The numbers four, three, and two are important thematically. An appreciation for their placement will aid in understanding The Alchemist.

Four is the number of the elements (earth, wind, sun, and water). There are four obstacles in Santiago’s path to realizing his personal legend: being told from childhood that his dreams are impossible, fear of hurting those he loves, fear of defeat, and fear that he does not deserve success.

Four days pass when Santiago first makes his way into the village to sell his sheep’s wool. The alchemist breaks up and distributes the gold he has created into four parts: one for himself, one for the monk, one for Santiago, and he has the monk hold the fourth section for Santiago, should he ever need it.

The number three, however, is by far the most important recurring number in the novel. Three has biblical allusions in that the Holy Trinity is composed of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The references to the number three begin immediately. When Santiago longs to stay with the girl he meets in the marketplace, he fears that her father will keep him waiting for “three days.” In Judaism, three has two holy meanings: the first is the Trinity, and the second is symbolic of waiting for God’s intervention, something Santiago will experience time and again.

The references to three are many. Santiago’s father gives him “three ancient Spanish coins” to begin his journey. When Santiago leaves the crystal merchant, he fills three sacks. There are three characters who speak to one another in the caravan: Santiago, the Englishman, and the caravan leader. The alchemist and Santiago travel for three days and observe the armed tribesmen. Three armed tribesmen take the alchemist and Santiago prisoner. The captors tell the pair that they were “seen at the enemy camp three days ago.” The alchemist says that Santiago needs three days to turn himself into the wind. On the third day, the chief and his officers gather to witness this miraculous feat. The wind has three names: “sirocco,” “levanter,” and “simum.”

When Santiago is nearing his goal, he is told that he is “only three hours from the Pyramids.” There are three people at the Pyramids: Santiago and the two robber boys. And, of course, a triangle—the shape of each pyramid—has three corners.

The number two is also significant. The novel itself is divided into two parts. Santiago dreams of his treasure twice before having the vision interpreted. There are two stones, Urim and Thummim, which Santiago carries with him. The port of Algiers is “two hours from Spain.” The crystal merchant confesses that until “two days ago,” he had “never dreamed of travel.” Santiago has two strengths: his courage and his enthusiasm.

There are still other important examples of the number two. The Master Work is divided into two entities: the Elixir of Life (the liquid that can heal illness and prevent aging) and the Philosopher’s Stone (the solid that can turn ordinary metal into pure gold). There are two words that encompass the universal language: luck and coincidence. Furthermore, the vision that Santiago has in the desert revolves around two hawks he sees battling one another in midair. Santiago correctly interprets the vision as meaning that the oasis will soon be under attack. Later, after he is proven correct, the alchemist returns to their camp with the two dead hawks.

Finally, the number two is representative of the love shared between a man and a woman. Santiago learns that, without love, success would mean nothing.