There have always been stories developing around deserts in different countries in different languages. From the stories of Jesus and Prophet Muhammad to …show more content…
Najeeb in Goat days on the other hand is in the pursuit for a much greater emergency – his freedom. Both the protagonists begin their quest from a place where their ultimate goal resides. It is to the same place that they both reach in the end – ‘the boy’ to the ruined church in Spain and Najeeb to his homeland in Kerala. Najeeb started for Gulf in pursuit of livelihood in midst of abject poverty. The desert of Gulf holds many promises for ordinary men in Kerala. On reaching Riyadh Najeeb exclaims “City of my dreams, I have arrived. Kindly receive me” (Benyamin 43). But by a turn of events, Najeeb and his companion Hakeem reach wrong place due to some mix up. He is forced to become a caretaker for goats and sheep in a Masara under an Arabian Arbab. The novel proceeds through Najeeb’s heartrending turmoil and sufferings in the Masara. Santiago in The Alchemist is addressed throughout as ‘the boy’ effacing his particular identity. The boy initially was studying in a seminary but his passion to travel and explore new places drove him to become a shepherd. The freedom of a shepherd’s life lured him and helped him pursue his Personal Legend. His recurring dream of finding a treasure inspires him to cross the desert to reach the Pyramids. He is guided in his journey by omens, interpreter of dreams, King and the Alchemist. Thus unlike Najeeb the boy starts on the voyage out of his own