The Alchemist

Who is Santiago?

a shepherd boy

What is strange about Santiago's dream?

He had the same dream repeatedly of a young child bringing he to Egypt to show him treasure, but he wakes up before the dream ends.

Where is Santiago going?

to the merchant's shop to get his sheep sheared for their wool to earn money

What is the geological setting of this part of the story?

Andalusia: hilly region in Spain

What did Santiago's parents plan for him, and how did he change it?

He went to a seminary to become a priest but then he worked up the courage to tell his parents that he would rather travel the world as a shepherd.

What does Santiago plan to do in Tarifa?

get a haircut and shave, exchange his book for a new one, and fill his wine bottle

What group is stereotyped and how is this group described?

Gypsies are seen as tricksters, slavers, and kidnappers.

What is the price of Santiago's consultation with the old woman?

one tenth of his treasure when he finds it

What is the world's greatest lie and how does it irritate Melchizedek?

that at certain parts of our lives we lose control of what's happening to us and our lives become controlled by fate and that people are unable to control their own personal legends

What does Melchizedek want in payment for helping Santiago?

1

How does Melchizedek convince Santiago of his power?

by writing the names of Santiago's parents, seminary, and the girl he's in love with in the sand

How does Melchizedek explain the concept of Personal Legend to Santiago?

"It's what you have always wanted to accomplish."

How does the old man explain why few people attain their Personal Legend?

because they are concerned about what other people will think about them and distracted by the daily routine of life

What reason does Melchizedek give for demanding payment for one tenth of Santiago's flock?

paying people with goods and sacrificing causes you to work harder to accomplish the goal

What fundamental change would Santiago have to make if he decides to seek his Personal Legend?

He would have to quit his job of being a shepherd and give up the girl he loves.

What does Melchizedek tell Santiago to follow?

the omens and his dreams

Why does Melchizedek let Santiago see the golden breastplate and what does he give to him?

so that he would believe that he was a king and be convinced of his power. . . He gave him two stones (Urim,Thummim) the black signifying yes and the white signifying no to help him read the omens

Where do we next see Santiag?

in a bar in Tangier

What does Santiago learn about the local people, their customs, and their faith?

There are many Muslims; no alcohol is permitted. Many speak Arabic anSpanish

What happens when Santiago follows his new friend to the marketplace and what story for this echo?

his friend steals all of his money and leaves. this echos the story of the boy with the oil

What is Santiago's reaction when he realizes he has been fooled and robbed?

he is devastated and thinks that his dream is over and he feels ashamed that he let it happen

What helps Santiago change his outlook during he frustration?

he feels comfort as he feels as though Melchizedek is still with him guiding him along the journey and causes him to persevere (fall 7 times and get up 8)

Why is Santiago's "conversation" with the candy seller important?

he believes that if he can learn to understand the language without words, then he can learn to understand the world itself (language with everyone despite the language barrier)

What was Santiago's first exchange with the crystal merchant and what they learned from each other?

Santiago offers to clean the crystal in exchange for a meal. they both needed to cleanse their thoughts, good omen: offers job to him, Santiago never thought about the difficulty of the journey he was taking

What does Santiago say he needs money for and what does this tell the reader?

he says he needs money for new sheep with allows the reader to infer that he is going to go back to his job as a shepherd

What are the four obstacles?

1.)everything we want to do is impossible

2.)we don't want to hurt the people we love

3.) we fear defeat

4.) we fear sucess

What does the author classify as the secret of life?

to fall 7 times and get up 8

What country is the author a citizen of?

brazil

What does the prologue involve?

Narcissus studies his looks in the reflection of the lake, but one day he falls in and the lake weeps because it misses seeing its own beauty in the boys eye

Why would the author include a fable before the story begins?

because he wanted to show how everything in the story would have a moral deeper than the surface