Santiago The Alchemist Character Development

He is a stronger and smarter man because of what happened to him. Santiago hit a lot of adversity at the beginning of his journey and it prepared him for the worst of his journey. “Now he understood why the owner of the bar had been so upset: he was trying to tell him not to trust that man.” (Coelho 43). He lost it all and he was prepared for anything for the rest of his journey.

Santiago has an epiphany when he realizes that if you never change and take risks you will never move forward. He wants to find his “personal legend,” or true desire, and to obtain this he needs to change his own nature. He must be willing to give up whatever is necessary to achieve this goal, including freedom. On Santiago’s journey he becomes employed by a crystal merchant that never achieved his personal legend. The merchant resisted change and never accomplished his dreams.

Santiago was in fear that there wasn’t a war coming and that he might die. Later in the book Santiago was asked to turn himself into the wind. The Alchemist said “He is going to transform himself into the wind, just to demonstrate his powers. If he can’t do so we humbly offer you our lives, for the honor of your tribe” (Coelho 144)

During his journey, Santiago receives knowledge that he treasures and uses on his behalf when he hopes to achieve his personal legend. During his time with the Crystal merchant Santiago learned the five sacred obligations of all Muslims, and he learned that the Pyramids were not nearly as close as he thought when he arrived in Africa. During his time with the Alchemist he learned how to find life in the desert, and how to

A personal legend is not just the result found at the end of Santiago's life. It’s more than simply reaching final destination. Santiago personal legend is achieved when he completes what he is doing. “It’s true that everything has it’s personal legend ,but one day that personal legend will be realized ,so each thing has to transform itself into something better ,and to acquire a new personal legend, until someday, the soul of the world becomes one only thing.”

His desire to return to Fatima is what drives him to succeed. However, the desert is not able to help him, and so Santiago also expresses his love for Fatima to the wind. He wants to be the wind not only to prove to the tribesmen that they were indeed travelers, but to return to Fatima, and to be “able to reach every corner of the world, cross the seas, blow away the sands that cover [his] treasure, and carry the voice of the woman [he] love[s]” (146). He then also tells the wind that, “When you are loved, you can do anything in creation. When you are loved, there’s no need at all to understand what’s happening because everything happens within you, and even men can turn themselves into the wind.

Santiago realizes that he finally has a place and that he is supposed to be following his Personal

He is conflicted because, “He had to choose between something he had been accustomed to and something he wanted to have.”(24) Santiago is pushed into this journey. He did not have a chance to fully think it through. He is a baby deer struggling on its new legs. Santiago is willing to take the chance of finding

While at the Oasis of Al-Fayoum, the elder chieftain of the oasis tells Santiago the story of Joseph of Egypt. Joseph was enslaved for being a dreamer, but he persevered and managed to become an important counselor to the Pharaoh of Egypt. This Personal Legend could have suited Santiago because of his connection to the Soul of the World. The Soul of the World is a spiritual unity that binds all forms of nature together. Santiago knew he wanted to follow his dreams; it was helpful when he learned that “When you want something, all the universe conspires to help you achieve it” because he knew he was now destined to complete his goal, and not somebody else’s (Coelho 64).

Ultimately Santiago has developed his identity through the soul of the world and alchemy and has achieved his personal legend

1. In the prologue, the alchemist reads a version if the story of the death of Narcissus that has a somewhat different ending from the traditional telling, one that emphasizes the grief of the lake into which Narcissus will no longer be looking at his reflection. In beginning the book with this story, what themes and relationships is Coelho telling us to watch for throughout Santiago’s story? Do you think there may be an element of “narcissism” in the pursuit of one’s personal legend?

In Part one Santiago could be described as weak character. He is easily manipulated and persuaded by others such as the gypsy and the tour guide he met at the bar when he first arrived in Africa. His hunger for money blinds him from seeing his

Before finding his treasure, he must be courageous and clever to survive the desert and the danger that he encounters. This courage enables him to reach the treasure and fulfill his Personal Legend. The determination Santiago exhibits is what allows him to earn his fortune and decide his

The decision was difficult as both options don’t provide him a steady choice. As being a shepherd does not promise him to be with the merchant daughter and for finding a treasure he need to give up his well settled life. But at the end he chose to find treasure as it allows him to purse his personal legend or dram of travelling throughout the world. He always considers his choice before taking a decision this can be seen through this conversation of Santiago with himself, “Here, I am between my flock and my treasure, the boy thought. He had to choose between something he had become accustomed to and something he wanted to have.

Santiago’s last step to completing his personal legend was walking through the desert, to find his treasure and completing it. Thus, showing the symbols and meanings behind these little puzzle pieces in the journey and being rewarded with love and treasure helping to support my thesis, through seeing and understanding symbols behind the world people can learn about their own personal legend and live life to the