Ph.D. Viva Presentation, Shivaji Universtiy, Kolhapur (MH), India

1. PAULO COELHO’S SELECT FICTION:
A STUDY IN INSPIRATIONAL LITERATURE
A Ph.D. Thesis submitted by
Shruti Meghnad Joshi
(May 2017)
Under the guidance of
Dr. Ashok Karande
Principal,
Arts & Commerce College,
Nagthane.

3. Selected novels of Paulo
Coelho

4. Why Paulo Coelho?
 Inspirational stories- record breaking sale-
211million copies – translated 66
languages
 Guinness Book of Records
 Simple style, palatable language
 Spiritual wakening call – live your dream
 Characters- on journeys – highest stage of
fulfillment, happiness
 So far not studied extensively as an
Inspirational writer – from this structural
point of view – only from spiritual,
psychoanalytical, existential and feminist

5. Hypothesis
Paulo Coelho employs the
archetypal model of hero’s journey
in his fictional work with the aim of
presenting the growth of an
individual towards a completely
evolved self and a personal
destiny: by incorporating the
elements of Inspirational literature.

6. Significance
 All novels – common theme – the
protagonist’s journey (physical and
psychological) towards self-
awakening/redemption – towards the
personal destiny
 A dream – to reach satisfaction and
spiritual completeness
 Inspiration for a depressed soul
 Long lasting impact

7. Aims and Objectives
 To place the author in the tradition of
popular Inspirational literature.
 To undertake a close reading of the novels
to explore the common theme of ‘the
hero’s journey’.
 To apply this model and study different
stages of the individual’s growth towards
self-awakening and the ultimate spiritual
aim.
 To study the autobiographical elements
and compare Coelho’s own spiritual
journey with those of his protagonists.

8. Scope and Limitations
 Only 6 novels selected – clearly (with a few
variations) follow the archetypal model of the
Hero’s Journey
 Display – clear spiritual growth of the
protagonist
 Limited to inspirational writing in fictional form
 based on archetypal criticism – Jung,
Campbell, Vogler, Pearson.
 only hero character type and journey
archetype focused.
 No religious implications.

9. Methodology
 Close reading, analysis and
interpretation of the selected novels
 Referring library research material
 Analytical, comparative and
interpretative method with the
theoretical frame based on popular
theories .

10. Inspirational Literature
 provides stimulus to uplift and boost the
readers’ spirits – encourage them towards
self-revelation, exaltation – keeps
motivated through depressed phases of
life
 Motivational and spiritual writing – guides
to improve the quality of life by changing
attitude and behaviour – to overcome
suffering.

11. Inspirational fiction
 Uses the technique of novel
 Inspirational sagas – focus on individual’s
progress and success in material world
 higher aim – spiritual enlightenment.
 Inspire through examples of main
characters, their changed lives – belief
that such change is possible.
 Encourage – to fulfill dreams, do great
things, contribute to universal growth by
being better individuals.

12. The New Age Spirituality
 Basis of Coelho’s writing and philosophy
 Need of deeper understanding of
interconnectedness of all creation
 NAM – influenced by ‘quest culture’, ideal of
‘seeker ship’ – authority of the self, holistic view
of the cosmos
 Existence of extraterrestrials, identifying the self
with a God within, various rituals to reach one’s
full potential
 Healing of others, the earth through self-healing
i.e. self-spirituality/personal growth

13. Theoretical frame
Major theories:
 Myth criticism and archetypes
 The concept of ‘Hero’
 The archetype of the quest – the
hero’s journey
 Character types of the protagonist

14. The concept of ‘Hero’
 Traditional concept of ‘hero’ – super-human,
male, warrior – with special achievement, ideal.
 Great Man (Carlyle) – grows stronger through
conflict
 Ubermensch (Nietzsche) – lives meaningfully
with a purpose for humanity, has knowledge and
strength to accept life’s truths, sufferings,
absurdities; creates new values and solutions.
 New concept –main character (male/female) of
a literary work – combats adversity, with
impressive strength, sacrifices personal
concerns for a greater cause.
 Gender neutral

15.  Craving for completeness, satisfaction – gave
rise to archetypal studies of Myths and
folklore– Frye, Propp
 Joseph Campbell – heroic self – seeks
spiritual exactness for a higher manner of
conducting oneself – through a journey full of
struggles.
 Individual creative and spiritual evolution –
leads to transformations in the surrounding
universe
 Mythical hero and his journey – symbolic
destiny of Everyman.

16. Equilibrium/
stability
Call to
adventure
Refusal of the call
Supernatural aid
Crossing the first
threshold
Belly of the Whale
Road of trials
Meeting with the
Goddess
Woman as
TemptressAtonement
with father
Apotheosis
the ultimate boon
refusal to
return
magic flight
rescue from
without
crossing the
second
threshold
Master of two worlds
freedom to
live
KNOWN WORLD
UNKNOWN WORLD
RETURN SEPARATION
INITIATION

17.  Christopher Vogler – hero journey, a
set of principles for living, a manual for
the art of being human with time-
tasted strategies for survival, success
and happiness.
 protagonist of every story – hero on a
journey.

18. The hero’s journey model

19. The ‘Hero’ within ‘everyman’
 Carol Pearson – gives ordinary, familiar
expressions to the limiting archetypes.
 Heroes within us, the ordinary.
 Our own dragons to slay
 escaping the journey ends up in an empty,
placid life.
 6 archetypes/ stages of ‘hero’- to be lived
completely to discover our true self – take
the responsibility of our lives.

20. Orphan Martyr Wanderer Warrior Magician
Goal Safety Goodness, Care,
responsibility
Independence,
autonomy
Strength,
effectiveness
Authenticity,
wholeness,
balance
Worst Fear Abandonment,
exploitation
Selfishness,
callousness
Conformity Weakness,
ineffectuality
Uncentered
superficiality,
alienation from
the self & others
Response to
dragon
Denies it
exists/ waits
for rescue
Appeases/
sacrifices self to
save others
Flees Slays Incorporates &
affirms
Spirituality Wants deity
that will rescue
& religious
counselor for
permission
Pleases God by
suffering, suffers to
help others
Searches for God
alone
Evangelizes,
converts others,
spiritual
regimen,
disciplines
Celebrates
experience of God
in everyone,
respects different
ways of
experiencing the
sacred
intellect/
education
Wants
authority to
give answers
Learns/forgoes
learning to help
others
Explores new
ideas in own way
Learns through
competition,
achievement,
motivation
Allows curiosity,
learns in group/
alone because it is
fun

21. Minor theoretical references
 Jung’s concept of Individuation
 Magic, Alchemy and Individuation
 Individual Growth and ‘Bildungsroman’

22. Analysis of the selected
novels
 Coelho’s heroes and their journeys
towards self-realization and a better,
spiritual existence
 The hero journey model
 Inspiring culmination of ordinary lives

23. Dissatisfied
novelist in his
mundane life Call for
journey
(wife
disappears-
obsession
for her)
Refusal(feels
victim of
infidelity,
postpones
finding truth)
Help from
outside
(Marie)
Meeting the
guide with
supernatural
abilities
(Mikhail)
Into labyrinth
(meetings with beggers
in dark alleys, learning
things, confronting
problems)
Encountering
death (accident,
mind cleared, freed
of obsession)
meeting
the
goddess
(Esther)
The reward
(changed man, able
to love, gets his
woman back)
The
Zahir
(2005)

24. Writer hero in his
world (stagnant,
doubtful of his
achievements
Call to adventure(master-
travel to re-conquer his
kingdom, correct past sins)
Initial refusal (prefers
peace, no challenge,
tedious travelling, no wish
to obey master)
Help from
outside (Chinese
bamboo article,
wife)Crossing the
threshold (
physical journey
begins, the
Aleph)
Journey into
darkness
(Aleph- past
revealed)
Trials (attraction
for Hilal, conflict)
The reward ( forgiven
by Hilal, redemption,
wisdom)
Aleph
(2010)

25. Young
shepherd in
pastoral world
(wants to
travel) Call to adventure
(dream of hidden
treasure at
Pyramids)
Wise old
guide(king
Melchizedek-
inspires to pursue
dream)
Refusal(attachm
ent to his sheep,
in love with
merchant's
daughter)
Supernatural
aid(magical stones
from the king)
Crossing
threshold (leaves
Spain, robbed,
Road of trials
(crystal merchant,
money for sheep n
Journey to
inmost cave (
desert, language
of universe,
alchemy)
Meeting
goddess
(Fatima,
Inspires to
move on)
ordeals(alchemis
t’s tests, caught
by soldiers,
beaten by
thieves)
Reward (
knowledge of
the soul of the
world, hidden
treasure, love)
The Alchemist
(1988)

26. Elijah- A Jew
carpenter (with
divine abilities,
forbidden to be
prophet)
Call to adventure
(voice of guardian
angel, mutiny
against queen,
exile)
Help from
without (the
crow, angel)
Task
(avenge his
God)
Crossing the
threshold
(desert,
Zarepaath)
Trials (Assyrian
attack, ordered
execution,
widow’s dead
son)
Meeting the goddess
(the widow, love,
shelter n inspiration to
continue)
Final ordeal
(building the
ruined city)
The reward( city
rebuilt, knowledge-
anything can be
done)
The Fifth
Mountain (1996)

27. A magus in his
world(denied his
sword)
Departure(master’s order
to find his sword on the
way to Santiago)
Refusal
(unattaina
ble task)
Crossing
threshold
(Pyrenees, ruins)
Guardians of
threshold (gypsy thief,
the boy, the dog)
Guide (Petrus,
magical exercises)
Trials(the dog,
encounter with death
and the Devil,
Reward (the sword,
mastery of his kingdom,
spiritual awakening
Return with the sword
to accomplish many
more things
The Pilgrimage
(1987)

28. Paulo- writer
(stagnant marriage,
needs challenge)
Call to
adventure(master
tells to speak to his
angel)
Guide
(Gene-
channeling)
Trials (desert,
near death
experience,
search of
Valkyries)
Entering innermost
cave(the mine, revisiting the
past to face demons, the
ritual of breaking pact,
accept forgiveness)
Goddess and
Temptress
Reward(spe
aking to his
angel,
believing,
wisdom)
The
Valkyries
(1992)

29. Conclusions
 Fixed structural pattern – quest of the
hero
 Through different phases of life, develop
into mature, happier, awakened people
 Self-actualization/ Individuation
 Impetus – to be better beings, a hero in
one’s own way
 Journey of ordinary person –
consequential, relevant to progress of the
universe

30. Characteristics of Inspirational literature
observed in Coelho’s novels:
 Address the problematic of human suffering
– Give reasons for existence of pain, loss,
unhappiness and fear - deal with the
problems of the ordinary heroes(
stagnant relationships, past mistakes,
search for a treasure, frustrations in career
etc.)
 Absence of negativity and despair – ending
with happy, positive note - The heroes
encounter, accept and overcome the
negativities of their personalities
(obsessions, fears, guilt of sins, long-

31.  Insistence on faith and hope
 Optimistic analysis of human life
 Experience of universal power through
mysticism
 Offers solutions by emphasizing the value
of human life - The protagonists inspire the
readers to leave the comfort zones to
discover and explore
 Attempts to provide cure for spiritual
anguish of humans - By facing loneliness,
they find new pathways, discover their
uniqueness, a new perspective of life –
their personal calling, legend

32.  Suggest a possibility of upgrading one’s
character and progressing towards a
wholesome personality
 A mundane life can be turned into
adventurous spiritual experience
 Gives hope that every ordinary person
can possess heroic qualities and
capabilities - Not only heroes, but the
heroines (Fatima, Esther, Valhalla,
Hilal) also undertake their own journeys
to fulfill their dreams; though abrupt and
fast.

33. In the comfort
zone
Lack and want
something from
life
afraid of risks
and defeats,
need external
motivation
Adapt to new
life ,facing all
uncertainties
and fears
Achieve what
is wanted
Pay a price
Changed and
evolved as
better person
Familiar
situations
Unfamiliar
situations

34. Papers published:
 “The Hero’s Journey Towards
Redemption in Paulo Coelho’s Novel
Aleph”, Vivek Research Journal, vol.
IV, no. 1, June 2014.
 “The Zahir by Paulo Coelho: A
Journey of Obsession towards
Discovery of True Love”, Siddharth,
vol.3, no.9, Sept.2015-Nov.2015.
 “Paulo Coelho’s The Fifth Mountain: A
Journey towards Personal Legend”,
The Criterion, vol.8, no. VIII, July
2017.

35. THANK YOU !