Unity of all things
In the novel, Santiago learned that the world is connected. He learned this Melchizedek when he said " ...when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it" (22). Similar to Siddhartha, every part of the world in The Alchemist is connected to itself. This means that when one person tries to succeed, the whole world tries to succeed. Due to this connection, different parts of the world help each other to achieve this goal. This concept still exists today in social media. When one person begins an organization, with the help of social media, the word spreads and the world begins to work for the common good. In the same manner, teenagers are the future of the world and through social media, they help encourage each other and make the world a better place for their descendants.
Purpose of Life
Today, teenagers are searching for the meaning of life. What is their calling? What is their purpose in life? Who are they going to be? This is something that Santiago understands quite early in life. He understands that, "life really is generous to those who pursue their Personal Legend" (166). As one might remember, a Personal Legend is similar to one's personal mission, a job one must carry out in order to reach the fullness of life. This is something that we as teenagers are trying to achieve even in today's society. It is for this reason readers draw such a close connection to Santiago who is also trying to find his purpose. Coelho portrays teenagers well by displaying their personal attachment to find a purpose in life.
Coming of age
Unlike the previous novels, the alchemist's coming of age does not actually mean growing older in age, but gaining wisdom through one's experiences. Santiago officially comes of age when he "reached through to the Soul of the World, and saw that it was a part of the Soul of God. And he saw that the Soul of God was his own soul..." (152). It is at this exact moment when Santiago realizes that he and the world are connected. He realizes that he is no better than a rock on the ground because this very rock is the same as him. This is something that his young mind could not understand earlier in the novel. Therefore, his eventual understanding of this connection displays his growth and maturity. It shows that he has grown wiser and "came of age" because his stronger mind can comprehend the hardest concepts. Simalar to Santiago, today's teenagers travel through a journey to become mentally, physically, and spiritually stronger. Teenagers struggle with things like school, social life, appearance, family life, and societal expectations, but once they come of age and grow wiser, they learn how to handle these difficult problems.