What are five lessons Santiago learned in part one of The Alchemist?

Paul Coehlo's The Alchemist deals with several themes, including the nature of desire, coming of age, seeking your life's purpose, recognizing and attaining your dreams, and paying attention to the beauty and lessons you encounter on your journey. Below are a series of fundamental lessons that Santiago learns through the five main parts of his journey to self-fulfillment and understanding.

The protagonist, introduced to the reader simply as a young boy on the cusp of adulthood tending sheep in the Spanish country side, encounters a mystical figure who encourages him to take his first step into the wide world beyond his familiar, recognizable homeland. Thus the first lesson Santiago learns in the first part of the book is to recognize the inherent calling that makes you, you and to embark on a journey of discovery to seek after that calling (part one).

After Santiago embarks on his journey to seek a "treasure" hidden in The Great Pyramids, he begins to encounter difficulties and the struggle to stay your course in the face of challenges and complexity. He learns through daily living with a merchant in Morocco that everyone in life has a deep purpose and it's up to each of us to pursue it and not stay stagnant. Santiago sees a reflection of this potential future in the crystal merchant he takes up shop with, and he learns to avoid being lost in the minutiae of life's ups-and-downs, finally recommitting to his quest (part two).

Santiago begins the long journey across the wide desert of the Sahara on his way to Egypt, and now he has built up his skill for interpreting the signs in the world that can help or harm you. His time in the desert among the nomadic people teaches him to live without fear and recognize how the world teaches you to achieve your life's purpose (part three).

In his journey across the desert, Santiago also learns to set aside all else but the goal of your desire, understanding that everything works out in its own time (part four).

And finally, at the completion of his journey Santiago learns that you must always apply everything you've learned to overcoming the greater and greater difficulties that life sends your way to test your knowledge, resolve and dedication to achieving your purpose (part five).

What lessons does Santiago learn at the crystal shop in The Alchemist?

1. The power of action. It's not enough to have dreams; you have to be prepared to take action to make those dreams come true. The Crystal Merchant is a Muslim and yet has never been on the Haj to Mecca. Yet, Santiago sold his sheep and quit his job as a shepherd to follow his Personal Legend.
2. Change is both inevitable and desirable. Once again, the Crystal Merchant provides an example of what Santiago is reacting against. The Merchant is stuck in his ways, terminally resistant to change. He doesn't seem to understand why his business is failing. Santiago suggests they build an outdoor display to attract more customers. The Merchant eventually relents and Santiago's idea pays off.
3. You must live in the present. The present moment is the only field of possibility: the past is over, and the future has yet to happen. That's the trouble with the Merchant—he doesn't embrace the present and instead allows himself to be defined by his past and a desired future that he has no intention of fulfilling. He wants to have something to look forward to in life. Ironically, this attitude guarantees that he will never have anything real to look forward to.
4. We have nothing to fear but fear itself. Fear holds us back and stops us from taking risks. The Merchant won't go to Mecca, nor will he do anything to improve business unless prompted by Santiago. But in order to achieve our Personal Legend it is necessary to realize that the fear of suffering is always worse than the suffering itself.

On the last page of the book, and before the Epilogue, Coelho writes that Santiago's heart burst with joy "because now he knew where his treasure was" (163). Outside of the deep, personal lessons that Santiago learns on his journey to finding his treasure, the question is always persistent as to whether or not he will actually find a real treasure of gold and jewels in the end; happily, he does. He discovers that his treasure was buried in the old, abandoned church where the story began where he and his sheep slept for the night. It was also there that Santiago had his dream about finding the treasure at the Pyramids in Egypt. Without the 2-3 year journey through the desert, though, he wouldn't have discovered how to listen to his heart, to the earth, to the wind, and all of the other elements associated with the Language of the World. Without these and many other experiences, he never would have learned about love, alchemy, or himself, either.

In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, the crystal shop may be symbolic of where Santiago finds himself in the pursuit of his Personal Legend. In one interpretation, we might see that the crystal acts like a window, allowing Santiago to see what might lie ahead of him. It is here that he learns from the crystal merchant what can happen when one does not "seize the time." The merchant also had a dream, his own Personal Legend to travel to Mecca. However, he puts it off, builds a business (which he cannot leave) and by the time he can afford to go, he is too old. This disappointment can be Santiago's if he loses faith, so the crystal could be showing him what life might look like for him. However, it would be important also to remember that when looking through crystal, the image on the other side is distorted, so this would suggest that Santiago would have to decide with his heart, and not by what he sees…or hears, for the crystal merchant does not encourage the boy in his quest.

The crystal shop might also be symbolic of "all that glitters is not gold." Crystal has long represented "wealth" because it was so hard to make and only the very rich could afford it. From a distance, the crystal shop stands out, and the light that reflects off of the clean and sparkling crystal draws passersby to shop, and later to drink tea. The merchant says to Santiago:

Business has really improved…I'm doing much better, and soon you'll be able to return to your sheep. Why ask more out of life?

The boy responds that he must follow the omens. The merchant understands this concept, but does not understand Santiago's desire to visit the Pyramids. He says:

I don't know anyone around here who would want to cross the desert just to see the Pyramids…They're just a pile of stones. You could build one in your backyard.

In some respects, the crystal merchant is telling Santiago that "this is as good as it gets." He tries to dissuade the boy from pursuing his dream. If Santiago allowed himself to be taken in by the merchant' perceptions (a theme in the book), along with the lure of the commission (a good one as the merchant had not expected Santiago to be successful), he would have stopped his journey there. However, the attraction of selling crystal has been missing since the boy's first day on the job…

…it wasn't exactly the kind of job that could make him happy.

And ultimately, Santiago knows himself well: he wants to be on the move. He still believes in his Personal Legend, even though he does, at times, have his doubts. However, when the time comes to make his decision to move on or return home, he thanks the crystal merchant, asks for his blessing, and—receiving it—moves forward toward realizing his dream.

In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, Santiago learns a great deal by action. He learns quite a bit about the land and his sheep by being a shepherd and paying attention to the world around him, though he doesn't yet know that he is learning the Universal Language.

After Santiago has spoken to Melchizedek (the King of Salem), he is reminded of the omens his grandfather had mentioned to him. By traveling, watching and paying attention, the world will speak to Santiago to help him find his Personal Legend. Melchizedek notes:

God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens that he left for you.

Through action, Santiago learns how easy it sometimes seems to give up searching for one's Personal Legend. When the boy is robbed, he takes a job working for the crystal merchant. It is his intent to save money, buy sheep and return to his old life. In doing this, he is able to learn about his boss who did give up his Personal Legend and now has regrets. The merchant admits he is afraid to go to Mecca now, as he did not when he was younger...

...it's the thought of Mecca that keeps me alive.

Santiago does not want to have regrets by passing up his chance at achieving his Personal Legend.

Santiago also learns by action that "book learning" is not the way in which he best understands the world or pursues his Personal Legend. He tries to read, but this action does not "speak" to him.

"That's strange," said the boy..."I've tried for two years to read this book, and I never get past these first few pages."

The boy decides that perhaps he could try reading the Englishman's books, while the Englishman will try to read the signs of the desert.

The Englishman said, "I'd better pay more attention to the caravan."

"And I'd better read your books," said the boy.

The boy learns nothing from the books, and the Englishman learns nothing from watching the caravan. He takes back his books and packs them away again in their bag.

"Go back to watching the caravan," [the Englishman] said. "That didn't teach me anything either."

Santiago has a moment of enlightenment:

"Everyone has his or her own way of learning things," [Santiago] said to himself."

Santiago realizes that his path is uniquely his own, as is the case with the course the Englishman follows. This is something the boy learns by action—in this case, trying to read books.

Toward the end of the story, when the soldiers of the desert are ready to kill Santiago if he cannot turn himself into the wind, the boy learns to speak to the desert, the wind—and the sun...that admits that he never knew that man could understand "that all things are one." Santiago believes he can accomplish his goal because he believes...

We are all made by the same hand, and we have the same soul.

The sun sends Santiago to...

Speak to the hand that wrote all...

Love springs from the boy's heart and he prays. He understands...

...that only the hand could perform miracles, transform the sea into a desert...or a man into the wind....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.

Only by doing, searching and asking—all actions—is the nature of the world made clear to Santiago so that he can turn himself into the wind, which will lead ultimately to his ability to achieve his Personal Legend.

I think the biggest lesson that Santiago learns is a lesson about perseverance. His journey to find his treasure and Personal Legend is not easy. He has to deal with the harsh environmental dangers that are found in that region of the world, and he also has to deal with the human dangers. More than once Santiago is forced to deal with bandits that threaten to stop his journey. Santiago even debates giving up and returning home, yet he keeps pushing himself. He patiently perseveres despite constantly being impeded from obtaining his goal, because his goal is worth it, and that is an important lesson for Santiago and readers. Good things can come to those people who are patient and persevere through adversity.

Santiago also learns a great deal about spirituality and the natural world. He may have started his journey as a journey for wealth, but along the way he learns to search for and work toward a pure soul. If he wants to achieve his Personal Legend, Santiago has to learn to listen to and use the Soul of the World. Santiago achieves this harmony, and he learns that all of the world around him is different forms of the same spirit. This kind of knowledge helps Santiago learn and understand that he gained so much more from his journey than only material wealth.

Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.

What are five lessons Santiago learns in The Alchemist?

One of the most valuable lessons Santiago learns in The Alchemist is the notion that fear is part of living a meaningful life. It is worse to not achieve his goals out of fear than to face fear, Santiago tells his heart: “Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.” Santiago discovers that discomfort is part of living a life worth living.

A second lesson that Santiago understands is the importance of recognizing the wonder of life around you: “When each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises.” You only perceive every day as the same if you do not recognize all of the small and wonderful details which make it different.

A third lesson, related to the first one mentioned above, is that it is important not to be carried away by indecision. Santiago realizes that, whereas not taking any decision will definitely not get him closer to his goal, taking an action—any step—will bring him closer to achieving his goals, even if this does not happen immediately: “When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he has never dreamed of when he first made the decision.” For the same reason, Santiago later tells himself, “There is only one way to learn. It’s through action.”

A fourth lesson is that mistakes are a necessary part of life. Santiago states that learning from mistakes gives us the experience necessary to live the life we were meant to live: “Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey.”

Finally, a fifth lesson is that ambition and dreaming, even if one does not succeed, are important because they are the fabric of life. Even if one fails to achieve their goals, striving for growth is what makes life interesting: “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” Striving, Santiago realizes, is what gives him purpose, and it is a worthy goal in and of itself. Santiago urges himself to not be afraid to pursue his dreams—they are what makes life worth living, even if one does not initially succeed.

One of the first lessons that Santiago learns in The Alchemist is what Personal Legends are and that he has one to fulfill. Once he commits to following his dream to find his treasure, it takes the whole novel for him to realize his what that entails. Over many obstacles, the boy acquires knowledge and self-mastery over doubt and fear in order to accomplish this great task.

On the way to finding his treasure, Santiago learns to watch for and follow omens. If people are truly happy by fulfilling their Personal Legends, then the world is happy and healthy. By paying attention to omens, he learns the language of the world which is there to help people realize their dreams. Melchizedek's advice to the boy is expressed as follows:

"In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens that he left for you"(29).

Next, when he meets Fatima at the oasis, he is tempted to sacrifice his journey for her. Because she understands the language of the world and Personal Legends, she tells him to fulfill his dream first, and then if it is right, they will find each other again (98). He learns that those who truly love us will support our dreams.

Then, when he speaks with the desert, the wind, and the sun, he teaches them about love; but in the process, he realizes that love is the force that changes people. He learns that a true alchemist uses love to make changes in himself, others, and in the world. He tells these worldly elements the following:

"Love is the force that transforms and improves the Soul of the World"(150).

Finally, the boy learns that he is actually a part of the Soul of the World, or God. Since we are all connected to God, the world and all of creation, we have the power within ourselves to perform miracles. It is at this point he is able to turn himself into the wind and save himself and his mentor from death.

"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"(152).

What lessons does Santiago learn from the crystal merchant in The Alchemist, and how are they crucial to his personal legend?

How do you explain how a book can be viewed? First, look for central themes or repeated motifs (that is, ideas that the writer thoroughly investigates). Second, support your explanation using textual evidence and analysis. This is only possible if you spend time with the book.

Here you must provide evidence and analysis that supports the idea that The Alchemist is a story of self-education and soul-searching. So, begin by finding passages that explore those themes. Since this book is concise, examples abound in every chapter.

In fact, Coelho wastes no time in delving into these themes. On page 1, he begins hinting at Santiago’s obsession with self-education:

He [Santiago] swept the floor with his jacket and lay down, using the book he had just finished reading as a pillow. He told himself that he would have to start reading thicker books: they lasted longer, and made more comfortable pillows. (p. 1)

When you analyze the text, look not only at what is said, but what is implied. The fact that Santiago often uses books as pillows implies that he has a book at his side at all times.

Only a few pages later, on page 9, Coelho explores the theme of soul-searching:

If I [Santiago] became a monster today, and decided to kill them [his sheep], one by one, they would become aware only after most of the flock had been slaughtered, thought the boy. They trust me, and they’ve forgotten how to rely on their own instincts, because I lead them to nourishment. (p. 9)

Obviously, he is reflecting upon his own soul when he considers the idea that he could become a monster. But analysis requires you to look deeper. What do his conclusions about the sheep imply about his own inner workings?

Lessons:

Like the explanation, your conclusions about the lessons must be supported by textual evidence and analysis. However, take time to note how the themes of self-education and soul-searching tie into the idea that Santiago’s life is filled with lessons. How? If you are intent on learning to understand yourself and the world better, you are going to tend to look upon all the experiences in your life as lessons.

As with the themes, the lessons abound, and Coelho begins the lessons in the first few pages. In fact, he ties those lessons into soul-searching. On pages 8 and 9, can you find evidence for the assertion that Santiago is tempted to stay in one place? Who is the “teacher” in this lesson? What does Santiago learn? Notice that the lesson deals with temptation and, therefore, ties into the theme of soul-searching.

Legend:

To identify the lessons that are crucial to the pursuit of Santiago’s Personal Legend, you have to identify where that quest begins. Who tells Santiago that he has identified his Personal Legend? What sentence in the text proves that the boy never recognized his Personal Legend before? To help you find it, locate the quote below where this same person proves to Santiago that his vision of the boy’s life can be trusted:

There, in the sand of the plaza of that small city, the boy reads the names of his father and his mother and the name of the seminary he had attended. He read the name of the merchant’s daughter, which he hadn’t even known, and he read things that he had never told anyone. (p. 23)

Through Santiago's experience in Tangier, the power of self-education and soul searching becomes essential to the narrative.  One example of this would be the hardship that Santiago experiences in Tangier.  He is cut adrift when he arrives in Tangier.  He doesn't speak the language and finds himself robbed of the only money he has.  It is at this point that he contemplates going back home and surrendering his hope to find his Personal Legend.  However, he embraces the idea of self-education, learning from the most elemental rungs of society in order to advance.  His own soul searching is evident in how he works for mere subsistence and does not surrender the dream for his Personal Legend. On basic needs levels and psychological ones (in terms of hearing how the crystal merchant gave up on his dreams for material wealth), Santiago recognizes that part of the journey towards his Personal Legend involves self-education and soul-searching.  When he has overcome the difficulties in Tangier, it becomes clear that Santiago understands the educational role of struggle and soul-searching in the pursuit of his Personal Legend:  "Tangier was no longer a strange city, and he felt that, just as he had conquered this place, he could conquer the world.” This commitment forged through difficulty and hardship is a crucial lesson towards the pursuit of Santiago's Personal Legend.

At the same time, education looks different for Santiago.  He is a "boy" of the world, capable of learning different lessons from different sources.  There is not one direct way of gaining knowledge.  Santiago understands that his entire narrative is predicated upon the idea of gaining what he can from different sources.  In encountering the Englishman, it is clear that "the boy" learns much from divergent paths: "His way isn’t the same as mine, nor mine as his."  Despite the differences in approach, Santiago recognizes that he can learn.  This becomes one of the critical lessons that Santiago learns in pursuit of his Personal Legend. In being a lifelong learner and one who is receptive to the idea of education, Santiago understands that education is not formal and is not scripted.  It is ongoing and to be in tune with the path towards his Personal Legend, it is evident that Santiago has to be connected to the idea that education is everywhere for him.  There are lessons to be learned in all aspects of being in the world.  This receptiveness towards the lifelong pursuit of knowledge and understanding in all of its forms is a crucial lesson that he learns on his voyage towards his Personal Legend.

In The Alchemist, what life insights does the Alchemist share with Santiago?

Santiago has a few people who help him on his journey to achieve his Personal Legend. The Alchemist is the final person who is the one who teaches him about listening to his heart and learning about the omens in the desert. The Alchemist tests the boy's courage on their first meeting by drawing his sword, but Santiago doesn't flinch. After speaking with the boy, the Alchemist realizes that the boy understands the Language of the World and how to see and follow omens. These things give him reason to help Santiago through the final stage of his journey to the pyramids. 

On their way to the pyramids, the Alchemist teaches the boy to listen to his heart, which is connected to the desert. Without this lesson about listening to his heart, the boy never would have learned to talk to the desert, the wind, the sun, or to God. 

Below are some of the best quotes from the Alchemist teaching the boy about life:

"There is only one way to learn. . . It's through action. Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey. You need to learn only one thing more. . .

Listen to your heart. It knows all things, because it came from the Soul of the World, and it will one day return there"(125 & 127).

"The wise men understood that this natural world is only an image and copy of paradise. The existence of this world is simply a guarantee that there exists a world that is perfect. God created the world so that, through its visible objects, men could understand his spiritual teachings and the marvels of his wisdom. That's what I mean by action"(127).

"You will never be able to escape from your heart. So it's better to listen to what it has to say. That way, you'll never have to fear an unanticipated blow"(129).