The Alchemist By: Paulo Coelho

 The Alchemist

By: Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho

As he slept in an abandoned church box next to a plane tree, Santiago, a young shepherd, kept dreaming of a child telling him that if he surrendered at the Egyptian pyramids, he would find hidden treasures. An old woman tells Santiago that this dream is prophetic and that he should follow her instructions. However, Santiago is insecure as he enjoys life as a shepherd.

Then Santiago meets a mysterious old man who seems to be able to read her mind. This man presents himself as Melchizedek, or King of Salem. He tells Santiago of good and bad omens and says that it is the shepherd's duty to follow his personal legend. Melchizedek then gave Santiago two stones, Urim and Tamim, to explain the omens.

Also read :Daphne du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn: Summary and Key Themes

Santiago hesitates for a moment before selling his herd and buying a ticket to Tangier, North Africa, where he goes by boat. Shortly after getting there, a thief stole all of Santiago's money, so the young shepherd decided to find a way to make enough money to get home. He finds work in a crystal shop, where Santiago makes improvements that bring him significant financial benefits.

After 11 months of working in the store, Santiago didn't know what to do next. Will he return to Andalusia rich and buy more sheep? Or does he have to cross the vast desert in search of the hidden treasure of his dreams? On the way to Egypt he joins a caravan.

Santiago meets an Englishman who wants to learn the secret of alchemy or turn any metal into gold from a famous alchemist who lives in an oasis on the way to the pyramids. On his travels, Santiago begins to listen to the desert and discover the spirit of the world. The caravan finally reaches the oasis, and there Santiago meets an Arab girl named Fatima and immediately falls in love with her. The leader of the caravan gathers the travelers and tells them that the tribal war is preventing them from continuing their journey.

Also read :Analysis of "A Room with a View" by E.M. Forster

Santiago wanders from the oasis to the desert and has a vision of an army entering the oasis when he sees two falcons fighting in the sky. As the attack on an oasis violates the rules of the desert, Santiago shares his vision with the chief of the tribe of the oases. Soon after, Santiago meets a stranger dressed in black veiled with a sword sitting on a white horse. It's the chemist. The commander has armed his men and they are well prepared if the oasis is indeed stormed. The alchemist proposes to cross the desert with Santiago.

The two soon found themselves in an area witnessing intense tribal wars. The Warriors hold the two men captive, but ultimately allow them to continue their journey. The alchemist tells Santiago that he must return to the oasis and that Santiago must make the rest of the trip on his own so that he can claim his personal legend.

Santiago reaches the Egyptian pyramids and begins to dig. He did not find anything buried in the ground. The thieves beat Santiago and stole his money. However, after one of the thieves recounted his dream, he recounted his dream of a treasure buried in the treasure of an abandoned church.

Also read :Analysis of "Middlemarch" by George Eliot Introduction

Back in Andalusia, Santiago returned to the church where he dreamed of a treasure near the pyramids. He digs under a flying tree where he slept, and here it is: Santiago's treasure.

***********************

Also read :George Eliot's "Daniel Deronda"

***********************