Corvus+Q4+The+Alchemist



PAULO COELHO By: Hayley Fester //Aim & Audience: // Paulo Coelho is greatly involved in his community through his non-profit organization and also his influential and award-winning novels. Paulo created his own institution in 1996 with 80 students and says that “My aim was for it not to be a charity, but an institute to give opportunities to the underprivileged and ostracized members of Brazilian society...At present, the Paulo Coelho Institute provides financial support to Creche Escola Meninos da Luz, Lar Paulo de Tarso (in the Pavão-Pavãozinho favela, Rio de Janeiro), who look after these 430 students” (Paulo Coelho). His clear dedication and involvement in this organization shows his meaningful personality and the direction in which he often goes towards when making such important life decisions. In Paulo’s novels, he is often focused upon adults and uses such language and characters to depict further meaningful actions and characters. For example, in an extended biography, the author explains that “his followers value and esteem him for his awareness of the problems in the world, his spirituality, his probity of character, his wisdom, but most of all, for his ability to speak to everybody. Paulo Coelho is an advocate of multiculturalism” (“Paulo Coelho Bio”). Paulo’s grand extent to so many groups of people and a full audience of different cultural groups shows his intent in helping others and fulfilling a full future. Throughout his career (and before), Paulo Coelho has been involved in much of his community. //History & Culture: // Paulo Coelho was born on August 24, 1947 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and has been influenced throughout his lifetime by his early years and his background in his very unique culture in Brazil. His greatest lesson was what he learned after his past years, starting at the age of 17 when his parents began committing him to an asylum for two consecutive times. However, through everything Paulo endured, he says this: “‘I have forgiven. It happens with love, all the time - when you have this love towards someone else, but you want this person to change, to be like you. And then love can be very destructive” (“Paulo Coelho Biography”). This love is also what drives his novelistic ideals in his many famed and successful stories. His greatest claim to fame is “The Alchemist” and has sold millions of copies in 67 different languages. However, before he achieved this greatness he was originally enrolled in law school where he dropped out and instead began a more political activist lifestyle and was jailed three times for his actions. One further addition to his interesting outlook on life is his foundation that he created in 1996, the Paulo Coelho Institute which provides support to children and the elderly. Throughout all of his actions and involvements, Paulo Coelho has influenced his society greatly by simply experiencing and influencing others in his own unique ways.

//Sources: // Coelho, Paulo. “Paulo Coelho Institute.” Paulo Coelho. Sant Jordi Asociados Agencia Literaria, n.d. Web. April 2, 2014. “Paulo Coelho Bio.” Sant Jordi Asociados. Sant Jordi Asociados Agencia Literaria, n.d. Web. April 3, 2014. “Paulo Coelho Biography.” The Biography Channel website. A&E Networks, n.d. Web. April 2, 2014.



PYRAMIDS OF GIZA By: Hayley Fester //Culture & Audience: // The pyramids of Giza are a greatly respected landmark that has symbolized whole generations and the entirety of a culture. These pyramids were used as tombs for three generations of kings and has been associated with bringing many different groups of people together in it’s creation, thereby giving it a more multicultural aim and outlook in it’s formation. The website, discoveringegypt.com explains these ideas in the following quote: “Is it conceivable that by bringing together so many people and giving them a common goal, that of making a mountain, a national identity is forged in their hearts. From Upper and Lower Egypt, communities would have got to know each other and a common bond would have been manifest in the object of the pyramid”. This outlook on the situation of the building of these spectacular pyramids would explain much and only makes the creation of the pyramids that more amazing. For these pyramids to bring together so many people and truly influence generations of people and their cultures. //History & Aim: // The Pyramids of Giza have towered over the history of the human race as an immeasurable feat for thousands of years and continue to amaze people today through it’s influential and inspirational prowess. It’s historical impact is extremely grand, as seen in this quick recap of it’s being: “Five thousand years ago Giza, situated on the Nile’s west bank, became the royal necropolis, or burial place, for Memphis, the pharaoh’s capital city...Today, Giza is a suburb of rapidly growing Cairo, the largest city in Africa and the fifth largest in the world” (Mark Millmore). These pyramids are almost legendary as the Great Pyramid is the last standing monument out of the original Seven Wonders of the World. These unique attributes to the land and the people surrounding it shows how generations have been involved and inspired by these landmarks as well as it’s grad past. Each of the three pyramids was built as a tomb for three generations of sons: Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. However, one of the greatest and most well known symbol of Egypt is also the Great Sphinx which guards the middle-sized pyramid. This sphinx has also proven to influence and change much of the lives of many people throughout the years as this mysterious and interesting monument continues to inspire. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Sources: // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">“History of Giza.” NOVA online. PBS.org, n.d. Web. April 2, 2014. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Millmore, Mark. “The Pyramids of Giza.” Discovering Egypt website. Discovering Egypt, n.d. Web. April 3, 2014.

Destiny By: Riley Thompson



The general definition of destiny is “a power that is believed to control what happens in the future”(Merriam-Webster). The overall meaning or point of one’s destiny, differs among everyone. Some believe that their destinies are pre-determined at birth, whereas others believe that their own actions affect their destiny. Destiny is targeted toward every living thing. No matter what, everything has their own fate that will appear before them until the day they pass away. The origin of the word “destiny” derives from “Middle English destinee, from Anglo-French, from feminine of destiné, past participle of destiner” (Merriam-Webster). The way people interpret destiny differs from many cultures. Comparing the United States and the Indian interpretations of one’s destiny is very interesting. In America, it is common for parents to tell their children that they can be whatever they want to be when they grow up. In this sense, people in the United States create their own fate or destiny. In Indian culture, it is believed that their destiny is pre-determined at birth and is highly affected by the family they are born into. For example “Doing one’s duty in relation to one’s place in society is much more important and honored than individual ambition” (Cultural Categories Compared). Therefore, the United States and India differ greatly in the idea that individual ambition determines fate.

Works Cited

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Destiny." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Now Do It Yourself!" Cultural Categories Compared. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.

Bildungsroman

By: Riley Thompson



Bildungsroman means, as seen in the picture, “a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character.” The aim of a bildungsroman is to draw readers in on a personal level. In a way, the readers will connect with the main character and begin to feel possible motivation in their own lives. The audience of these types of novels can be anyone. It could be for those who wish to find a certain meaning for their lives, or simply enjoy these style writings. As for the history of this word, it is derived from German literature, and “ It grew out of folklore tales in which a dunce goes out into the world seeking adventure” (Merriam-Webster). Lastly, the cultural side of this term comes from a German belief that a bildungsroman is a coming of age story. For example, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The typical Bildungsroman traces the progress of a young person toward self-understanding and a sense of social responsibility” (enotes).

Works Cited

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Bildungsroman." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2014.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">"The Bildungsroman in Nineteenth-Century Literature Essay" Enotes.com. Enotes, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2014.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jorge Luis Borges

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">By: Justin Timmermann

Jorge Luis Borges was an Argentine author, widely respected for his contribution to Latin American literature. His works primarily focus on fantasy and philosophy, while also writing political commentary and criticism, he also translated several Spanish works into English. Born at the end of the 19th century in Buenos Aires, he came from a line of Argentine military men, and a bilingual family, speaking both English and Spanish from an early age, and at 15 years of age, his family moved to Geneva, Switzerland. After his return to Argentina in 1921, he began writing and publishing his work. He quickly became one of Latin America’s most promising authors, and found much success. Unfortunately, because of Borges tendency to speak out against the government, he was defamed and embarrassed by both private groups, and the Argentine government. “ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">When the dictatorship of Juan Perón came to power in 1946, Borges was dismissed from his library position for having expressed support of the Allies in World War II.” (Rodriguez) Other groups, including Argentine Nazi sympathizers, who he publicly denounced, also slandered his name.. Fortunately, at this time Borges was too popular to effectively silence. At 55 years of age, he went permanently blind, the same condition that affected his father, but Borges continued writing extensively for several more decades, until his death in 1986. “ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">By this time, Borges suffered from total blindness, a hereditary affliction that had also attacked his father and had progressively diminished his own eyesight from the 1920s onward. It had forced him to abandon the writing of long texts and to begin dictating to his mother or to secretaries or friends.” (Rodriguez) Borges was one of the most influential authors of the 20th century, and certainly one of the greatest Latino authors of all time.

Works Cited: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rodríguez-Monegal, Emir. "Jorge Luis Borges (Argentine Author)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">"Borges - Biography of J.L. Borges." //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Borges - Biography of J.L. Borges //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">. The Modern Word, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.