Student Question
Which book of the Englishman did Santiago prefer in The Alchemist?
Quick answer:
Santiago liked to read the Englishman's book about previous alchemists the best. He thought it was more fascinating and less doctrinal than the other books he had. Santiago believed that the best way to find the Soul of the World was through observing other people and events, not through purifying metals as the Englishman did.
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 mercury, dragons, kings, and salt. The one Santiago likes to read best is devoted to telling the lives of famous alchemists. They spent their lives trying to purify metal in their labs. The believed that by heating the metals for many years, they would reduce them to their essence. The essence of these metals would be the Soul of the World. The Soul of the World, to alchemists, is the key to understanding everything. It is the language in which everything speaks. According the book, the Soul of the World is a mix of liquid and solid elements.
Santiago does not have the Englishman's complete fascination with books, so he asks him why he can't simply find the soul language of the universe through observing men and omens. The Englishman says that Santiago simplifies everything. To the Englishman, he oversimplifies important complexities. The Englishman informs him that it is vital to carefully follow every step the masters lay out, because alchemy is an important and serious business. Santiago, in turn, thinks the Englishman overcomplicates everything.
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