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The Alchemist Definition Of Courage

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The Alchemist Definition Of Courage
Merriam-Webster defines courage as “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” Some people think courage is simply standing up for yourself, but it is more than that. Courage is battling through every day situations of life, fighting to win a game until the last minute, and using your heart to fight through every situation. Some examples of people showing courage are Nelson Mandela- who went up against the government of South Africa, Rosa Parks- who refused to give up her seat and began protests to end segregation on public transportation, and Jesus- who although was from a time period that was thousands of years ago, he suffered and died for other humans and stuck to his mission. These few people …show more content…
Many characters are given courage as their strongest virtue. This virtue is usually hidden in the character until the moment it is needed most. An example of this is in The Alchemist. Santiago was a boy trying to fulfill his personal legend. He was on a journey that required hard tasks. At different times, he felt like giving up, but he built up his courage throughout the story. The first example of courage was when Santiago wanted to become a Shepard. The Alchemist states, “His parents wanted him to become a priest…One afternoon, on a visit to his family, he had summoned up the courage to tell his father that he didn’t want to become a priest. That he wanted to travel.” (Coelho 11). Santiago’s courage built up after this. He learned of his treasure and went on his journey. To search for his treasure, he was required to leave his “treasure,” Fatima. Santiago builds up his courage and finally continues his journey. In The Alchemist it states, “It was difficult not to think about what he had left behind. The desert, with its endless monotony, put him to dreaming…Maybe the alchemist has never been in love, the boy thought.” (Coelho 128). Santiago shows courage as he goes out into the desert, leaving behind his treasures for something bigger. Santiago’s last known act of courage was when he was digging for his treasure. He had finally found the spot where it was, until several men approach him and beat him for money. Santiago saves himself by telling the men of the

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