The Alchemist Prompts

Discuss the obstacles faced by Santiago on his journey. What role do obstacles play in a person’s
life?
Stuck in a foreign country with no money at all, Santiago must have felt despair. It seemed that he
wouldn’t able to survive, let along fulfill his dream about the treasure. But one can always find a
way. Santiago helped put up a tent in the market and got some food, and he found a job in a
crystal shop, on which he could live and prepare for the next journey. The obstacles on the
material level had indeed slowed down Santiago’s step toward his Personal Legend and even made
him think about giving up and going back for a time, but they also created chances for him to learn
a few necessary things. For example, he learned how to deal with omens while working for the
crystal merchant, and he learned how it felt to communicate with others without language, just as
he understood his sheep, and he learned how to speak Arabic. These things would be important on
his journey toward his goal.
The second obstacle is that of the interference of love. It can best heard in the quote, “We know
what we want to do, but we are afraid of hurting those around us by abandoning everything in
order to pursue our dream.” As Santiago looks deeply into the eyes of Fatima, knowing he can see
the Soul of the World, or love, he is now faced with his second obstacle, deciding to stay with the
woman he loves or to follow the path of his personal legend. At first Santiago believes that love is
more valuable than his treasure and reminds himself that the married shepherds had difficulty
convincing their wives to go to distant fields as “love required them to stay with the people they
loved.” The concept is not so foreign, as I’m sure many people have passed by opportunities
thinking that love was more important. And perhaps rightly so, he believed that if he left for his
dream that the love would fall apart. I like to think that Fatima helped overcome these feeling by
telling Santiago, “I want my husband to wander free as the wind that shapes the dunes. And, if I
have to, I will accept the fact that he has become part of the clouds, and the animals, and the water
of the desert.” His encounter with the Alchemist solidifies his decision by telling him, “Remember
that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure. You’ve got to find the treasure, so
that everything you have learned along the way can make sense.” Santiago chooses to continue on
his path. As one reflects on Santiago’s choice and how he arrived at his decision, consider that the
love he shared with Fatima was mutual. It was by the convergence of his desire to seek his treasure
and her openness which allowed his decision. In essence, life had handed him, by fate or otherwise
the ability to choose. I daresay that the ability to choose is by far a welcoming feeling that we all
share as human beings.
The fear of failure is best seen in the scene where Santiago is traveling with the Alchemist. The
Alchemist tells the warriors that Santiago can make the wind whip up and Santiago fears that he
does not know how to make the wind come. Santiago fears failure but Santiago learns to talk and
trust his heart and the wind comes, helping him overcome his fears about failing, undoubtedly
fueled by his inner recognition that the reward was worth the risk.
So now imagine, Santiago slowly climbing a sand dune. A dune that has taken him years to find. His
greatest treasure is expectedly over the hill. As he contemplates how far he has come literally and
figuratively, and recalls the obstacles he has hurdled, Santiago is presented with his last obstacle or
the fear of realization. In the moments before possibly realizing his personal legend and finding his
treasure, one could understand Santiago’s fear should his treasure not be apparent. One could
argue that if he fails to find his treasure, his journey would have been all for naught and his purpose
in life would have lost meaning. “Be aware if the place where you are brought to tears. That is
where I am, and that’s where your treasure is.” Santiago, by this point in his journey, has learned to
persevere and continues digging. Even faced by the threat of his own life by men beating him
thinking he has more gold than what is in his pockets, he believes in his personal legend and
overcomes his fear that he may not find it. Ironically, it is his perseverance that allows him to
discover that his actual treasure is located at his home in Andalusia.
Discuss the significance of the title of the novel The Alchemist. How can a title entice a person to
read a specific book?
At first, this does seem an odd title for the book as the character of the alchemist is relatively
minor. In fact, he does not even appear in the narrative until rather close to the end of the story.
Alchemy is the ancient idea that metals can be transmuted into other metals. For instance, there
has been an age-old quest of turning lead into gold as we see the alchemist do in the novel.
Rather than refer to the character, it is more likely that the title refers to Santiago, the book's
protagonist. He transforms his life through a form of personal alchemy. At the beginning of the
story, he is a shepherd who has yet to realize his personal legend. By the novel's end, Santiago has
radically transformed his life and connected to the soul of the world.
I think it is likely that Paulo Coelho chose this title to refer to the alchemist that is in all of us.
Everyone we meet in the story, from the crystal merchant to the Englishman, has the power of
alchemy: the power to realize their personal legend. However, it is the story's hero, Santiago, who
transforms his life, just like an alchemist can turn lead into gold.
Alchemy has become synonymous with transformation. Historically, an alchemist was someone
that could transform ordinary lead into gold. Just to be clear, that is not possible. Both gold and
lead are two different and distinct pure elements. No chemical reaction will change one into the
other. Regardless, alchemy gives the perception that something of almost no value can be changed
into something of great value and importance.
That is exactly what Santiago went through. He began the story as a lowly sheep herder. He did
have a great desire to travel the world and see great things, but he didn't aspire to be much more
than what he was.
But ever since he had been a child, he had wanted to know the world, and this was much more
important to him than knowing God and learning about man's sins.
However, by the end of the story, he is a very different man. He is strong and confident in his
abilities, and he makes decisions of his own. Not only that, but he has gained the ability to
commune with the "Soul of the World." Lastly, he also, at one point, physically transforms himself.
That sounds a lot like alchemy to me.
Compare (similarities) and contrast (differences) The Alchemist’s main character, Santiago, with
the Bible’s Joseph of Egypt. How did the comparison of these two characters influence the tribal
chieftains in the novel?
At one point of Santiago’s journey, a boy’s story indirectly saves the lives of him and people he
loves. The boy is Joseph, a Bible character from Egypt. Joseph is sold into slavery by his jealous
brother and, in the end, promoted to vizier, owing to his ability to interpret dreams.
What role do the forces of nature play in The Alchemist? What might Coelho be suggesting about
the role of nature in everyone’s life?
Coelho introduces his ideology of living in the present through the Camel driver of Caravan hired by
Santiago during the course of his journey to the pyramids. He imparts him with the knowledge of
how to make the most of the moment that one lives as present. He says, “When I’m eating, that’s
all I think about. If I’m on the march, I just concentrate on marching. If I have to fight, it will be just
as good a day to die as any other. Because I don’t live in either my past or my future. I’m interested
in only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present; you’ll be a happy man.” (88)
He believes that past is dead, future is unborn and it is the present that is alive, that is pregnant
with all the possibilities and that withholds the future. If a man focuses on the present, he gets over
his past and enjoys his work that he knows will automatically shape his future. Thus emphasizing
the importance of living in the present, the camel driver says that one should stop lamenting the
past or worrying about wonders with and make it an eternity.
In other words, the secret of happiness lies in living the present to the full.
The desert
As they are traveling in the desert, the alchemist uses it as a metaphor for the understanding of the
greater world. The desert is so immense, the alchemist tells the boy, that by immersing yourself in
it you can actually study the meaning of life. Careful study of any part of the natural world will
bring this understanding. Since a single grain of sand can symbolize “all the marvels of creation,”
one can find big ideas in even the tiniest forces of nature. By analyzing the small, one is capable of
understanding the large. Zooming in on a grain of sand shows us the big picture in a small package.
Each of these lessons are designed to teach the boy, and the reader, to look more closely at the
simple things in life. The meaning of life does not come from the big things, it comes from the small
things. By focusing on these, we can reach enlightenment.
The alchemist tells the shepherd boy that the natural world is only a copy. He shows him the
Emerald Tablet, which leads to an understanding of the Soul of the World. Nature represents
Heaven, but is only a copy. We can never see all of nature, or understand all of the wonders of the
world, as long as we are here on Earth. Our only hope is to develop an understanding of nature.
Tradition plays a major role in Santiago’s personal life and in the lives of the people he meets in
his travels. Discuss the different viewpoints that the novel presents on tradition. What is the
value of honoring tradition?
Santiago proudly says, “That’s never happened to me. They wanted me to be a priest, but I decided
to become a Shepherd”
There are two very different views of tradition put forth in The Alchemist. The novel begins with
Santiago leaving his traditional home and the role that his family has chosen for him in order to
pursue his desire to travel and eventually his Personal Legend. This seems to suggest that one’s
Personal Legend is more important than tradition. On the other hand, the tribes in the desert
repeatedly fall back on what they simply refer to as “The Tradition.” This is a body of knowledge
which tells them when to go to war, what visions to trust, etc. Thus we see here a culture that
values tradition highly. Santiago respects both views and understands that balance between the
two is important.
Narrator voice
In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho creates a third-person narrator, which immediately
distances the storyteller from the story because there is no more “I”. This gives the characters a
chance to voice out for themselves. In this way, the readers subconsciously give respect to
Santiago.
Since the narrator offers neither support nor opposition to Santiago, he flounders in a
figurative and literal sea of indecision.
The narrator is an anonymous, omniscient observer. In other words, the narrator knows
everything, sees everything, and is aware of the feelings and thoughts of every character appearing
in the story. However, Paulo Coelho chooses to utilise this power carefully and sparingly, and stays
for about 90% of the story connected with the emotions of the protagonist.
The point of view is third person omniscient, though it does lean towards and exclusive
observation of the protagonist, Santiago. Though the point of view gives the writer the freedom to
comment on the innermost thoughts and desires of several characters, in this case it remains
mostly an objective observer of ancilliary characters and ‘gets inside the head’ of the protagonist.
Given that Coelho’s purpose in all of his books is to facilitate the message, then using a
character in this way is useful. Why then, you might ask, did he not choose the first person p.o.v.
and narrative? Very simply, this would have compromised his objectivity and the ability to observe
the transformation that the protagonist undergoes after dealing with the internal and external
challenges and circumstances he encounters on his journey.
Santiago – Adventurous
Santiago is an adventurous person. In two years walking around the Andalusian terrain he never
lowered his dignity about being a shepherd.
Fatima – Love, patient
At that moment, it seemed to him that time stood still, and the Soul of the World surged within
him. When he looked in to her dark eyes, and saw that her lips were poised between a laugh and
silence, he learned the most important part of the language that all the world spoke—the language
that everyone on earth was capable of understanding in their heart. It was love.
Readers are being presented with the mythic idea of love at first sight. I can imagine special lighting
and a wind machine being used in a film version. The narrator even gives readers the standard slow
motion effect. What this paragraph also tells readers is that Fatima must be gorgeous. If Santiago is
willing to believe that the mere sight of her is worth giving up his journey for, she must be some
amazing sight to behold. Fatima must believe in the concept of love at first sight to some degree as
well, because she echoes that sentiment a bit later in the text.
"I have been waiting for you here at this oasis for a long time. I have forgotten about my past,
about my traditions, and the way in which men of the desert expect women to behave. Ever since I
was a child, I have dreamed that the desert would bring me a wonderful present. Now, my present
has arrived, and it's you."
What her quote also tells readers is that she is patient. She's been waiting for a long time, and we
will soon learn that she is willing to keep waiting in order to let Santiago find his Personal Legend. I
feel it is also important to note that Fatima appears quite wise. She knows that she has to let
Santiago complete this journey, or he will eventually become resentful of her. He may one day feel
as if she held him back.
In "The Alchemist", Fatima is a woman of the desert. According to the definition of that term in the
novel, a woman of the desert accepts life as it comes, and she waits for her man who has gone out
into the desert to return. She represents the love between a man and a woman to Santiago. On his
journey, he has learned about the love of the Universe and the love of friendship, but it is through
Fatima that he will learn the love between a husband and a wife. She tells him that he must
complete his destined dream or else he will come to resent her for staying (no matter how much he
loves her now). Once he completes his sacred purpose, she trusts that he will return to her and she
will wait for him no matter how long it takes. She is a symbol of fidelity and trust.
A secondary theme in The Alchemist is that of love, which Santiago craves at the novel’s opening as
he fantasizes about his next encounter with the merchant’s daughter with whom he spoke briefly
the previous year. He is young and alone, and wishes heartily for true companionship, which he
hopes to find with the beautiful girl with the raven hair. However, in recounting her reaction to his
literacy, she seems limited in her ability to appreciate his desire for something more in life, a
passion that is recognized and esteemed by Fatima, whom he meets in the oasis as he attempts to
discover his Personal Legend. Her love is of a different variety, one that encourages him to soar to
new heights rather than asks him to clip his wings to stay with her. Fatima expresses her love as a
wish to be with Santiago once he has found himself and is ready to share with another.
Motifs
Dreams
In The Alchemist, dreams represent not only an outlet into one’s inner desires, but also a form of
communication with the Soul of the World. Santiago’s dream of a treasure in Egypt, for instance,
reveals to him his Personal Legend and sets the entire plot of the Alchemist into motion. Whether
or not an individual believes in dreams creates a dividing line between the “enlightened” and
“unenlightened” characters in the novel. The tribal chieftain takes Santiago’s dream of the hawks
very seriously, and he understands the dream as a message from the desert of an impending
assault. He also relates a story about Joseph’s ability to read dreams, concluding that those who
truly believe in dreams also have the ability to read them. The chief’s insight, we see, allows him to
successfully defend the oasis against attack. Later in the novel, the man who beats Santiago does
not believe his own dream, but when he describes his dream to Santiago, Santiago recognizes it as
an omen telling him where to find the treasure. The importance of actual, sleeping dreams parallels
the importance of personal, symbolic dreams as embodied by Personal Legends.
Santiago’s repeated dream of treasure by the Pyramids reveals the importance of dreams generally
in the novel, and not just literal ones. This particular dream is presented as key, and both the
fortune teller and Melchizedek encourage Santiago to follow it literally. But the centrality of dreams
in the novel is based more generally on the idea that youthful hopes for the future should not be
displaced as one ages, but rather should be held on to and pursued with passion throughout one’s
life. Santiago is in this way an everyman hero in that he holds fast to his dream despite discouraging
events such as the theft of his money in the marketplace. Coelho suggests that because he has his
dream to fall back on, even material deprivations cannot discourage the boy from pursuing his goal
and following his dream, literally of the Pyramids and figuratively of leaving the comforts of home
for a great adventure. Unlike the baker or crystal merchant, who, like most, prioritized material
success and comfort over following the dreams of their youth, Santiago experiences the joy that
accompanies fulfillment of one’s spiritual quest.
Maktub
Many of the characters that Santiago meets during his journey use the word maktub, which as the
crystal merchant explains, means “it is written.” The word typically appears just as Santiago is about
to turn to a new chapter in his quest, usually by taking a big risk or abandoning a comfortable
situation. It becomes a reassuring refrain for Santiago, because it reminds Santiago to see his
actions in the context of fate. As Santiago learns, fate always cooperates with those in pursuit of
their Personal Legends, so as long as he remains focused on his goal he can find comfort in the fact
that his destiny has already been written in the history of the world. In addition, the repetition of
maktub reinforces the Biblical tone of The Alchemist. The word gives Santiago’s story the
universality and spiritual heft of a fable (much like the other capitalized terms that dominate the
book, such as the Soul of the World and the Hand that Wrote All).
Fate
Fate is often cited as a reason not to pursue one's Personal Legend, as in the case of the crystal
merchant, whose motto is maktub: "It is written."
Omens
The motif of omens serves a dual purpose in The Alchemist. For one, omens offer Santiago
guidance on his journey and reassure him that the Soul of the World has endorsed his journey. As
Melchizedek explains, omens make up part of the Universal Language of the World, and if Santiago
taps into this language he can always find the meaning in his environment. For example, when the
stones Urim and Thummim drop from Santiago’s pocket, Santiago chooses to consider the event an
omen. In doing so, he continues to feel that the universe conspires to help him, and he finds
meaning in the seemingly random event. In this way, the motif of omens reinforces the book’s
theme of the unity of nature.
Omens also serve to demonstrate Santiago’s spiritual growth throughout the story. The omens that
Santiago experiences grow in relevance from being small, limited events to important visions that
affect many lives. The vision of the hawks and approaching armies that Santiago has in Al-Fayoum,
for example, tells Santiago of an assault on the oasis that could lead to the deaths of hundreds.
That his omens become more and more important signifies that Santiago is getting closer to
understanding the pure Language of the World.
Themes
The Centrality of Personal Legends
According to The Alchemist, Personal Legends serve as the only means by which an individual can
live a satisfying life. In fact, the universe can only achieve perfection if all natural things
continuously undergo a cycle of achieving their Personal Legend, evolving into a higher being with a
new Personal Legend, and then pursuing that new goal. This concept, that the individualistic pursuit
of a Personal Legend exists as life’s dominant—perhaps only—spiritual demand, lies at the center
of the unique theology of The Alchemist. As we see when Santiago must give up his flock and leave
Fatima, material success and even love pose obstacles to Santiago achieving his Personal Legend
and must be delayed or ignored altogether. Those who put off their Personal Legends, such as the
crystal merchant, suffer regret and fail to experience the wealth and other favors that the universe
bestows upon those who follow their Personal Legends. In the novel, even alchemy, the central
symbol of the book, entails coaxing metal to achieve its own Personal Legend to turn into gold. As a
result, the idea that all individuals should live in the singular pursuit of their individual dreams
emerges as the primary theme of The Alchemist.
The Unity of Nature
In The Alchemist, the spiritual unity represented by the Soul of the World binds together all of
nature, from human beings to desert sand. This idea underlies the parallel we see in the novel
between the alchemist purifying metal into gold and Santiago purifying himself into someone
capable of achieving his Personal Legend. According to the novel, the Soul of the World has created
an ultimate desire, or Personal Legend, for everything, whether Santiago or a piece of iron. To
accomplish its Personal Legend, each thing must learn to tap into the Soul of the World, which
purifies it. That continual purification ultimately leads to perfection. This notion of humans, metals,
and all other things sharing the same goal demonstrates that all elements in nature are essentially
different forms of a single spirit.
Furthermore, over and over again we see that Santiago must communicate with nature in what the
novel calls the common language of the world. Santiago’s horse, for instance, communicates with
him by showing him evidence of life in an apparently barren expanse of desert, and Santiago must
employ the help of the desert, the wind, and the sun in order to turn into the wind. As the
alchemist says when he leaves Santiago, everything from a grain of sand to God himself shares the
same spiritual essence. This pantheistic view dominates The Alchemist, and along with the
individual, evolutionary theology expressed in the theme of alchemy, it forms the book’s core
spiritual message.
The Danger of Fear
Fear persistently comes up throughout Santiago’s journey as the primary obstacle to Santiago’s
successfully achieving his Personal Legend. Santiago experiences several forms of fear: a childhood
fear of having the gypsy woman interpret his dream; a material fear of losing his wealth by
departing to Tangier or by joining the desert caravan; the physical fear of dying in the battle at Al-
Fayoum; and the spiritual fear that he will fail to turn himself into the wind when the alchemist
forces him to try.
Santiago’s mentors, from Melchizedek to the alchemist, condemn fear by comparing it to
materialism, and they describe it as a product of misunderstanding how the universe treats those
pursuing their Personal Legends. Fear, they suggest, should become irrelevant, even in the face of
death, if you faithfully pursue your dreams.
Just as those who disregard fear appear as enlightened figures, fear dominates The Alchemist’s
weakest characters. The crystal merchant in particular represents someone who has allowed fear to
rule his life. Although he wants to make the pilgrimage to Mecca required of every Muslim, he fears
that once he’s made the trip he will have nothing else to live for. As a result, he remains deeply
unhappy, reinforcing the notion that fear acts as an obstacle to a happy and fulfilled life.
Language of the world
In Coelho's The Alchemist, the language of the world is the way all things communicate because all
things are one. Santiago tries to tell the Englishman this. In his turn, the Englishman tells Santiago
that all he needs is found in books; but the Englishman finds nothing important in trying to listen to
the desert or by searching for omens. Likewise, Santiago learns nothing from the Englishman's
books. However, Santiago does not dismiss the Englishman's way of learning: he only knows that he
cannot learn to communicate with the world in that way—
"Everyone has his or her own way of learning things," he said to himself. "[The Englishman's] way
isn’t the same as mine, nor mine as his. But we’re both in search of our Personal Legends, and I
respect him for that."
So both men continue on their quest to discover their Personal Legend. The more Santiago looks,
the easier it becomes to recognize omens. He develops a kinship with nature and can read the signs
it shares with one who is observant.
The language of the world manifests itself in several ways. During the account of the boy's journey,
we find that he understands the language of the world based on one's response to the world:
There was a language in the world that everyone understood…It was the language of enthusiasm,
of things accomplished with love and purpose, and as part of a search for something believed in
and desired.
In the desert, the alchemist describes the relationship Santiago must develop with nature, and in so
doing, understand the language of the world:
You don’t even have to understand the desert: all you have to do is contemplate a simple grain of
sand, and you will see in it all the marvels of creation…Listen to your heart. It knows all things,
because it came from the Soul of the World...
So the heart knows the language of the world. It is also found in nature.
The chief of a military camp takes the alchemist and Santiago captive. The only way the boy can
escape death is to prove that he has great power—a power of which Santiago knows nothing.
However, in the spirit of sink or swim, Santiago speaks with the wind, the sun and the desert; and
finally he communicates (without words) with the Soul of the World (the Hand That Wrote All)—
listening with his heart. It is in these discussions that Santiago learns how to move himself with the
wind's help.
The language of the world is also present in the instantaneous understanding that Santiago and
Fatima have:
It was the pure Language of the World...What the boy felt at that moment was that he was in the
presence of the only woman in his life, and that, with no need for words, she recognized the same
thing.
Because we are all connected, we are not only made of the same stuff, but we can also
communicate with nature if, as Santiago tells the Englishman, we listen to nature speaking to us. In
this regard, we should also, then, be able to speak to one another regardless of where we come
from, which Santiago discovers in being able to understand people who do not speak his native
language.
The language of the world refers to the oneness of all things: that everything in the universe is tied
together. And believers of this truth feel that the language of the universe links people to the world
and to each other.
How does the traditional theme of the conflict of Man versus Nature appear in the novel?
In The Alchemist, the young shepherd Santiago sets out on adventure, leaving his native Spain to
cross the Egyptian desert, where he confronts many challenges. Like in most stories that include
the theme of Man versus Nature, the boy faces the perils of the desert heat and lack of water and
even a sandstorm. However, unlike the majority of novels centered around this theme, Nature also
helps the protagonist overcome the challenges that face him, more frequently at the hands of his
fellow man. While Man versus Nature is among the themes of the novel, Nature more often
supports than threatens Santiago.
When Santiago first arrives in the Arab market, he is approached by a youth around his age who
tricks him and steals his money. Thus it is a fellow human, rather than Nature, who first presents
the former shepherd with a trial to overcome. Having left a solitary life tending sheep in relative
peace with nature, this betrayal stuns Santiago, who calms himself by touching the magical stones
and then falls asleep in the bustling marketplace as though it were an open pasture. He considers
his environment primarily a safe place in which to pursue his treasure.
Santiago awakens one day ready to leave the crystal merchant’s shop, and joins the caravan bound
for Al-Fayoum. The main obstacles in their way are not sandstorms, but rather the warring
tribesmen who continually block their progress. During a stop at the oasis, Santiago interprets an
image he has of two hawks circling overhead. The local alchemist has been awaiting this sign, so yet
again Santiago’s ability to interact with animals has brought him closer to realizing his destiny. Just
as he had chosen to tend sheep in order to travel, now interpreting the behavior of the hawks has
earned him the attention of the legendary alchemist.
As the alchemist escorts Santiago toward the Pyramids, they are captured by men who agree to
release them if they can turn themselves into the wind. Santiago is terrified, and recognizes it is
well beyond his abilities as a mere mortal. He turns to nature as an ally, consulting with the desert,
the sun, the wind and finally the hand that wrote all for their help. He is amazed to find himself
transported to the alchemist’s side when the frenzied sandstorm dies down. So although
sandstorms generally represent a danger to people, in Santiago’s case one has saved his life.
While the theme of Man versus Nature is evident in The Alchemist as its protagonist undertakes an
epic quest, Nature is more of an ally of Santiago’s than his enemy as he confronts primarily
challenges set by himself and his fellow men.
Why does Santiago leaves his flock in southern Spain to journey across the unfamiliar Egyptian
desert, and why does he meets Fatima and the alchemist on an oasis in the middle of it?
Santiago’s repeated dreams about the treasure by the Pyramids awaken his spirit to venture
beyond the confines of his homeland to discover more about himself and about life. Unlike the
baker whose youthful ambition to venture further in life was surpassed by his wish for comfort and
stability, Santiago is able to prioritize discovery of his own Personal Legend over all else. He at first
doubts the meaning of his dream, and hesitates to heed the gypsy fortuneteller in setting out for
Egypt. But the appearance of the spiritual king Melchizedek persuades him that he must embark on
this quest to be at peace with himself.
The metaphor of a desert is frequently used to suggest a barren point in one’s life, and just as his
fellow travelers in the journey of life find highs and lows along the way, it is no coincidence that
Paulo Coelho has moved his protagonist from Spain to Egypt across the Sahara. Although Santiago
enjoys the company of the caravan, the overall meaning of the desert is a place devoid of life. It is
therefore fitting that Santiago meets both Fatima, the girl he loves, and the alchemist, the mentor
who will help him fulfill his Personal Legend, at the oasis of Al-Fayoum. The oasis in literature
represents a place of healing and regeneration, and in Santiago’s case it is of both his body and
spirit. Water and trees abound, and the oasis is literally teeming with life, especially of the human
variety. Santiago saves the lives of thousands by interpreting his vision for the village chieftains.
Although he is tempted to stay on at the oasis as counselor to be with Fatima, he knows the
alchemist is right in urging him onward to first finish what he has started.
The contrast in symbolism between the desert and oasis, with the tranquil Spanish pasture and the
magnificent Egyptian pyramids at either end of his journey, shows that Santiago has ventured well
beyond the metaphor of his own house to truly interact with the world and experience life to the
fullest.
What role does reading play in the novel?
In the opening scene, the protagonist is described as a young shepherd who lies down to sleep in a
church, using the book he just finished reading as a pillow. The juxtaposition of tending sheep,
religion and reading so early on suggest three central themes in Santiago’s life at the point the story
begins.
As is revealed in the pages that follow, his literacy has surprised the girl he is returning to see since
selling wool to her father the year before. In presenting the reasons that an educated boy has
chosen to tend sheep, it is clear that although Santiago is a religious person, he believes in finding
God in the world rather than in the seminary, and has therefore preferred the traveling lifestyle of a
shepherd to staying in one place, although he respects his parents and can understand why most
people eventually settle down.
Like travel, reading opens Santiago to new perspectives and ways of being, and the book he sleeps
upon also serves as a conversation opener to the stranger who soon sits behind him and introduces
himself as Melchizedek. The man, who also calls himself the king of Salem, assures Santiago this
book is like most others, discouraging as far as discovering one’s Personal Legend goes. Santiago is
intrigued by this comment, and as his own story serves to show the centrality of this theme of
following signs and dreams toward the fulfillment of one’s destiny, it is interesting to contrast the
book he has just finished reading and the story he is beginning to live.
Reading is also important to the Englishman he meets in the caravan bound for Al-Fayoum, and
Santiago is able to understand the foreigner’s books on alchemy better even than their owner.
Reading is presented as an important skill, but perhaps not as important as listening, another of the
boy’s talents. Even as he learns about the Philosopher’s Stone and the Elixir of Life from books, his
mind is reeling with the realities he knows, and rather than simply analyze words on the page as
does his elder, Santiago searches his own soul and consults with his heart and with the Natural
elements to interpret what he reads and to apply it to the world around him. While reading is
clearly a central theme in the novel, Coelho seems to suggest that more important even than
reading is questioning what one reads and hears, prodding life for answers to questions no book
can deliver.
How are intergenerational relationships helpful in leading Santiago to pursue his Personal
Legend?
The boy Santiago is presented as a respectful son, enthusiastic companion, and eager pupil. As he
grows during his physical and spiritual quest, he relies on the wisdom and advice of his elders, from
his father, the fortune teller and Melchizedek in Spain to the crystal merchant, the Englishman, and
above all, the alchemist in Egypt. While he gets along well with the merchant’s daughter in his
native land and falls in love with Fatima in Al-Fayoum, it is primarily intergenerational relationships
that guide Santiago along his way of realizing his Personal Legend.
In the novel’s early pages, Santiago reflects on his decision to become a shepherd rather than find
God in a seminary, and his parents’ support of his decision. His father in particular encouraged the
boy to know what he wants and to pursue his goals. Thus upon hearing the fortune teller’s
prophecy that he must follow his dream all the way to the treasure awaiting him at the Pyramids,
while he is tempted to dismiss her words he is also curious. He is more trusting of Melchizedek, the
mysterious King of Salem who befriends him on a bench and tells him intriguing tales. Fortified by
the old man’s confidence, Santiago is determined to undertake the risk of selling his sheep and
journeying to Egypt in search of his treasure by the Pyramids.
Santiago’s first interaction in the Egyptian marketplace is with a boy his own age who betrays him,
and only then does he realize that the older shopkeeper had been trying to warn him of danger.
Elders frequently have Santiago’s best interest at heart, for he seems to remind them of their own
youthful dreams, as in the case of the crystal merchant. Although he himself never makes it to
Mecca, the crystal merchant supports Santiago in leaving the city to pursue his dream. The
Englishman similarly befriends him quickly and with warmth, and the two share the hope of the
alchemist’s tutelage, which only Santiago is fortunate to receive. The alchemist is by far the most
important elder to guide Santiago in his quest, and he imparts great knowledge and insight to the
boy who appreciates his mentor’s gifts and wisdom both about realizing his Personal Legend and
about understanding the mysteries of Life.
What examples of Christianity and more mystical beliefs are there in the novel and how do they
relate to one another?
The first scene in The Alchemist takes place in a church, and it is no coincidence that Santiago’s
spiritual quest begins when he lays his head down by the old sycamore, which has taken root where
the sacristy once was. He is pleased to see an image of the Sacred Heart at the fortune teller’s in
Tarifa, and although her methods include non-Christian traditions and beliefs, Santiago seems
undaunted by non-Catholic practices so long as they do not directly conflict with the doctrine he
fervently believes. He solemnly prays an Our Father and although he is dismissive of her belief he
must find this treasure, it is not due to their religious differences that he is cynical. When he arrives
in Egypt and is confronted by an unfamiliar language and religion, he is more intrigued than afraid,
and adjusts to drinking tea rather than wine with minimal discomfort. He is respectful of the
Muslims he meets, especially the crystal merchant, for he recognizes that the same “hand” wrote
all and that all religions share the same basic precept of honoring a higher power.
Melchizedek is perhaps the character who best exemplifies the syncretism between Christian
beliefs and a more mystical spirituality. The King of Salem is a Biblical reference who perhaps has
pre-Biblical roots. His comments of having appeared to various central characters in the Old
Testament strengthen his connection to Santiago as a Christian elder, while his gift of the stones
Urim and Thummim illustrate a non-Christian faith tradition. The stones comfort Santiago in his
times of trouble and remind him of his great mission in pursuing his dream, literally and figuratively,
and realizing his Personal Legend. While this is not a directly Christian mission, the story is
populated by characters who are modeled on Biblical antecedents, such as Fatima appearing at a
well just as Rachel did to Jacob. These references serve to illustrate one of the central themes of
the novel, which makes clear Coelho’s belief in the “hand that wrote all” speaking a universal
language, and not just adhering to a single spiritual tradition. Thus Christian Spaniards and Muslim
Egyptians are presented as good or bad with equal frequency, and while Santiago and his author
seem most comfortable with Christianity as a guide, both Coelho and his character seem to respect
all religions, cultures and faith traditions for they all emerge from the same Source.
Prologue
This prologue introduces several elements which will come into play later in the narrative. First, the
reader can see the attribution of human traits to inanimate objects - in this case, the lake that cries.
This both sets the magical tone of the narrative and highlights the interrelation of all things,
animate and inanimate, that forms one of the main themes of the book. Second, the story of the
Narcissus highlights the question of selfishness, a question which is at the center of The Alchemist.
Is it possible to pursue one's own personal desires while living a good life? In the case of Santiago,
the answer is a resounding yes - making the image of Narcissus (who become a flower through his
selfishness) especially apt.
Ending
The Alchemist ends with the end of Santiago's journey across the sea and sands, right back where
he started several years before, dreaming under a sycamore tree.
Santiago arrives at the abandoned church as night falls and looks at the stars. He remembers when
he and the alchemist looked at the stars while traveling in the desert and thinks about how far he
has come both physically and spiritually. The next morning he begins digging, and within half an
hour his shovel hits something hard. Within the next hour he has unearthed a huge chest full of
gold and jewels. He remembers that he must go back to Tarifa to give the gypsy her share. When he
is ready to leave he smells the wind blowing off the desert - bringing with it the kisses of Fatima.
It is at this point in the narrative that the two parallel quests of Santiago come together. The fact
that the physical treasure that Santiago sought was always close to home drives home the message
that a spiritual journey is not about becoming someone else, but rather about finding oneself.
At the end of the narrative, The last line of the novel, "'I'm coming, Fatima,' he said" shows us that
Santiago's not ready to stop traveling. And eventually, Santiago is going to return to Fatima. This
confirms what the Alchemist said about love: Santiago is able in the end to achieve both his
Personal Legend and find his true love.
Important quotes explained
“…whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because
that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth."
This statement, which Melchizedek says to Santiago upon their first meeting, forms the foundation
of the philosophy of The Alchemist. Essentially, Melchizedek says that dreams are not silly or selfish
desires that should be ignored. Instead, they serve as the primary means by which people can get in
touch with the mystical force that connects everything in the universe. He convinces Santiago that
his nagging desire to visit the pyramids is actually a calling, and he sets Santiago on his journey of
spiritual discovery. By associating seemingly selfish human desires with the soul of the universe,
The Alchemist presents a form of spirituality that differs radically from traditional religions that
espouse self-denial. Instead of practicing sympathy by identifying with and helping others, Santiago
must focus on his own personal dreams.
This quote also introduces the concept of the soul of the universe, which characters refer to later in
the novel as the Soul of the World. This entity becomes extremely important later in the book, as it
is the spirit that Santiago must connect with in order to turn into the wind. The quote alludes to the
idea that a person’s purpose in life centers on fulfilling one’s desires, a notion that also becomes
important in the form of the Personal Legend. Although this quotation doesn’t mention these ideas
by name, it lays the groundwork for Santiago’s and the reader’s later understanding of them.
“…every blessing ignored becomes a curse. I don't want anything else in life. But you are forcing
me to look at wealth and at horizons that I have never known. Now that I have seen them, and
now that I see how immense my possibilities are, I'm going to feel worse than I did before you
arrived. Because I know the things I should be able to accomplish, and I don't want to do so.”
The crystal merchant says these words to Santiago as Santiago prepares to leave Tangier after an
extremely successful year working at the crystal shop. The crystal merchant expresses a regret
common among several ancillary characters in The Alchemist, such as the baker and Santiago’s
father. He knows that he has not achieved all he can in life and feels depressed as a result. The
crystal merchant serves as a warning to Santiago that those who ignore their Personal Legends in
favor of settling into material comforts always feel haunted by their untapped potential. This idea
recurs throughout the book, and the complacency that the crystal merchant represents serves as a
near constant danger for Santiago. Santiago nearly goes back to Spain after leaving Tangier, for
instance, and he hesitates to leave the Al-Fayoum oasis for the pyramids because he already has
Fatima and some wealth there.
The characters that guide Santiago, most notably the alchemist, constantly warn him against
settling for what he has. The alchemist, for instance, describes how Santiago’s life would unfold if
he remained at the oasis rather than live out his Personal Legend. Santiago and Fatima would be
happy for some time, but gradually Santiago would begin to regret not seeking out his Personal
Legend, while Fatima would feel that she caused Santiago to abandon his dreams. Eventually,
Santiago would no longer be able to read omens, and he would ultimately lose touch with the Soul
of the World. The lesson set forth in the quotation and this subsequent example essentially says
that a person can only feel truly fulfilled by pursuing his or her Personal Legend.
“We are afraid of losing what we have, whether it’s our life or our possessions or our property.
But this fear evaporates when we understand that our life stories and the history of the world
were written by the same hand.”
Here, the camel driver addresses fear while he tells Santiago his life story during the trip to Al-
Fayoum. Fear acts as the biggest impediment to achieving one’s Personal Legend. Santiago faces
many obstacles during his journey, but he regularly feels tempted to abandon his quest when he
fears losing what he has already earned. For example, Santiago initially balks at giving up his flock of
sheep to Melchizedek. In Tangier, Santiago fears losing the money he earned with the crystal
merchant. In the oasis, Santiago fears losing Fatima. Finally, after being captured, Santiago fears he
will never be able to turn into the wind. The irony of this fear stems from the fact that Santiago
earns ever greater rewards each time he abandons his fear and gives up his previous possessions.
This quotation also raises the notion that a person should have no reason to fear anything if he
recognizes that he plays a role in something greater than his own life. The camel driver speaks
these lines to Santiago from experience, having lost all of his possessions when a flood destroyed
his orchard farm. He acknowledges, however, that the same hand that writes a person’s life story
also writes the history of the world. In other words, each person’s life plays a part in the larger
world around him, and the camel driver suggests that God dictates that part. This realization
doesn’t prevent a person from suffering tragedies, but if the person recognizes that his tragedy
serves a higher purpose, he has no reason to fear any loss. This insight becomes important to
Santiago as he faces challenges later in the book, particularly as he learns to stop fearing failure and
to trust in the omens he sees.
“The alchemists spent years in their laboratories, observing the fire that purified the metals. They
spent so much time close to the fire that gradually they gave up the vanities of the world. They
discovered that the purification of the metals had led to a purification of themselves.”
The Englishman relates this history to Santiago as Santiago reads a book on alchemy. The quotation
summarizes the key insight that connects the practice of transforming metals through alchemy with
the idea of human beings attaining spiritual perfection by pursuing their Personal Legends. Just as
alchemists purify lead, removing its impurities to transform it into gold, a person can purify himself
by focusing completely on living out his Personal Legend. This process strips the person of
impurities, transforming him as the lead is transformed. Similarly, the alchemists the Englishman
speaks of did not purify themselves because they wanted to create gold but because they became
so focused on their Personal Legends that they rid themselves of all other concerns, “the vanities of
the world” as the Englishman puts it.
Santiago’s guides through The Alchemist, including Melchizedek and the alchemist himself, stress to
Santiago that he must also put aside all other concerns. The alchemist councils Santiago to leave
the oasis, for instance, even though Santiago wants to stay for Fatima. But abandoning these other
cares acts as the equivalent of removing impurities from lead, and only by remaining committed
foremost to living out his Personal Legend will Santiago transform himself. This idea implies that all
other desires, including that for romantic love, should play a secondary role to pursuing one’s
Personal Legend.
“What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests
everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can,
in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned as we’ve moved toward
that dream. That’s the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert, one ‘dies of thirst
just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon.’
“Every search begins with beginner’s luck. And every search ends with the victor’s being severely
tested.”
The alchemist says these last words to Santiago before the two part ways at the end of the novel. In
short, the alchemist explains to Santiago why he had to endure so many trials if the universe, as the
alchemist and others have said, does actually want him to fulfill his Personal Legend. Santiago, for
instance, may have began his journey with “beginner’s luck,” although only to a limited degree as
he was immediately robbed and left penniless in Tangier, but as his quest went on he faced
progressively more difficult challenges. When he must turn himself into the wind, Santiago seems
as if he has to trick the elements into helping him. But as the alchemist explains, these challenges
served their own purpose: to help Santiago master the lessons he had already learned.
The alchemist’s statement implies that the important part of pursuing one’s Personal Legend
consists not just in reaching the final goal, whether that be turning lead into gold or finding a
treasure near the pyramids, but also in learning through action. Earlier in the book, the alchemist
explains this notion to Santiago using alchemists as his example. He says the alchemists became too
focused on the gold and lost the focus on living out their Personal Legends. As a result, they lost the
ability to perform alchemy. Santiago, meanwhile, ultimately travels through Spain, into Africa, and
across the Sahara to the pyramids, only to learn that the treasure he seeks lies under a tree in the
area where he began his trip. His transformation, however, could not have occurred without this
journey and the experience he gained from living out his Personal Legend. Along the way, he
learned to read omens, to communicate with the elements, and even to turn himself into the wind.