The Alchemist Questions and Answers
by Paulo Coelho

Recently Answered Questions

• The Alchemist
  How does the Englishman's search for the Alchemist compare to Santiago's search for treasure in The Alchemist?
  The Englishman and Santiago are both in search of their personal legend. For Santiago, it is the treasure at the Pyramids. For the Englishman, it is the secrets of alchemy. They both understand the...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  In The Alchemist, what tests and setbacks does Santiago experience on his journey? Why is it important that he faces and overcomes these challenges?
  The Alchemist is a wonderful story that mixes fantasy and reality as it weaves the tale of Santiago pursuing his Personal Legend. Santiago is faced with many challenges throughout the story, and...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  In The Alchemist, why does the fascination with pictures and words eliminate the "Language of the World"?
  The boy in The Alchemist learns to communicate in the Language of the World in order to achieve his Personal Legend. The Language of the World, however, is not learned through words and pictures,...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  In The Alchemist, the alchemist tells Santiago, "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." Do you agree with this philosophy? Can...
  The Alchemist's words are a paraphrase of an ancient idea, perhaps most memorably expressed by William Blake: To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower Hold Infinity in the...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  In The Alchemist, how does Santiago pay more attention to the things in front of him then things around him. 
  Santiago is a character who is focused on his own plans and the path he has to walk to fulfill them; he doesn't always take notice of what's going on around him because he is so laser-focused on...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  The Alchemist begins with a prologue, which includes the Greek myth about Narcissus. In your opinion, how does the prologue foreshadow Santiago’s journey to find his Personal Legend? This is for a five-paragraph essay.
  Here at eNotes we can’t provide you with fully written essays, but I can give you some ideas about what you could write in your work. First of all, you might want to elaborate a bit further on how...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  Which of the Englishman's books did Santiago like to read best in The Alchemist?
  The Englishman is so immersed in his books, from which he hopes to learn the secret of alchemy, that Santiago decides he needs to read them too. We learn that they are "strange" books about...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  What are some symbols in The Alchemist and what are their significance to the theme and the characters?
  The Alchemist is a novel written by Paulo Coelho. It was first published in 1988. It follows the life of a Spanish shepherd called Santiago. Santiago has a dream about finding a treasure and sets...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  In The Alchemist, how did the alchemist help Santiago?
  The alchemist helps Santiago in a variety of ways. Some of them are concrete and life saving, while other are more knowledge based. The first thing that the alchemist teaches Santiago is the...

  4 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  Is this a good inquiry question? If not, what is? To what extent does your "personal legend" help you in your journey?
  The question you have come up with is a very interesting question, as it will allow you to explore the meaning of personal legend within Coelho’s novel The Alchemist while linking it to real life....

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  What events in The Alchemist were foreshadowed, and how were they foreshadowed?
  One example of foreshadowing comes in Santiago's encounter with King Melchizedek. The king tells him of the importance of following one's Personal Legend. He also tells Santiago about what he...

  5 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  What techniques does Paulo Coelho use to start the parts in the alchemist?
  At both the beginning of parts one and two of the novel, Coelho uses summary to put us in the scene and raise our interest in Santiago's life. In part one, he uses swift strokes to let us know,...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  Sheep play an important role in part 1 of The Alchemist—the novel opens with the shepherd Santiago thinking about his sheep. What does Santiago observe about their existence, and how might the sheep symbolize the way some people live their lives?
  In classic literature, sheep often are a symbol for loyalty, devotion, and humility. Sheep are innocent, plain creatures. Sheep are followers. In historical and Biblical stories, sheep are often...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  What does the alchemist tell the englishman to do?
  The Englishman has spent years engaging in a largely fruitless quest for enlightenment. Though he's acquired a good deal of knowledge along the way, in the words of the song, he still hasn't found...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  Discuss the caravan as a metaphor for a life's journey in The Alchemist.
  A caravan is a literal journey, but since nothing in The Alchemist is without symbolic meaning, it is also imbued with figurative significance. In many ways, the caravan is a symbol of life's...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  What is the function of magic in The Alchemist, and what does the ability to practice magic symbolize?  
  In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, magic symbolizes possibilities and personal power. In particular, magic represents power that is beyond the constraints of society, power that taps into one's...

  3 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  What philosophy of life does the alchemist seem to espouse?
  The alchemist seems to be suggesting that understanding life is a voyage. One has to be willing to take part in this journey, to leave one's comfort zone, in order to transform what is into what...

  4 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  In The Alchemist, when the boy saves the oasis, how is he rewarded?  
  Soon after arriving at the oasis, Santiago and readers are informed by the camel driver that the oasis is a place of peace. Fighting is done in the desert, but the oasis is an off-limits sanctuary....

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  In The Alchemist, when the caravan is crossing the dessert, what does the Englishman lend the boy?
  When the caravan is crossing the desert, the Englishman lends Santiago his books. Santiago and the Englishman were speaking earlier about each of their individual treasure hunts. The Englishman is...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  When the boy saves the oasis, how is he rewarded?
  Santiago comes with the caravan to a huge oasis that is as large as a city. Multitudes of tents are spread among the fifty thousand date trees and three hundred wells. After the caravan has been at...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  What are some literary techniques used in The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho?
  One of the most outstanding literary techniques used by Paulo Coelho in The Alchemist is that of the allegory. This literary device is described in some cases as an extended metaphor. The story...

  4 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  What does it mean to be a person who is following his/her destiny? How does someone know he/she is following his/her own destiny? How does Santiago know? What obstacles often stand in the way of someone following his/her destiny? At this point in...
  There are a lot of questions being asked here, and several of them are directed at an individual reader's opinion. In The Alchemist, destiny and achieving your Personal Legend are essentially...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
   After reading the novel, what is the Language of the World? How does one learn it and use it? What happens to someone who knows the Language of the World? How are they different from those who don't learn it? What does Santiago gain by learning...
  The language of the world is the interconnectedness that exists in all things. Humans, animals, plants, and even inanimate objects are all intricately woven together because everything is a part of...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, how does the Englishman's search for the alchemist compare to Santiago's search for his treasure?  
  The Englishman first speaks with Santiago when he sees the boy playing with Urim and Thummim, the stones given to him by Melchizedek. They compare notes about the king who gave them to the boy and...

  4 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  The old man tells Santiago that he often appears in people’s lives just at the moment they are about to give up on their destiny. What are some of the guises he takes?
  The old man that this question is asking about is the King of Salem, Melchizedek. He claims to show up in a person's life just as they are about to give up on their destiny, and he tells Santiago...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  The old man tells Santiago the story about the miner and the emerald on p. 24. How does it connect to Santiago’s situation? What does he mean when he says that “treasure is uncovered by the force of flowing water, and it is buried by the same...
  In the story of the emeralds, a man knows it is his personal destiny to dig in a riverbank for emeralds. Just as he is about to give up after five years of fruitless labor, the old man telling...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  Who is Melchizedek and what role does he play in the Old Testament?
  In the Old Testament, Melchizedek is the king of Salem and a high priest who blesses Abraham after he rescues his nephew Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham gives him one tenth...

  3 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  What events in Coelho's The Alchemist affect Santiago and shape his view of life?
  In Coelho's The Alchemist, there are many things that affect Santiago (the boy) and shape his view of life, as well as his choices. When Santiago has sold his sheep, and is preparing to travel to...

  2 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  Explain the meaning of following quote from The Alchemist  by Paulo Coelho: 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...
  This quote largely revolves around the concept of dreams and the necessity to at least attempt to achieve them. In The Alchemist, Melchizedek tells this to Santiago in regard to his own dreams of...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  How does King of Salem assist Santiago on his journey in Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist?
  In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, the King of Salem, also known as Melchizedek, is the individual in the story who actually starts Santiago on the correct path to realize his Personal Legend. When...

  3 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  Santiago is uneasy about Melchizedek's story concerning the town baker and what the old king describes as "the world's greatest lie." What does Santiago's unease suggest?
  In many ways, Santiago's uneasiness does not suggest that he does not trust Melchizedek's story. Rather, it indicates that he is starting to see the truth in it. As Melchizedek suggests with the...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  What are some negative and positive character traits of Santiago in The Alchemist?
  One character trait of Santiago's that could be both positive and negative is his sense of contentment. On one hand, Santiago is not content with his initial life situation, and that propels him to...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  What has happened in the book The Alchemist that seems magical or supernatural?
  The Alchemist is a book that contains magical realism. Magical realism is a literary technique that intricately blends reality with fantasy. If you are looking for a quick and easy set of examples...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  What part does the gypsy woman play in Santiago's journey in The Alchemist? Describe the cause and effect of her interaction with him.
  The gypsy woman has an incredibly small amount of actual page time in The Alchemist; however, her importance to Santiago's journey is huge. On the surface, the gypsy woman does little more than...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  How do certain people help Santiago on his journey in The Alchemist?
  There are many characters who help Santiago during his journey in Coelho's The Alchemist. Some characters are people, some are natural elements, and some are abstract ideas and beliefs. Some of the...

  3 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  Why does Coelho open with the modified myth of Narcissus? How does the new version differ from the original one? How does it change the myth’s meaning? What might the author be suggesting about how we perceive ourselves and the world?
  The original Greek myth about Narcissus tells the story of a beautiful young man who becomes obsessed with his own reflection. In Edith Hamilton's Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, a...

  2 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  What role does freedom play as a possible theme or just a vehicle for Santiago's journey in The Alchemist?
  I think freedom works fairly well as a theme. It is quite a broad theme, but a supportable theme nonetheless. I would recommend narrowing it down to personal freedom and/or free will. The story...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  Why does Coelho open with the modified myth of Narcissus?
  As the Alchemist is reading the Myth of Narcissus, the notion of transformation is evident. Originally told in its Greek form, the Narcissus myth is extremely sad and depressing. Narcissus falls...

  3 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  Explain the significance in that Paulo Coelho opens The Alchemist with the modified myth of Narcissus: how is it of importance to the plot?
  [eNotes editors are only permitted to answer one question per posting. Please post additional questions separately, and thank you for using eNotes.] There are several versions of the story of...

  2 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  What is the setting at the start of the novel?
  At the beginning of the novel, the setting is a bit difficult to specifically give other than Santiago is in an abandoned church somewhere in Spain. At this point Santiago is four days away from a...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  In Coelho's The Alchemist, at the very end of the journey, why did the alchemist leave Santiago alone to complete it?
  At the end of the story of The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, I believe that the alchemist leaves Santiago alone to complete his journey because he has done all that he can for the boy. Santiago has...

  3 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  What are Santiago's character flaws in the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho?
  In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, being human, Santiago must have character flaws, but they are few and seem to relate to his youth and naivete. First, Santiago is very trusting. Because he spends a...

  3 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  You are a struggling talk-show host whose program is in danger of being canceled unless you can get your ratings up. You've been given the chance to interview Santiago, the main character of the 'international bestselling book,' The Alchemist, by...
  This is a really great writing prompt, and it is a writing prompt that a student can have a lot of fun with. The initial setup states that you are hosting a talk show that is dying, and you need...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  What is meant by in The Alchemist by the idea that the gods should not have desires because they don't have destinies?
  Melchizedek says this after Santiago leaves. His desire, which he says gods should not have, is that Santiago will be successful in his quest for his dream or Personal Destiny. Melchizedek...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  What is the climax of the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho?
  The climax of a story is when the story is most intense, either emotionally or physically, a final decision must be made, and the resolution of the story follows soon after. For Santiago in "The...

  4 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  What does the Alchemist tell Santiago to try to convince him to go on?
  Santiago is traveling with the Alchemist through an area in which tribal fighting is as its most intense. This is clearly a very dangerous part of the world and Santiago can be forgiven for not...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  What’s a quote from The Alchemist that mentions how something motivates Santiago?
  I would look for quotes of thematic importance because several themes present in the novel deal with concepts and ideas that motivate Santiago in various ways. For example, love is a powerful...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  Which character points a sword at the shepherd's forehead?
  The Alchemist points a curved sword at Santiago's head on the night they first meet. The Alchemist rides in on a large black horse in a cloud of dust. Santiago can't even see him until the dust...

  1 Educator Answer

• The Alchemist
  In Paulo Coehlo's The Alchemist, at one point the alchemist reveals to Santiago the secret of turning metal into gold. How does it relate to finding a Personal Legend?
  Toward the end of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, the alchemist shows the boy how to make gold. They have stopped at a monastery and the alchemist melts lead in a pan, and adds a sliver from a...

  3 Educator Answers

• The Alchemist
  In The Alchemist, Melchizedek tells Santiago the fable of the oil and the spoon. Santiago believes he understands the moral of the story. What do you think is the moral of the story? Explain.
  After the boy has sold his sheep, and has 6 sheep (10% payment) ready to give to the King of Salem, Melchizedek tells to the boy a parable, not a fable, to help him on his journey. The parable is...

  2 Educator Answers