The Fifth Mountain is a novel that is written by the popular Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho. It is one of the best-selling books of Paulo. This book is related to history and mythology. This novel also includes love and spirit. Especially this novel describes the travel and struggle of the Israelite prophet ‘Elijah’.
Elijah used to listen to many unusual kinds of music and screams in his childhood. So, his parents had taken him to the prophet. He had said that Elijah is a Nabi (man of the spirit). Now, he can speak with the angel of the Lord. The Lord is the main god of Israel. But, when the king of Israel ‘Ahab’ married the princess of Tyre, Jezebel. Then she ordered to convert the faith of the Lord of Israelite into her own country’s god ‘Baal’.
So, she was searching and also killing one by one the prophets of Israel who refuse her order. Elijah was also the prophet of Israel who does everything according to the order of the Lord. That’s why he is in prison with other prophets. They made a plan to escape from there and come out from there. Unfortunately, the soldiers of Jezebel killed the prophets except for Elijah. He became successful to run out from there.
He used to work in the carpentry shop before he was imprisoned. He was happy with his work. When he is out of his country, he went to die in the desert because of starvation but a crow fed him and talked with him. The angel of the Lord appeared and ordered to go to Akbar city and meet the young widow. Then he went there. The young widow let him in, and they started to live together. After a few days, the widow’s son became seriously sick, and he died. After then, the widow’s neighbours and even widow started to hate him by saying that he cursed the widow’s son.
The high priest and all inhabitants ordered him to climb up The Fifth Mountain (the god of Akbar). They thought that he would die up there because of flashing fire from the sky. Then when he climbed up and met with the angel of The Lord. The angel said that he could make awake the boy (widow’s son). Then he requested to meet the dead boy and awaken him. After this miracle, all inhabitants of Akbar city started to respect him as the god.
After some weeks, Elijah, a young boy of 23 years old fell in love with the widow who is about 10 years older than Elijah. Although he loved the widow and lived with her in Akbar, he wanted to take back the faith of the Lord in his own country (Israel). In Akbar, he met the governor, commander, and the high priest. Akbar had been living with peace for about 7 years. But that time, Assyrians were going to attack them. The angel of the Lord had told Elijah to live in peace and not to do war with Assyrians. So, he tried to convince them not to do war. But when Abkarians killed the officer of Assyrians who had come to do an agreement with each other, it made sure that there would be war.
The angel of the Lord said Elijah that he can do a miracle once more time. But he had two purposes that he wanted to take back the Lord in Israel on the one side and the other side wanted to stop the war with Assyrians in Akbar by doing a miracle. It was very difficult to choose one of them to do a miracle for him. So, he became unable to do a miracle either.
Finally, Akbar decided to do war with Assyrians. So, they got ready, but Assyrians didn’t attack them. Then Abkarians returned their own home. When it was nighttime, Assyrians attacked Akbar. The governor of Akbar ran away. They put fire on their houses and killed all soldiers, the high priest, commander, and some other inhabitants including the widow who was Elijah’s love. Then he stopped believing in the Lord. The angel art of the Lord also disappeared.
There were left just Elijah, a young woman, the boy (widow’s son), old people, orphans in Akbar. Elijah thought that he would challenge the Lord by rebuilding Akbar. And also, he thought that he should do this because the widow had said that she is Akbar. So, he started to burn all dead bodies and clean the houses. Other old people, children, the woman also helped to rebuild Akbar. They all also changed their old name and identity to forget their past like Elijah’s ‘Liberation’, the boy’s ‘Alphabet’, and so on.
After sometimes, Akbar became more beautiful than it was. Elijah became the governor of Akbar. All Abkarians started to do their own work like agriculture, trade, etc happily. Elijah also became happy because of his success on one purpose.
After that, Elijah returned his own country Israel to complete his another mission
This novel inspires us to follow destiny and keep faith in God. There are many inspirational quotes in this book. Among them, my best quotes are as follows;-
Remember the good things you have done. they will give you courage.
Life is made of our attitudes. And there are certain things that the gods oblige us to live through.
Make use of every moment so that later thou(you) will not regret, not lament having lost thy(your) youth.
