Book Summary: The Alchemist

Gregory Moore Jr.
Mr. Murphy
October 17, 2014
Period 6
The Alchemist
In the book the Alchemist, Santiago is faced with the challenge of figuring out who he really is in life. The old woman is the first one to start Santiago on his path. One of the people that assisted him in fulfilling his “personal legend” was crystal merchant. He wanted to a lot more money in order for him to buy some sheep and realizes that it will take him awhile at the speed he’s going. He then later suggests that he could build a display case, which would bring in more customers. At first the crystal merchant had said “NO” to his approval to build a display case but the crystal merchant later changed his mind. As soon as the display case was built and set out , he was

able to receive the amount of money that he needed in order to buy more of the sheep. Secondly, the next person that showed Santiago on the path of his personal legend was The Englishman. The Englishman is attempting to observe the desert and learn the language, Santiago starts reading the books he has and starts to learn about the alchemy.
So basically the Englishman is giving him more knowledge for his trip down the road of destiny.

Lastly, the man who made a big impact on Santiago was The Alchemist. The Alchemist is the person that he bumps into after he is finish talking to the tribal chief man. The Alchemist asks Santiago, “Who demands knowing who has read the Omens in Hawks flight”. He is starting to test Santiago’s courage, which he believes is his life’s essentials. At the start in this part of his journey, Santiago starts expressing his fears and doubts to The Alchemist. He starts telling the Alchemist (a spirit) that maybe his heart is a traitor/enemy because it fears the journey that is yet to come. It tells Santiago he has already found his treasure, which means he is referring to Fatima's love, and it wants him to go back to her. The alchemist says that he thinks that it is a natural reaction for the heart to start to have, now that Santiago is finally starting to follow his dream. Santiago starts to also tell him that his heart is kind of afraid of the suffering and losing what he has

won.
Crossing the desert, Santiago is now starting to learn that he has to accept what his heart thinks. He’s letting go of the fear of following his own road of destiny and stops wanting to go back. Lastly is Fatima. Fatima is the woman that Santiago has fallen in love with. She knows about Santiago’s journey has told him to keep going and also when done to come back to her. At this point she is realizing that in order for this to work her and Santiago both need to know that there both are in the right pace and on the same path. Understanding that in order to be one with each other you have to be one within yourself.
There were some bumps along the way in order for him to reach his personal legend.

Kind of like a test to see if Santiago can handle what is in store for him. The first obstacle is when were being told from birth/childhood that we cannot do what we plan to do. The second obstacle is us having to give up what we love and cherish in order to pursue our personal legend. In this case, Santiago chooses to gives up his sheep in order to go and find his treasure. The third obstacle is Santiago having the fear of defeat stuck in his head and his failure along the journey. He fears that point of not to making it across the desert so Santiago decides to head back home. He eventually overcomes his fear and chooses to keep his composer and go across. The last obstacle is us feeling that our personal legend, we do not deserve it. Santiago is then feeling like he has already everything he as ever wanted and needed with Fatima. He also feels that the treasure is really not that important anymore. Even though that's what he has been searching for this whole time he has realized his true treasure. The Alchemist helps him to overcome all of this and tells him that he can return to his loved ones that really miss him. So he moves on and finds his treasure, and returns to actually receive his treasure inside the the old abandoned

church.
Santiago has arrived at the church/ treasure spot. He falls asleep thinking about the strange way God led him here to the treasure. He wakes up to him digging and also laughing about how God left him gold at the monastery. A voice in the wind says that God wanted him to see the pyramids’ beauty for his self and realize what it had meant. Soon Santiago finds a chest of gold and jewels glistening like 3 suns. He is now planning to head to Tarifa to give the gypsy lady a little of his treasure. As the wind blows he feels Fatima’s kiss on his lips which then he starts to feels him with warmth. Santiago then declares that he will return to her soon.