MADNESS AND DEATH IN PAULO COELHO’S VERONIKA DECIDES TO DIE

Abstract

Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die, narrates the story of Veronika, a beautiful young woman from Slovenia. The story is about the journey of Veronika’s transformation from a depressed would-be suicide to an affirmed survivor. The protagonist was not happy with her life though she had everything,loving family, money, a fulfilling job etc. She always felt that her life lacked any purpose and the future seemed very worse. She was very sure that nothing can fill her void in life and decides to commit suicide by taking a handful of sleeping pills. Coelho in this novel provides an exemplary story articulating hope, depicting a situation in which one can find freedom ,joy, integrity and truth under limiting and most challenging circumstances. Coelho also explores the importance of living a real life and how closed communities and the rules of the society pose a threat to individual identity and freedom. Coelho also gives an insight into the societies which term the individual as mad when they fail to comply with the expectations of the society.