Was the concept of the animated natural forces abstract ?

[Mary queen]

I really found the wind, desert and the sun talking in the book!

[Mary queen]

I really found the wind, desert and the sun talking in the book!

[Crazybud]

I found it discouraging actually. The unrealistic aspects of the book came unexpectedly and lessened my overall love for the book.

[garima597]

I find the concept new and my suggestion on this topic will be that it actually represents different personalities in our lives who help in one or other way to find our legend.

[Rafaella Michailidou]

I think it was symbolic and very beautiful, something like the "little prince".

[Doug Jones]

They were really talking to Santiago. It was Santiago using the Soul of the World to fulfill his Personal Legend. While it's certainly more fantastical than the book had been up to that point, it is consistent with the theme being explored about the Soul of the World uniting nature.

[Shalu1707]

I think it was symbolic of something like you can achieve anything if you believe enough to put your heart into it.

[sush_destiny]

It was enthralling and beautiful. I found it very unique.

[firstlook]

I've never understood the role of the wind, desert, and sun in the book. There really is something else to them.

[WardahEbrahim]

I agree with Crazybud. It was a little too unrealistic as opposed to metaphorical for my taste. But I do plan on re-reading the book again in a while. Perhaps I will have a little more insight and can mirror it to reality a bit better.

[Kishor Rao]

I loved the way the natural forces came into the picture and played an important role in the transformation of the boy. We had been seeing and were reminded constantly of how the entire universe speaks the same language and we just have to learn it. So I loved that part of the book.

[bggraphics39]

Me too. I must admit, though, that I have come across the general concept before, that is elements of physical nature have their corresponding spiritual sides, or better yet the actual physical entities that we perceive are limited manifestations of their truer essence, their energy. The real sun behind the one that we can see is the one that resonates communication in the way Coehlo describes.

[Giga51087]

It is really a shame that a lot of things get lost with the translation.

I understood the concept exposed in the english version in a quite stray foward maner. But in the orginal spanish version its a lot more subtle, rich in tones and feelings. The warm touch of the sun. The wisper of the wind. The song of the desert ever changing ever static.

Yea yo know im a grown up man now and all the ting that come with it. But even now it touches my heart and I am no ashamed of telling it.

[Barbara Larkin]

It has this 'The Name of the Wind'-esque feel, where everything speaks and has a name, up to us to understand. It can be both abstract and literal, the first is symbolic and the second is fantastically interesting.

[_Bokeh]

I felt the whole concept was too unrealistic, nothing applicable in the practical world. Anyway, I interpreted it was metaphorical because that's the only way I'd find a take away from the book.