The Mysterious Case of the Universal Language

 I believe that the Universal Language is the connection between all things. InThe Alchemist, there is a suggestion that there is more than one universal language as seen on page 64, “...maybe he was also learning the universal language that deals with the past and present of all people.” On page 121, it states that “...my horse knows the language of life.” While in this case the word universal was not used before it, the book still suggested two languages that could potentially build up along with others to create the Universal Language. “The world speaks many languages, the boy thought (89). The King of Salem stated that, “All things are one.” Perhaps each of the, respectfully, less significant languages combined are the Universal Language, the unspoken understanding of the threads that links this world together stitch by stitch. Santiago said that people used the Universal Language to communicate but were not aware that they were doing it (49). This suggests that the Universal Language was not something we brought into existence but something eternal, perhaps originating from the remnants of the Soul of the World within every thing and everyone (101). On page 82, The Alchemist states that, “But there was one idea that seemed to repeat itself throughout the books: all things are the manifestation of one thing only.” Clearly, the Universal Language has an origin, but I don't believe it to be only within the Soul of the World because that was suggested to be where men become one with the afterlife (101). As seen with Santiago, the Englishman, and the alchemist, being aware of the Universal Language is something a living person can do. The book also suggested that since Santiago knew the Soul of the World, it allowed him to learn to speak the Universal Language(109).

The idea of having a Universal Language that connects everyone reminds me much of Buddhism because Buddhists, among other things, seek to become one with the world. There is an energy that lives both within us and outside of us that is one and yet, we regard them as separate entities. Personally, I believe that space is much like a puzzle within a puzzle that contains yet another underlying puzzle. Each puzzle piece contains a puzzle in itself and so on and so forth. If this confuses anyone, I will add an image that could help ease your understanding. This combined with the Universal Language to me pointed towards the Universal Language being the expression of unity. I am not sure what omens are yet. I found it interesting when the Englishman said on page 72 that, “Everything in life is an omen.” Perhaps omens are everything and everyone since we are all reactions off of one another whether it be a person or a thing.

Just A Bit Too Personal

1. What is a Personal Legend, and why do you think this will be important in the rest of the book?

Our Personal Legends are the stories of our lives, the intricate tale whose foundations were built upon the threads that stitch our lives together memory be memory, kiss by kiss, tear by tear, thought by thought, love by love. We have these dreams that we either pursue or cast away like useless nothings. Each human being who has lived, lives, or will live will have a life, and it is the story of this life that is their Personal Legend. A person's Personal Legend is their pursuit of themselves. It is how they identify their own beliefs and loves. This is important because this book is a Personal Legend. The Alchemist is how a boy finds himself, and without a Personal Legend, it would never be conveyed properly.

What I Want To Learn (Teach Me How To Write Nonfiction Creatively)

       There's a certain kind of curiosity that comes with learning something that most assume to be already known- their own language. We speak English every day and yet, we don't really know. We don't know every crack and crevice of English nor the history of it. Language is an art form, much like clay or paint. You can mold it to create a masterpiece, a disaster, or something in between. I wish to hone the skill of creative writing in an analytical way.

Nonfiction has fascinated me ever since the day I read my first biography in second grade on Duke Ellington. I've always longed to write but, well, everything I write is over exaggerated and my wording can be a bit pretentious at times despite being unintentional. I want to write in a way that expresses what I mean concisely yet manages to snag all of those secretly craved details. The problem with this is that there is a very fine line between just enough and too much. I would like to learn how to write creative nonfiction in a way that allows me for to keep my writing style but gets to the point.

Writing analytically has never been my strong point considering my tendency to be excessive with adjectives and to make everything philosophical. If unbiased writing is possible to attain, then I wish to attain it. There is a distinct separation in my thoughts and emotions and yet, I struggle with finding it. This reflects in my writing. I think that I need to sort this out in my mind first and yet, maybe writing without emotion could aid me in my goal towards being able to control my emotions. Poetry is also another genre I seek to write better.

I hope we can write and read more poetry. There is a place in my heart reserved for poetry and yet I don't have much knowledge on it. While I do research it outside of school, I would like to learn about it in school too. Plus, you're funny and intelligent. You make me want to learn even more then I do already. Basically, I'd like to write true things in a creative way.