The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho
Fiction
167 pages
1993
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary:
A shepherd boy named Santiago has a
dream about a treasure at the Pyramids
in Egypt. He goes on the journey, after
being encouraged by a gypsy and an
old king. Along the way, he meets many
different people, including the
alchemist.
Main Conflict:
Santiago encounters many different
difficulties during his journey. At first, a
thief steals all the money that he got
for selling his sheep. Then, a crystal
merchant tells him that he could never
make enough money to get to Egypt
even if he worked for a year. Near the
end, he has to prove himself to a tribal
chief in order to save his and the
alchemists lives.
Character Description:
Santiago is from a simple farm family.
He went to a seminary until he was
sixteen to become a priest, under the
request of his father. However, he
wanted to travel instead, so his father
gave him money to buy a flock of sheep
and travel. Hes travelled around the
Andalusian terrain for two years
already.

Quote:
When his heart spoke to him, it was to
provide a stimulus to the boy, and to
give him strength, because the days of
silence there in the desert were
wearisome. His heart told the boy what
his strongest qualities were: his courage
in having given up his sheep and in
trying to live out his Personal Legend,
and his enthusiasm during the time he
had worked at the crystal shop.
(Coelho, 134).
Explanation:
As Santiago and the alchemist near
their destination of the Pyramids,
Santiagos heart starts to question him.
His heart starts to fear his decisions,
and to fear his Personal Legend.
However, after following the alchemists
device, he starts to talk and listen to his
heart, consoling it and helping it trust in
him. Santiagos brings out the best
parts of him that hes developed during
his journey, and shows his true self.
Motivation:
Santiagos main motivation is the

Jaimie
Ding
3/12/15
Period 6

Visual metaphor
Explanation:
The boy Santiago is like Janus, the
Greek and Roman god of beginnings,
transitions, and choices. His two faces
look to the future and the past, like
Santiago. Throughout this book,
Santiago has had to make many difficult
decisions that would impact his life
forever. There has been many times he
had wanted to turn around and go back
to the old life he lived. After a crystal
merchant shot his dreams down by
telling him he could never make enough
money to make it to the Pyramids, he
decided to try to make enough money
to buy more sheep and return to Spain.
He says, But Im going back to the
fields that I know, to take care of my
flock again.Maybe because that
wasnt really his dream. Who knows
maybe its better to be like the crystal
merchant: never go to Mecca, and just
go through life wanting to do so
(Coelho, 64). However, there were also
moments where he was committed to
following his Personal Legend and
looking forward to the future, and he
says, When I have been truly

prospect of treasure in the Pyramids.

Although he doesnt exactly know what
it is, he is intent on following his
Personal Legend. The people he meet
along the way (king, alchemist, crystal
merchant) also encourage him.

searching for my treasure, Ive

discovered things along the way that I
never would have seen had I not had
the courage to try things that seemed
impossible for a shepherd to achieve.
(Coelho, 130).

Beginning:
1. Santiago interacts with the king of
Salem, who calls himself Melchizedek.

Towards the End:

1. Santiago interacts with the
alchemist.

2. As the king of Salem tells Santiago

about his Personal Legend, they have
the following conversation,
whoever you are, or whatever it is that
you do, when you really want
something Its your mission on earth.
/ Even when all you want to do is
travel? Or marry the daughter of a
textile merchant? / To realize ones
destiny is a persons only real
obligationAnd, when you want
something, all the universe conspires to
helping you achieve it. (Coelho, 22).

2. The boy reached through to the

Soul of the World, and saw that it was a
part of the Soul of God. And he saw that
the Soul of God was his own soul. And
that he, a boy, could perform miracles
The men were terrified at his sorcery.
But there were two people who were
smiling: the alchemist, because he had
found his perfect disciple, and the chief,
because that disciple had understood
the glory of God. (Coelho, 152-153).

Advancing the Plot:

The king first encourages Santiago to
go on the journey. After a gypsy
interpreted his dream of a child bring
him to the Pyramids in Egypt and told
him there was treasure there waiting for
him, he didnt believe her. The kings
words are what set Santiago off on this
journey. When Santiago asks why he is
telling Santiago everything, he says,
Because you are trying to realize your
Personal Legend. And you are at the
point where youre about to give it all
up. (Coelho, 23). Although it was the
Englishman who first was looking for
the alchemist, Santiago quickly realizes
that he was the one who was really
meant to meet him. There are many
similar characteristics between the king
of Salem and the alchemist, and they
both tell Santiago similar things. When
they first meet, the alchemist warns
him, You must not let up, even after
having come so farYou must love the
desert, but never trust it completely.
Because the desert tests all men: it

3. The king helps Santiago figure out

what hes supposed to do, after the
gypsy tells him the meaning of his
dream. At first, Santiago is weary of the
king, but quickly believes his words
after he reveals his knowledge about
Santiagos past. Santiagos motivation
for his actions was influenced by the

3. Santiago meets the alchemist at an

oasis in the middle of the desert. The
group he traveled with was stuck there
for several days because of the tribal
wars occurring nearby. The alchemist
helps the boy realize the changes that
had occurred in him since the start of
his journey. With his encouragement,
Santiago is able to reach to the Soul of
the World and turn himself into the

king, as he is the one who tells him

about his Personal Legend.

wind. The alchemist tells him the secret

of understanding the world.

4.

4.

challenges every step, and kills those

who become distracted. What he said
reminded the boy of the old king.
(Coelho, 111). Both the kings and the
alchemists purposes in the book is to
give advice to Santiago and help him
along the journey. Even though the king
only interact with the Santiago in the
first part of the book, his words follow
him throughout his journey and he gave
Santiago two stones, Urim and
Thummim, to help him make decisions.