When analyzing the importance of the structure and substance of a literary work, we often make the mistake of placing emphasis only on the substance. Instead of thinking of the substance and structure of a novel as two very different things, they should think of them as a Christmas tree. If the structure were the bare pine tree, then the substance would be all the ornaments used to decorate the tree, and together they make up a Christmas tree. But without the tree itself, the Christmas tree would not exist, because there would be no place to hang the decorations. (Terlaje) Likewise, the substance of a story depends on the structure, because the structure lays the foundation of the substance. Once an author is aware of this, he should be able to achieve pathos, or persuasion of the audience by appealing to their emotions. (Comp Notes) Paulo Coelho recognized this, which is why his novel, The Alchemist, has sold more than 30 million copies in 56 different languages ​​around the world. (Wikipedia) Although The Alchemist is written in such a way that it can be easily understood, the structure and substance of the novel is more complex and profound, making use of interconnected fables to allegorically reveal a deeper meaning. This is achieved through the structure of the novel as a parable, the allusions and parallels present in the novel, and the use of archetypes as symbols. An allusion is defined as "a person, place, or thing that subtly alludes to or describes a thing commonly understood reference in time or space whether real or imagined. (Terlaje) To know what constitutes an allusion, it is necessary to trace parallels in two or more stories so as to reveal the similar...... middle of the paper ......ble and better understood.“ The biggest mistake a student makes when accepting a writing assignment is assume that the audience is the teacher.” (Terlaje) However, instead of making the same mistake that students often make, Paulo Coelho did not address a specific audience or “teacher” when he wrote The Alchemist. Through the art of storytelling, Coelho took the universal truth that everyone should live their own personal legends and transformed it into the eminent novel The Alchemist wrote in the “language of the world”; his wise words about the human life experience. Through the structure of the novel as a parable, the allusions and parallels present in the novel, and the use of archetypes as symbols, Coelho has written a novel that can still be enjoyed by a wide range of people around the world..