his dream. Hence, his motivation is included to extrinsic motivation. A person who has an extrinsic motivation is linked
with a concept of external locus of control. This kind of person is called a pawn. It means Santiago is a pawn person.
Fatima is the third minor character who influences Santiago’s motivation in realizing his dream. Santiago and Fatima are in love. It is mutual interaction if people
are in love; they do anything for the person he or she loves. Fatima influences Santiago with her physical trait, beauty. Santiago is willingly leaving his treasure in the Pyramids
just to stay in the oasis with Fatima. However, Fatima shows her supportive trait by influencing him with her pure love that he has to go on pursue his searching. Finally
Fatima is succeeded in influencing Santiago’s motivation as pursue the treasure. Santiago and Fatima share a mutual interaction because they love each other.
Santiago is willing to stay at the oasis as long as Fatima besides him. Based on the PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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78 hierarchy of needs, Santiago’s motivation is included to belongingness and love. These
needs are lower than esteem needs. Therefore, it is hard for Santiago to keep pursuing to find the treasure. It makes he loses his motivation in realizing his dream. Hence,
Santiago’s motivation is categorized in extrinsic motivation which is linked with a pawn’s behaviour.
The last minor character who influences Santiago’s motivation is the Alchemist. The Alchemist influences Santiago through their interaction. He gives his wise advice
and shows his attitudes on act of leadership to Santiago. Through the Alchemist’s advice, Santiago gains his motivation and believes in Fatima’s love. It can be seen when
Santiago does not want to continue his journey to the Pyramids because of Fatima, but then he changes his decision after he interacts with the Alchemist.
During the journey to the Pyramids, Santiago always thinks about Fatima. When the Alchemist tells him to focus on the journey, Santiago seems hopeless. Then the
Alchemist gives him advice that shows his mastery in facing this kind of problem. A hopeless person like Santiago is easily influenced by a person whose master in certain
subject like the Alchemist. It means Santiago perceives his behaviour as determined by external forces beyond his control. This kind of person is called a pawn who is
associated with extrinsically motivated behaviour.