Bright Summaries - The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

The first scene of the novel depicts the alchemist discovering a book of short stories by Oscar Wilde (Irish writer, 1854-1900). He reads one story inspired by the legend of Narcissus, but with a different ending: in Greek mythology, Narcissus was a handsome young man who fell in love with his own reflection, and was so distraught by his inability to capture it that he wasted away and died. However, in this tale the lake mourns the young mans death, but only because it loved to gaze at its own reflection in the young mans eyes.

One night, an inquisitive young shepherd called Santiago decides to stop at an old church and spend the night there. He is looking forward to being reunited with the young woman he had fallen in love with the year before. The tale of how they met is told via a flashback, which is followed by a second flashback which explains Santiagos decision to take control of his own fate by becoming a shepherd so that he can discover the world.

That night, he dreams that a child is leading him to the Pyramids of Egypt and that she tells him: If you come here, you will find a hidden treasure (p. 13). Even though Santiago wakes up before she can show him the treasures exact location, this dream convinces him to embark on the long journey from Andalusia to Giza.

In Tarifa (Spain), a fortune-teller agrees to interpret this dream, but she asks for a tenth of the treasure in exchange, and tells him that it is a very difficult dream to interpret because it is in the language of the world. Santiago is disappointed by her interpretation, and sets off again.

After this encounter, he is approached by an old man called Melchizedek who claims to be the king of Salem and who offers to tell him how to find the hidden treasure in exchange for a tenth of his herd. According to him, the treasure is the shepherds destiny, and he explains that a persons destiny is their lifes purpose. The old mans words convince Santiago to set off on his quest. They meet again the next day, and the king advises Santiago to pay attention to the signs and to make all his own decisions from now on. To help him do so, the king gives him two divination stones called Urim and Thummim.

Santiago then sells his herd and goes to Tangier in Morocco. He does not understand Arabic, which is the language spoken there, or the local customs, which he describes as practice[s] of infidels (p. 32). His navet leads to his money being stolen, and he is so overwhelmed that he is on the verge of giving up until the divination stones give him a surge of fresh hope, after which he decides to follow the signs and continue his journey.

The next day, he meets a crystal merchant and cleans his goods in exchange for food. The merchant eventually suggests that Santiago keep working for him until he earns enough money to continue his quest. Santiago is determined to do whatever it takes to fulfil his destiny, so he agrees to stay for as long as he needs to.

During this time, he tries to suggest ways that his employer could improve his business, but the merchant is resistant to change as he does not see the need for it. He questions the young shepherd about his motivation for travelling to the Pyramids when he could just build one in his garden, to which Santiago replies: Youve never had dreams of travel (p. 51).

The merchant then explains the five pillars of Islam, one of which is a pilgrimage to Mecca (Saudi Arabia). He says that he prefers dreaming about this journey instead of going on it, because he is afraid that once he makes this dream a reality, he will no longer have anything to live for.

Almost a year after he first arrived, Santiago tells the merchant that he is leaving. He sets off again, and along the way he meets an Englishman who is looking for an alchemist. They both travel towards Al-Fayoum (Egypt) in the same caravan, and the Englishman lends Santiago his books about alchemy, but the only thing the shepherd understands is that all of the books share one common idea: all things are the manifestation of one thing only. (p. 76)

Santiago also has a conversation with a camel driver, who tells him that a clan war is brewing, but that he fears nothing because he lives solely in the present (Because I dont live in either my past or my future. Im interested only in the present, p. 81). This idea greatly influences Santiagos future behaviour.

The caravan arrives at the oasis where the alchemist is staying. While looking for him, Santiago meets a girl called Fatima and falls in love with her. After spending some time with her, he is tempted to abandon his quest. Later, while watching hawks soaring through the sky, the shepherd has a vision of an imminent battle. He recounts it to the tribe leader, and when it comes true he is made a counsellor.

When the dust has settled, Santiago goes to visit the alchemist, who reminds him that he must fulfil his destiny to give meaning to everything he has lived through up to this point. Seeing that the shepherd has doubts, the alchemist tells him what his life will be like if he decides to give up. That night, Santiago tells Fatima that he is leaving. She does not try to stop him, and decides to wait for him.