4. Paulo Coelho was born on August 24, 1947, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was a
rebellious teenager and his parents committed him to an asylum three times. When
Coelho was 38 years old, he had a spiritual awakening in Spain and wrote about it in
his first book, The Pilgrimage. It was his second book, The Alchemist, which made
him famous. He’s sold 35 million copies and now writes about one book every two
years. Coelho has been married to his wife, the artist Christina Oiticica, since 1980.
Together the couple spends half the year in Rio de Janeiro and the other half in a
country house in the Pyrenees Mountains of France. In 1996, Coelho founded the
Paulo Coelho Institute, which provides support to children and the elderly. He
continues to write, following his own version of The Alchemist's "Language of the
World."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
5. ABOUT
THE
BOOK
Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the magical
story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy
who yearns to travel in search of a worldly
treasure as extravagant as any ever found.
The story of the treasures Santiago finds along
the way teaches us, as only a few stories can,
about the essential wisdom of listening to our
hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along
life's path, and, above all, following our dreams.
7. Santiago:
Shepherd boy, the protagonist of The Alchemist. He travels from Andalusia in southern Spain to the Egyptian
pyramids in search of hidden treasure, learning life lessons along the way. Santiago is a dreamer and a seeker,
and he stands for the dreamer and seeker in all of us.
Melchizedek/King of Salem: An anonymous old man who is in fact a powerful figure from the Old
Testament, he explains to Santiago what a Personal Legend is and urges the shepherd boy to follow his dream.
Aside from Santiago himself, Melchizedek is the most important character in The Alchemist.
Crystal Merchant:
A middle-aged resident of Tangier, he hires Santiago to work in his shop. The crystal merchant's Personal
Legend is to make a pilgrimage (or haj) to Mecca, but he knows he will never fulfill this dream. He is Santiago's
foil, a character who characterizes another by contrast.
Fatima:
A beautiful Arab girl who lives at the oasis. Santiago discovers Fatima filling her water jug at one of the oasis's
wells, and he falls in love with her. She supports his quest, even though it will take him away from her. Fatima
represents true love, selfless and unconditional.
8. Alchemist
The novel's title character. An inordinately learned man, he lives at the oasis and can turn any metal into gold. The alchemist
helps Santiago make the journey from the oasis to the Egyptian pyramids.
Old Woman
A fortune teller, and possibly a gypsy, she interprets Santiago's recurring dream, but in a manner so straightforward that he finds
it suspect and disappointing.
Englishman
A bookish pedant obsessed with alchemy who hopes to learn the fabled craft from a famous alchemist rumored to live at the
Al-Fayoum oasis that lies between Tangier and the pyramids. In The Alchemist, the Englishman stands for the limits of book
learning.
Camel Herder
Once a prosperous farmer, his valuable orchards were wiped out by a flood, forcing him into a new line of work. He teaches
Santiago the importance of living in the moment. He also represents the possibility of receiving wisdom from unlikely sources.
9. ● While sleeping near a sycamore tree in the sacristy of an abandoned church, Santiago, a shepherd boy,
has a recurring dream about a child who tells him that he will find a hidden treasure if he travels to the
Egyptian pyramids. An old woman tells Santiago that this dream is prophetic and that he must follow its
instructions. Santiago is uncertain, however, since he enjoys the life of a shepherd.
● Next Santiago meets a mysterious old man who seems able to read his mind. This man introduces himself
as Melchizedek, or the King of Salem. He tells Santiago about good and bad omens and says that it is the
shepherd boy's duty to pursue his Personal Legend. Melchizedek then gives Santiago two stones, Urim
and Thummim, with which to interpret omens.
● Santiago wavers briefly before selling his flock and purchasing a ticket to Tangier, in northern Africa, to
which he travels by boat. Shortly after he arrives there, a thief steals all of Santiago's money, so the
shepherd boy decides to look for a way to make enough money to return home. He finds work in the shop
of a crystal merchant, where Santiago makes improvements that reap considerable financial rewards.
● Santiago meets an Englishman who wants to learn the secret of alchemy, or turning any metal into gold,
from a famous alchemist who lives at an oasis on the way to the pyramids. While traveling, Santiago
begins listening to the desert and discovering the Soul of the World. The caravan eventually reaches the
oasis, and there Santiago meets an Arab girl named Fatima and falls in love with her instantly. The
caravan leader gathers the travelers together and tells them that tribal warfare prevents them from
continuing their journey.
BOOK SUMMARY
10. ● Santiago wanders from the oasis into the desert and, seeing two hawks fighting in the sky, has a vision of
an army entering the oasis. Because attacking an oasis is a violation of the rules of the desert, Santiago
shares his vision with the oasis's tribal chieftain. Soon afterward, Santiago is confronted by a
black-garbed, veiled stranger with a sword, who sits atop a white horse. It is the alchemist. The tribal
chieftain arms his men, and they are well-prepared when the oasis is indeed invaded. The alchemist
offers to cross the desert with Santiago.
● Soon the two men enter into an area of intense tribal warfare. Warriors hold the two men captive, but
eventually allow them to continue their journey. The alchemist tells Santiago that he needs to return to the
oasis, and that the rest of the trip is Santiago's to make alone so that he can claim his Personal Legend.
● Santiago arrives at the Egyptian pyramids and begins to dig. He finds nothing buried in the ground.
Thieves beat Santiago and rob him of his money. After he tells them of his dream, though, one of the
thieves recounts his own dream about a buried treasure in the sacristy of an abandoned church.
● Returning to Andalusia, Santiago goes back to the church where he dreamed of the treasure near the
pyramids. He digs where he slept, beneath a sycamore tree, and there it is: Santiago's treasure.
11.
12. Andalusia, Spain
This is where the story begins, with Santiago traveling to many places in Andalusia as a Shepherd. In addition, he meets a
king and a gypsy near here, both who explain to him about his reoccurring dream. The gyspy tells him there will be a treasure
at the Egyptian Pyramids for him. The king tells him about his personal legend and to follow omens to find his treasure. At the
end, Santiago realizes that his treasure is actually at the church in the beginning of the story so he comes back.
Tarifa, Spain
This is Santiago's final stop before leaving on his quest for his personal legend.
Tangier, Morocco
During his journey, Santiago worked for over a year for a crystal merchant because he was robbed of his money. During this
time, he learned many things from the crystal merchant. He was very hesitant about going on with his quest, but he ends up
continuing.
Sahara Desert
Santiago travels across the Sahara Desert with a caravan: On this trip, he meets an Englishman who tells him about alchemy.
Santiago becomes very interested in this. Also, because of tribal wars, the caravan stopped at an Oasis.
Al Fayoum Oasis, Egypt
This is the oasis where Santiago meets his future wife, Fatima. He falls in love with her quickly. In addition, Santiago read the
omens correctly here, predicting an attack and saving many lives by telling the tribal chieftain. In addition, he meets the
alchemist here and he sets off for the pyramids with him.
Pyramids
He arrives at the pyramids, thinking this is where his treasure is. However, he soon realizes he treasure is indeed at the
church.
14. ALCHEMY: Early form of chemistry, with
philosophical and magical associations, studied in
the Middle Ages.
ELIXIR: a substance believed to cure all ills.
EMERALD: a green transparent form of
beryl.
INCURSION: Raid
MURKIER: Thickness or Heaviness of air
SCEPTICAL: Disbeliever
VAGUE: Not clearly define.
PHILOSOPHER'S STONE: Imaginary key
to success
SYCAMORE: Room in a church where sacred
vessels and vestments are kept.
SACRISTY: Fig tree native to Egypt
CROOK: Hook.
PROPRIETOR: Owner.
ANDALUSIA: Region in southern Spain that
borders both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic
Ocean. The capital of Andalusia is Seville.
GYPSY: A member of a travelling people
traditionally living by itinerant trade and fortune
telling.
AL-FAYOUM: Large oasis in Egypt thought to
predate the Pharaohs
15. CARAVAN: Company of travelers, especially of
merchants or pilgrims, who remain together for
safety, as through a desert.
LEVANT: Region on the Eastern
Mediterranean, including all countries bordering the
sea between Greece and Egypt.
LEVANTER: Strong wind that blows over the
Mediterranean area from the east.
SCARAB BEETLE: Black, winged dung
beetle held sacred by the ancient Egyptians.
SIMUM:Arabic name for a desert sandstorm.
sirocco Wind that brings moisture inland from the
oceans to the east.
NARCISSUS: White flowers either solitary or in
clusters.
PROGNOSTICATION: A sign of something
about to happen.
TATTER: A small shred of cloth or paper.
DIAPHANOUS: So thin as to transmit light.
AEGIS: Armor plate that protects the chest.
EVOCATIVE: Serving to bring to mind.
INVECTIVE: Abusive language used to express
blame or censure.
16. THEME
Timeless and entertaining, exotic yet simple, breaks
down the journey we all take to find the most
meaningful treasures in our lives into steps that are
at once natural and magical. It is about the faith,
power, and courage we all have within us to pursue
the intricate pat of a Personal Legend, a path
charged by the mysterious magnet of destiny but
obscured by distractions. Santiago shows how
along the way we learn to trust our hearts, read the
seemingly inconspicuous signs, and understand that
as we look to fulfill a dream, it looks to find us just
the same, if we let it.
17. BOOK REVIEW
This is the story of Santiago, a shepherd boy who dreams of traveling the
world and discovering treasures, and is courageous enough to walk in
the direction of his desires. In order to realize the best that his destiny
has to offer, he travels from his home in Spain, through the markets of
Tangiers, and into the great Egyptian desert. He gets duped, experiences
love, loses and makes money, learns a different language, meets
different people, finds himself in pleasant and not-so- pleasant situations.
His journey is full of adventure and lessons, while he also finds the
privilege of meeting a king, a desert woman and an alchemist, each
adding to his life new turns and perceptions.
The book emphasizes the values of spirituality, faith, hope
and love through symbolic narration of a fascinating story
of an ordinary boy with extraordinary beliefs. It teaches its
readers, in a very subtle and effective way, the power of
positivity. Also, the desert locations that the book
encompasses lend a greater mystique to the plot.
18. Review
Would you recommend this book?
I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone. This story is dazzling in its powerful simplicity and
inspiring wisdom. The lessons it teaches of perseverance and that dreams can come true if u believe are
unforgettable. If the reader has accomplished their goal they are able to reminisce on their hardships and
rewards.
