Annabel and Ainsley Merritt

Webster 5th
12/2/17
The Alchemist Hero Cycle

DEPARTURE
Call to Adventure:
“ ‘Then at the Egyptian pyramids’... ‘the child said to me’, “If you come here you will find a
hidden treasure” ” (Coelho 16).

Santiago has been having a recurring dream about hidden treasure in the Egyptian
pyramids. In his dream, a boy was persistently playing with a sheep when all of a sudden he
grabbed Santiago’s hands, transported him to the Egyptian pyramids, and told him he had hidden
treasure there. In this point of the book, Santiago is getting his dream interpreted by a gypsy.
This is significant because all of his life he has only wanted to be a shepherd but now the world
is opening up to him with new possibilities in his life. Also, if it was not for the gypsy, he most
likely would have ignored the dream each time and continued his whole life as a shepherd.
Coelho creates a hopeful mood through the idea that Santiago could possibly find something
better in life. This mood reveals that happiness can be found outside of people's comfort zones.

Refusal of the Call:

“While standing at the ticket window, the boy had remembered his flock, and decided he should
go back to being a shepherd” (Coelho 28-29).

Santiago is in line at the ticket window for tickets to Africa. He realizes that he would
have to sell only one of his sheep which scares him because he is still afraid of giving up his old
life as a shepherd. This step is important because it allows Santiago to realize how easy it would
be to leave his life which may mean that the life and relationships he has now are not worth
while. The sheep symbolizes what is safe and constant in life. The use of sheep to symbolize
familiarity shows that there are many familiar things in our life and they make us feel warm and
comforted like sheep wool. In order to start a new chapter of his life, Santiago has to let go of his
sheep and find who he is without them. Coelho uses this symbolism to convey that most people
cling to what they know because they have many comforts that make them feel safe but they are
not reaching their potential by staying within their boundaries.

Supernatural Aid:
“The old man opened his cape, and the boy was struck by what he saw. The old man wore a
breastplate of heavy gold, covered with precious stones… He really was a king!... ‘Take these.’
said the old man, holding out a white and a black stone that had been embedded at the center of
his breastplate. ‘They are called Urim and Thummim. The black signifies “yes” and the white
“no”. When you are unable to read the omens they will help you do so” (Coelho 32-33).

The day before, he had talked to an old man that claimed to be a king, and who also
happened to know of the boy’s treasure in Egypt. Santiago met the old man the next day to sell
six of his sheep. The old man shows him a breastplate of gold and Santiago realizes he is actually
a king. The king give Santiago two talismans to help him on his journey. This step is significant
because Urim and Thummim will help him later on in the novel and now Santiago has enough
money to buy a ticket to pay for a ship ride to Africa. Coelho uses the imagery “breastplate of
heavy gold covered with precious stones” to show that the king is very important and wealthy.
From this, the reader can infer that the king will be an essential part of the story and a precious
mentor later on. This imagery reveals that people need mentors once they cross into the
unknown, outside of their comfort zones, to help them along their journey.

Crossing the Threshold:

“The old man looked at the boy...Then taking his sheep he walked away” (Coelho 35). Santiago
then boards a ship to Africa. “... Melchizedek watched a small ship that was plowing its way out
of the port. He would never again see the boy… How strange is Africa, thought the boy...The
boy felt ill and terribly alone” (Coelho 36-37).

The king that Santiago​ ​met on the train buys six of his sheep from him, leaving him with
enough money to board a ship to Africa. King Melchizedek watches his ship as he leaves and
hopes the best for Santiago on his journey. He finally makes it to Africa and remarks on how
different Africa is from his previous life as a shepherd. This step is very important because it is
the point of no return. Santiago cannot return back to Andalusia because he has nothing to come
back to since he sold some of his only companions, his sheep. From now on his only concern is
reaching his Personal Legend. Coelho uses diction to describe how Santiago feels in Africa. By
using the words “strange”, “ill”, “terribly alone”, and “small” the reader can conclude that the
boy does not feel like he fits into this new world (Coelho 36-37). He feels very out of place,
which is normal, but it will take some time to adapt to. Coelho’s use of diction helps connect to
the theme because at first going out of comfort zones feels unfamiliar and scary, but eventually it
gets more familiar and you come out a more evolved person because of it.

Belly of the Whale:

“Although the vision of the date palms would someday be just a memory, right now it signified
shade, water, and a refuge from the war...The group was to remain there at the oasis until the
conflict between the tribes was over” (Coelho 88-91).
 The caravan arrives at the oasis: an enclosed, damp, dark area where Santiago’s journey
is on hold because the oasis is a neutral area in the war. This step is important because it allows
Santiago to meet the alchemist and learn the soul of the world. Also, the oasis is where Santiago
meets the love of his life, Fatima. The setting of the dark, damp oasis where his journey is on
hold represents a mother's womb. Although a rebirth does not literally occur, Santiago comes out
of the oasis with new knowledge of the soul of the world, a new alchemist mentor, and a
soulmate. The conflict of the war makes Santiago go to the oasis. From this, the reader can infer
that the soul of the world is causing the conflict so that Santiago can meet Fatima and discover
the universal language. Coelho’s use of conflict and setting help connect to the theme because
although the hero’s journey to find treasure stops, he still is growing as a person, just like a baby
in a womb, and comes out of the oasis with new truths about the world.

INITIATION
Road of Trials:
“He was no longer a shepherd, and he had nothing, not even the money to return and start
everything over” because someone tricked him and robbed him of all of his money (Coelho 41).

A young man who can speak Spanish comes up to Santiago while he is in a bar. Santiago
befriends the young man who claims he will be Santiago’s guide to the pyramids, and he collects
Santiago’s money. Next, the young man takes him to a very crowded market. After Santiago
stops to look at a sword he looks back to see the young man and his money gone. This step is
very important because it tests Santiago because he must overcome losing his money in order to
follow his Personal Legend. Coelho’s use of conflict puts Santiago in a situation where he needs
to come up with a solution. This conflict is the driving force behind actually starting his journey
across the desert to Egypt. It prompts him to work as a crystal merchant and gain the money that
he needs to pay for a camel to cross the desert. This connects to the overall meaning because
when people go out of their familiarity, it is hard to adjust to at first and they may face conflict,
but when they are able to rise above that conflict they can reach their full potential.

Goddess:
“At that moment it seemed to him that time stood still, and the Soul of the World surged within
him. When he looked into her dark eyes, and saw that her lips were poised between a laugh and
silence, he learned the most important part of the language that all the world spoke-the language
that everyone on earth was capable of understanding in their heart. It was love” (Coelho 95).

Santiago and the Englishman are searching for the alchemist and they start by asking
people of the oasis if there is a magical healer of illnesses. They are asking people by the
watering hole when he first sees Fatima. She is so beautiful that Santiago falls in love with her
right away and he figures out the universal language throughout the world; love. This step is
significant because not only does it lead into the ultimate boon, it further helps Santiago
understand the language of the world which is essential in him becoming the alchemist and
reaching his Personal Legend. Coelho uses very negative diction such as “dark”, “surged”,
“silence”, and “poised” to describe love (Coelho 95). This is very strange because in the passage
it says that love is the universal language. From Coelho’s negative diction, the reader can assume
that the author’s meaning is that love is beautiful and great but it is also very scary because it
forces people to be vulnerable. This connects to the overall meaning because to find that true
love, people have to go out of their comfort zone, and in doing so they grow closer to their
significant other.

Apotheosis:
“When the simum ceased to blow, everyone looked to the place where the boy had been. But he
was no longer there, he was standing next to a sand-covered sentinel on the far side of
camp...there were two people who were smiling: the alchemist, because he has found his perfect
disciple, and the chief, because that disciple had understood the glory of God” (Coelho 157-158).

The alchemist and Santiago get stopped by tribesmen. To prove that Santiago is an
alchemist and not a spy, the alchemist utters that in three days Santiago will be able to turn
himself into the wind and destroy the town or else the tribesman can kill them both. On the third
day Santiago is able to turn himself into wind and everyone is in awe. This step is important
because he has just become an alchemist and now he is aware that he is capable of greatness.
This godlike period boosts Santiago’s confidence which helps him continue on in his journey.
The author alludes to the bible, writing “that disciple had understood the glory of God” (Coelho
158). This comparison of God and Santiago shows that at the moment Santiago is godlike and he
has moved beyond possible versus impossible. The reader can infer that now that he has
conquered this arduous task, he is also an alchemist. This connects to the overall meaning
because when the alchemist first said he had to change himself into wind, Santiago was very
doubtful of himself, but after coming out of his comfort zone and believing wholeheartedly in
himself, he was able to complete the task.

The Ultimate Boon:

“The wind began to blow again. It was the levanter, the wind that came from Africa. It did not
bring with it the smell of the desert… it brought the scent of a perfume he knew well, and the
touch of a kiss-a kiss that came from far away, slowly, slowly, until it rested on his lips. The boy
smiled. It was the first time she had done that. ‘I’m coming, Fatima,’ he said” (Coelho 171).

Santiago finally found his treasure and as he is reflecting on his journey, the levanter
begins to blow. With it, are all of the romantic memories of Fatima. After revisiting those
memories, he decides he is going back to Fatima. This step is significant because although his
goal the whole novel is to find the treasure, once he finds the treasure his life is not completely
fulfilled without Fatima. This highlights that love can fulfill a person more than wealth or
success ever will. Coelho uses imagery to appeal to the reader’s sense of touch when he writes
“slowly, slowly until it rested on his lips” because it causes the reader to imagine it and feel it
happening as they read it (Coelho 171). From this the reader can infer that Coelho is showing
how amazing love can be and prompting the reader to seek out their loved ones. This connects to
the overall meaning because Santiago would not have been able to find love with Fatima if he
had not gone out of his familiarity in the first place.

RETURN
Magic Flight:
“Because now he knew where the treasure was… The boy reached the small, abandoned church
[(in Spain)] just as night was falling” (Coelho 168-169).

After hearing the dream of the leader of the tribesmen, Santiago knows where the
treasure is; in an old church in Spain. The book provides no explanation of how he gets from
Egypt to Spain, all it provides is an ellipses. This step is important because it highlights how the
journey to finding the treasure in Egypt had the biggest impact on Santiago than actually
discovering the treasure. Coelho uses words like “small”, “abandoned”, “night”, and “falling” to
create a suspenseful tone. This tone causes the reader to be unsure of if Santiago will even find
his fortune. From this, the reader may think that he already found his fortune it with Fatima. This
connects to the overall meaning because leaving familiarity helps people find many treasures,
and they should not just focus in on one of them.

Rescue from Without:

“...the men began to beat the boy. He was bruised and bleeding, his clothing torn to shreds and
he felt that death was near… But before they left [the man who appeared to be the leader of the
group] 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 to the fields of Spain…” (Coelho 167).

Santiago has finally found his treasure and is digging for it when refugees from the tribal
wars pat him down for money and take his bar of gold. They beat him and tell him to keep
digging, suspecting he is digging for more gold. Santiago finally tells them about his recurring
dream and that he is digging for treasure. The leader of the tribesmen tells them all to leave.
Before he leaves, he tells Santiago that he will be okay and that he had a recurring dream two
years ago about traveling to Spain. This step is significant because it saves Santiago from death
and the leader of the refugees’ dream ultimately leads him to the treasure in an abandoned
Spanish church. Coelho’s use of irony when the leader calls the boy stupid while telling him
where the treasure is, helps the reader understand that people should listen to all of the omens
that life gives them, not just the ones they are looking for. Had the boy been so bogged down in
being depressed about not finding his treasure, he would have shut out the leader and never been
able to reach his Personal Legend. This connects to the overall theme that people should ditch
familiarity because once they do, those people can be open to any sign that life throws at them.

Master of Two Worlds:

“The boy took out Urim and Thummim from his bag. He had used the two stones only once, one
morning when he was at a marketplace. His life and his path had always provided him with
enough omens… they were also a part of his new treasure, because they were a reminder of the
old king, whom he would never see again. It is true; life really is generous to those who pursue
their Personal Legend, the boy thought” (Coelho 170).

Santiago has finally found his treasure in an abandoned Spanish church and he reflects on
his journey to get there. He has now found a balance in life realizing that his life will be better
now that he has pursued his Personal Legend. This step is important because now he is able to
return back to ordinary life knowing the language of the world. The mood of this quote is
nostalgic for his journey. Santiago is reflecting on the experiences of his journey because he has
mastered his Personal Legend and is now getting rid of his ordinary self in order to live the life
that he earned by following his legend. The reader can infer that new opportunities will open up
for Santiago because now he knows the soul of the world. This quote proves that going out of
comfort zones allows people to get the most out of life that they can.
 Matrix Hero Cycle

DEPARTURE
Call to Adventure:
Neo receives a call from Morpheus who tells him, “They are coming for you Neo...Get out of
there, I can guide you, but you must do as I say” (00:13:40).

Neo receives this call after following the white bunny tattoo and meeting Trinity in a bar,
who tells him the basics of the Matrix. This step is significant because it forms conflict between
him and the agents of the Matrix. At this point there is no going back to ordinary life because he
already knows too much about the Matrix. The Wachowskis used this sudden conflict to force
Neo into a transformative crisis where time is of the essence and he needs to act now. The
conflict between Neo and the agents reveals that freedom is valuable and isn’t always easy to
obtain.

Refusal of the Call:

Neo says, “No way, no way that’s crazy,” when Morpheus tells him to go on the ledge of his
office building (00:15:43). After making it out there by putting his doubt behind him, Neo says
“I can’t do this” and does not make it to the construction crane, like Morpheus told him to
(00:16:47). He does not make it because he is fearful.

Neo is fleeting from the agents of the Matrix who are seeking him because they see him
as a threat. Neo does not know them, but they have been tracking him his whole life because they
know he is very powerful and could damage the Matrix. This step is significant because it shows
that Neo is not completely ready to be “The One” who reveals the Matrix to other humans, and
that he needs training to be able to channel all of his power. Had Neo listened to Morpheus, he
would have been able to walk around the ledge of the building to the crane, but he did not trust
Morpheus, a stranger to him, so instead he fell to the hands of the agents who put a tracker in his
belly button. This scene sets the precedent for Neo having to have belief that he can accomplish
anything in the Matrix. This connects to the overall theme because he has to believe in Morpheus
and in himself in order for him to find out the truth of the Matrix.

Supernatural Aid:
​Morpheus offers to explain to Neo what the Matrix is when he says, “It is the world that has
been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth… You are a slave, Neo… born into a
prison for your mind” (00:27:45).
 Trinity and other friends of Morpheus take the tracker out of Neo’s belly button and bring
him to Morpheus per his request. Morpheus aids Neo in finding out what the Matrix is and how
it works by physically bringing him into it. This step is significant because now Neo has an aid
and someone who can help him become the savior he is destined to be. He has someone to teach
him the ropes and help him get accustomed to the real world because it is like nothing he has
seen before. The metaphor that humans are essentially used as batteries in ​The Matrix​, suggests
that in the future (in real life) we will have no need for humans anymore because everything can
be done by machines. Growing humans and comparing them to a tangible item shows how little
they are valued in the real world and how little the agents care about them. The Wachowskis
used the battery metaphor to convey the theme that people need to value relationships with other
people and the truth more than tangible things.

Crossing the Threshold:

Neo chooses to take the red pill to see “the truth and nothing more” about the Matrix and he
leaves the dream world (aka the Matrix) to go in the real world (00:29:45).

Morpheus gives Neo the choice of taking a blue pill where he will wake up in his bed and
forget this ever happened, or he can take a red pill and find out the truth about the Matrix and the
real world. Before Neo takes the red pill, Morpheus makes sure Neo understands that he is not
promising him anything but the truth. This step is significant because it foreshadows potential
conflict and struggles because Morpheus does not promise that Neo will be safe and stay alive
during his journey. Through the tone in Morpheus’ voice the viewer can tell that the truth may be
not what Neo could ever expect. His tone also shows how important the truth is because he is
very serious and only willing to show the truth to a select number of people who he believes can
help bring other humans to see the Matrix. Through Morpheus’ tone, the Wachowskis are
establishing that insight is a very powerful thing in life and that it gives people purpose.

Belly of the Whale:

​Neo was born into the Matrix in a wet, encased, slimy bubble that is red colored (00:32:30). He
almost died and went into cardiac arrest while getting to the real world, but he was resurrected by
the people on Morpheus’ ship (00:32:00).

After Neo had taken the red pill, Morpheus sends a silver liquid down his throat which
sends him into a red-colored bubble. The bubble is inside a dark room full of machines and it is
encased in slime, wetness, and stickiness. This step is significant because Neo is reborn into
reality and has to learn how to function with his body that he has never actually used in the real
world. The imagery of the pod where he is kept in the real world mimics that of the womb in that
it is red colored, like the color of the inside of a woman’s stomach. Neo also has many black
cords attached to him that are similar to umbilical cords. Neo is officially getting reborn into the
real world instead of the fake, Matrix world. The imagery used by the Wachowskis helps show
that the truth is often far from what we perceive it to be.

INITIATION

Road of Trials:
1. Neo learns how to do Jiu Jitsu and fights Morpheus (00:49:20).
2. His second, more difficult, physical trial is to jump between 2 really far away buildings,
which Neo fails at (00:54:40).
3. The agents put a glitch in the Matrix, trapping them inside the building (1:19:29).
4. They have to escape cops while trying to save Morpheus (1:42:18).
5. Neo gets shot by the main agent and dies, but he gets resurrected because he is “The
One” (2:06:50).

Neo has to learn how to free his mind, that there are no limits in the Matrix, and that the
only thing that gets in the way of Neo’s success is himself. Most all of Neo’s trials are physical
at the surface, but really in order to be successful, Neo has to believe in his mind that he is
capable of anything. At first he struggles with this, but eventually he believes that he is “The
One”. This step is important because it gets Neo ready for his final test, his fight with Agent
Smith, the head agents. The type of conflict represented in ​The Matrix ​is man vs. self because
most of Neo’s conflicts are based off of what he believes to be true or what he believes his limits
are. The Wachowskis make Neo first have to believe in himself, to support the theme that many
problems are difficult because people's minds get in the way of what they can actually do. People
tend to overthink and worry about things that they can physically do, but they lack mental
toughness because that is difficult for m people. Neo can only find the truth about the Matrix
once he fully believes in himself as “The One” and achieves mental strength.

Meeting with the Goddess: ​Trinity brings Neo dinner after a hard day in the Matrix and
someone else says, “You have never done that before” (00:56:15). She also goes with Neo to
help save Morpheus in the Matrix (1:51:15).

Neo had just been shown what the real world is and is in denial that what he perceived as
life was really just the Matrix. Trinity comforts and nourishes him like she has never done to
anyone else. She also aids him in his fight against the agents in order to save Morpheus and
make sure Neo survives. This step is important because it provides Neo with additional support
that he needs in order to save the entire human race from the agents who are stripping them of
their freedom. The universal truth that everyone needs a support system to help them have a
strong base is shown by Neo having all these people trying to help him to become “The One”. It
is not only Neo fighting against the agents, Morpheus and all his friends put their time and their
effort into preparing him, and getting him physically and mentally ready for the challenges. The
Wachowskis use this universal truth to convey that many people want to find the truth, many
people also want to share their truth with others.

Temptress:
​Neo gets distracted by a pretty woman in a red dress during a training simulation which causes
him to be caught off guard and the head Matrix agent transforms into the woman (00:57:15).

The agents of the Matrix are able to take over anyone’s body in the Matrix so Orpheus
teaches Neo to not trust anyone and to never be caught off guard. The Temptress gets in the way
of that, which is shown by the woman turning into the agent and pointing a gun at Neo’s head.
This step is significant because it emphasizes how much focus Neo needs because the Matrix is
dangerous and full of agents who are looking to kill him. The characterization of the antagonists
as intelligent, strong, and fast, make Neo train even harder because he knows how powerful they
are and he knows that he is going to have to train really hard to be able to kill them. Being “The
One” takes tons of work and effort especially because Neo has not been training his whole life
like the agents probably have. The Wachowskis use the qualities of the antagonists to further
show that anything is possible by making them so advantageous that it is next to impossible for
Neo to beat them in a fight, which he eventually accomplishes. In order to find the truth about
the Matrix, Neo has to not perceive a line between the possible and the impossible.

Atonement with the Father:

​Neo dies and is reborn as “The One” and finally believes in what Morpheus said that if you clear
your mind, anything is possible in the Matrix (2:05:12).

When Neo is reborn his views change to fully believing that he is the key to breaking the
Matrix which makes him unstoppable against the Matrix agents. Morpheus throughout the film is
a father like figure towards Neo and eventually Neo recognizes that Morpheus was right, he is
“The One”. This step is significant because it shows a shift from Neo not trusting Morpheus in
the Refusal of the Call, to trusting his judgement and trusting in what he says. Morpheus is now a
key part of Neo’s life and despite their short time getting to know each other, someone Neo
would risk his life for in a heartbeat. The climax of this film is when Neo gets revived and uses
his overwhelming strength to kill the agents. The excitement in the music whenever Neo stops
the bullets in mid air, just like Morpheus said he could, show that he has accomplished
magnificent, meaningful things. The Wachowskis use the climax of the film to convey that faith
is needed for great things to happen and for light to be shed on reality.
Ultimate Boon:
​Neo kills the head agent and is now capable of showing other humans what the Matrix does and
what happens in the real world (2:08:13).

Neo stops the bullets that Agent Smith and other agents fire at him in mid air. Neo fights
him easily with one hand and kills Agent Smith by making Neo’s soul go through him, making
his body go to pieces. This step is significant because Neo got all that he was promised with the
red pill and now there are no more current threats to him and his friends. He has also
accomplished his goal that all of his trials were getting him ready for. The special effects of the
bullets halting in mid shot show the majesty and how special Neo’s powers are. From then on
Neo will always be looked at as “The One” who defeated the agents of the Matrix. The
Wachowskis use the special effects of the bullets to convey that the impossible is possible if you
believe it is.

RETURN
Rescue From Without:
Neo is revived after dying, when Trinity kisses him in the real world (2:08:15).

Neo has just died after getting shot by multiple bullets from Agent Smith. Morpheus and
his friends are all in disbelief because he had to be “The One”, and then Trinity proclaims her
love to Neo. She says that the Oracle said she would fall in love and that he would turn out to be
“The One”. She kisses Neo and he comes back to life in the Matrix world. This step is important
because it illustrates that Neo is not capable of beating Agent Smith without help, but that it is
okay to not do everything solely by yourself. The mood of the scene shows that Trinity and
Morpheus care deeply about Neo and his future which highlights their human qualities that they
are trying to save for everyone. The mood helps display that everyone, even the most powerful
person in the world, needs help and support from others in order to accomplish something great.

Master of Two Worlds:

Neo gives up his past life as working an office job in order to show other humans what the real
world is like (2:09:15).

Neo is back in the Matrix, but this time he appears to be safe and not on the lookout for
any agents. He is in a telephone booth telling the Matrix that he will tell everyone about what it
hides in order to bring humans to justice. This is important because Neo is accepting his destiny
and embracing it by wanting to help the human race reach freedom without feeling he is
obligated to do so. The Matrix symbolizes the idea that bad things in the world get covered up
because they are not nice to look at or are not people’s best selves. People chose to be ignorant to
all the bad things in the world when really people should unveil their Matrix and see the world
for how it really is. The Matrix symbolizes how people form societies in order to make life civil
and sane, and if they see anything that goes against that, they brush it off to the side and say that
it is not their problem. The Wachowskis put the Matrix in their movie in order to make people
want to know the truth about the world and what goes on behind clothes doors and what bad stuff
gets covered up. They want humans to value the truth in life and to seek it out.
 Works Cited

Coelho, Paulo. ​The Alchemist​. HarperCollins Publishers, 1988.

Wachowski, Lana and Lilly Wachowski, directors. ​The Matrix​. Village Roadshow Films (Bvi),
1999.