2008年12月18日 星期四

The Englishman

The Englishman, whom Santiago meets when he joins the caravan to the Egyptian pyramids, is searching for “a universal language, understood by everybody.” What is that language? According to the Englishman, what are the parallels between reading and alchemy? How does the Englishman’s search for the alchemist compare to Santiago’s search for a treasure? How did the Englishman and Santiago feel about each other?

30 則留言:

Rae 提到...
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yoyo 提到...
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yoyo 提到...
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angela chen 提到...

Compared with the boy,the Englishman is more sophisticated,so he tends to complicate one thing,such as searching for "a universal language."In the boy's eyes,keeping an eye on the surroundings can be associated with it;however,the Englishman regard it as a difficult task.As a result,the boy holds a positive attitude toward life,and has a simple mind to simplify things.

Jane Lee 提到...
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Jane Lee 提到...

The language is the truth that can be understood without words.The Englishman seeks the truths of alchemy by reading books.The Englishman reads a large number of books to research the alchemy. With the basis of the knowledge, he decided to cross the desert to find the alchemists.As for Santiago, even though he encounters some difficulties and doubts during his journey, he is still courageous to pursue his treasure. Despite that there are many unknown and mysterious things in the future, he makes up his mind to realize his dream with his determination. They both have their own goal to accomplish and are eager to pursue it.

Celia 提到...

According to the book, the Englishman is going to find the alchemist and searching for a universal language. It is a kind of language that without words but everyone can understand. Two of them are both looking for something, the alchemist and treasure. But the different is that the boy is searching by observing surrounding and the Englishman is searching by the books. He thinks that he can understand more about alchemy from the book. Compare with the boy, the Englishman likes to make things complicated. The boy prefer just to simplify everything and think positively.

JoyceLiu 提到...

Not only reading books but also alchemy are providing numerous knowledge to human beings, but you need to increase the basic supports of these two things as many as possible, because learning is endless. The Englishman thought they are both searching for their own Personal Legend; the only difference is the object they want to gain. Maybe Santiago does not like the Englishman sometimes, because the man always pays attention to his books without having conversation with others and shows the indifferent attitude to others except the alchemy. Comparing with the Englishman, Santiago just thinking about what he wants in a simple way.

yoyo 提到...

The language which is the Englishman wants to find is alchemy. He thinks he can unravel the truths behind important queations through reading.Compared with Santiago, the Englishman is more stereotypical because he just follows what he was learn in the books but not to observe the environment of the desert. He think the alchemy is a serious discipline and every step has to be followed exactly. So, most of his times is spent in reading and make it complicated. Relatively, Santiago believes the practical experiences can help him to achieve his dream. He knows how to build up the relationship with the people and even the environment. Besides, the Englishman feels that he must be careful and accomplish it step by step to make his dream come true. However, Santiago has taken the positive attitude and persisted the determition to finish his task.

Arwen's Blog For English Class 提到...
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Arwen's Blog For English Class 提到...

The universal language understood bt evereyone which the Englishman is searching for, in my opinion, is some language that needn't be spoken but can be understood, such as messages transmitted by eye contact, body language, and common sense.

As for the Englishman, when reading, he's searching for the alchemy at the same time. He feels he's getting closer to it. On the other hand, Santiago searches for his treasure through experiencing the world, the scenes he's seeing, and the things and the people around him. The road to his treasure seems closer and closer.

They might both not agree with each other's point of pursuing goals. However, they still respect each other and are good friends.

Jane Liu 提到...

The language is known by people everywhere and people don’t have to speak out but knowing others’ thoughts. To the Englishman, he can find out what the universal language is from reading a lot of books. Also, the books can help the Englishman to know more about the alchemy. The Englishman and Santiago are both searching for their own goals. Maybe they don’t have the same goal, but they both try their best to get what they desire. The Englishman’s and Santiago’s thoughts toward things are different. However, they don’t feel upset that the other one don’t agree with himself. They respect each other’s thoughts and discuss about many different experience.

清水閣 提到...

The two persons thought that they are searching for their own personal legend, but the conception between them was different. The Englishman thought he could find the alchemy from the book, and it was a complicated way to him. He thought the final goal of alchemy was finding the true gold. But the story didn’t tell us what the Englishman find finally. Santiago is a shaper, so the way he used was reading the nature and find something could guard him to his destination. I thought they took different ways because they had different backgrounds, but they could respect each other’s way.

Tororo 提到...

The language which is the Englishman searching for is the language that everyone can understand without a single words. According to the Englishman, he reads about the alchemy, he thinks that reading can let him close to his own Personal Legend. The different between the Englishman and Santiago is that the Englishman has studied and risked everything to find the answers behind his question. He is used to make thinks complicated. On the other hand, Santiago always makes things simply and thinks in positive way.

Ann 提到...

The universal language is a kind of communication without words but can be understood by everyone.
Both of them have their own goal and the way they thought. The Englishman preferred to find solution from books and like to complicate the thing. Compared with the Englishman, Santiago like to take action and without complicating thought he just did what he wanted and tried his best to fulfill his dream.
They, however, don’t deny each other’s behaviors. They still respect each other.

Chia-ling 提到...

Universal language is the words without speaking.It is invisible but can be sensed by everyone.
The two are searching for the same thing--their own "Personal Legends" though they use different methods.The Englishman likes to pursue from books while Santiago likes to observe the surrounding.
Sometimes,it's hard to accept the alien thoughts.But they choose to respect each other.

Gloria 提到...

The language which englishman searchs for is an expression that everyone can understand without any word. The englishman is looking for the knowledge about alchemy whlie reading and he tends to consider things in a more complicated way, however, Santiago like to make things simple. Although they have some different thoughts, they still respect each other.

Wendy 提到...

According to the novel, "a universal language" is the language that is spoken without words but everyone can understand; moreover, it is also searched by Englishman for all his life. I think the language is similar to some actions or gestures which are known very well.

In contrast with Santiago, the Englishman is much more concentrated on the books. He always learns alchemy from many books instead of searching it through common surroundings. However, Santiago considers that alchemy can learn by people’s own life and omens. Although Santiago searches for the hidden treasure at Egyptian pyramids while the Englishman searches for Alchemist, they are both finding for their Personal Legend. Santiago is respect for the Englishman. They are still friends in the journey despite they have different goals for them to achieve.

章魚Dorothea 提到...

"The universal language" is a way enable us to communicate without words. The English searching for the alchemy through reading abundant of books while the boy search his Personal Legend through observing the surroundings. They both are eager to realize their own Personal Legend but they do it through different ways.

angela lin 提到...

The Englishman wants to find a language,which people use it to communicate without words. He reads books just because he wants to get information about alchemy from them. Both Englishman and Santiago are in search of their dreams, which are their Personal Legend. The Englishman thought that the Santiago to read more books. However, Santiago thought that the Englishman should notice more about the scenery in the desert to prove his feelings.

yaus2000 提到...
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宇萱Freya 提到...

It's a language without words and could be understand since that all things are one. The Englishman thought that all the wisdom was written on books so for him through reading them is the way to learn alchemy. Either the searching for treasure or the alchemist means the realization of personal legend. It was the means that was different. Though the Englishman couldn't understand the way Santiago gain inspirations, Santiago was able to respect his.

yaus2000 提到...

The language which is the Englishman searching for is without using words.The Englishman liked to pursue from books but Santiago liked to learn from the surrounding.

they respected each other and became good friends.

Eiger 提到...
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Eiger 提到...

The language can be understood without any words. It was understood by heart not by brain. According to the Englishman, why he read was for finding the rational of the alchemy. Furthermore, the Englishman searched the alchemist by reading many books about alchemy, however, Santiago searched for the treasure by experiencing everything and obeying every omen. Actually they didn’t agree with each other’s opinions sometimes, but they respect each other’s aspect. The Englishman thought that Santiago thought everything simply and in a positive way. Santiago thought that the Englishman made everything complicated.

Adrian 提到...

The universial langauage is a language without words.To Englsihman,he thought he should get lots of knowledge from books before he met a alchemist.He also liked to make questions more complicate than it origin while Santiago liked to make the questions simple and observed his surronding to get knowledge instead of books.Though their opinions are different from each other,they respected each other.

s910928 提到...

The English man is searching for a language that can be understand without words. He tthinks that through reading can let himself know alchemy. The English man searches by reading while the boy searches by observing the caravan.

Liv Yeh 提到...

“A universal language” is the language without words, and the language will be understood by heart. Both of the shepherd and the Englishman were in search of their personal legends. The shepherd learned knowledge from his heart, intuitively and his personal experiences; the Englishman thought that he can get wisdom from books. The shepherd intent to make everything simply; the Englishman made everything complicated. Although they didn’t agree with each other’s opinions, they respected each other for that.

熱血小天才 提到...

The universal language is a kind of language that peopple use it by their hearts or feelings.The Englishman thought he could realize much more deepest by reading a lot of books.Compared to Santiago,they have both some differences and similarities.For example,they are both pursuing their inner dreams.While their methods are totally different.Santiago learned things from everything,even the wind,sea and sun.While the Englishman only learned from books,he thought the knowledgements were all in books.
They would think their types are different.Santiago consider everything is simple and easy to achieve,but the Englishman is more sophiscated,he would prepare everything he needs and then starts to make his dream come true.

CLAIRE... 提到...

Universal language refers to a kind of language which is without words, but once people observe it, they will realize it. The same thing between reading and alchemy is that you have to learn as more as you can, and you'd understand them afterwards. As for the third question, the Englishman and Santiago are a bit the same. They know what they really want and they both believe the omens. However, the Englishman tries to learn things from books, and Santiago decides to learn from his own intuition and experiences.
The Englishman tends to view things in a serious and complicated way. On the other hand, Santiago always think positive and simple about lots of things.