Savanna Meadows

Paulo Coehlo was born on August 24, 1947 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He grew up in a catholic household, raised by his mother and father. Ever since he was young, he wanted to become a writer. His parents did not approve of this career path, because they believed it wasn’t a real job. They wanted him to have a more professional, stable job. Paulo did not take it very well. As a teenager, he continuously rebelled against his parents. It became so much of an issue his mother and father sent him away to an asylum three times. The first time they sent admitted him he was seventeen years old. Every time he was there, he escaped each time before finally being released in 1967. In his twenties and thirties, he was writing songs for a Brazilian rock star, Raul Seixas. He experimented with drugs and listened to Satanist preaching. Due to these actions, the Brazilian government tortured him with electric shocks. They found these activities subversive. Later on in life he gave in to his parents’ wishes and went to law school, and got married. After he eventually realized he was living a normal life style, he decided that wasn’t what he wanted. He was miserable that way and did not want to be normal. Paulo left his wife and his country. He went to travel the world with an artist between 1975 and 1982. Who is now his current wife, Christina Oiticica. In 1986, he went to Spain and claimed that he had found himself. He was inspired to write The Pilgrimage. A few years later, he wrote a new book called, The Alchemist. This book became a worldwide phenomenon. It sold for about 35 million copes and is the most translated book in the world by any living author. Paulo Coelho one said, “The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.”  My take on this quote is that life will take more meaning when you become motivated and actually do something. Be active if you want to change something, don’t just sit there and do nothing. I also think how this quote was associated with his life is that he finally went out and followed what he always wanted to do. This is unrelated to the quote, but his story is a prime example why you shouldn’t try to force a certain career path on children. It could make them resentful, or set them down a dangerous path or rebellion.

                                                                          Works Cited

Zubek, Ewa. "The Fantastic Life of Paulo Coelho | Between Insanity and Spirituality." The Culture Trip. Web. 28 Apr. 2016. <http://theculturetrip.com/south-america/brazil/articles/the-fantastic-life-of-paulo-coelho-between-insanity-and-spirituality/>.

"Paulo Coelho Biography." - Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline. Web. 28 Apr. 2016. <http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/paulo-coelho-2540.php>.

Biography.com Editors. "Paulo Coelho." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 03 May 2016. <http://www.biography.com/people/paulo-coelho-5524>.