While The Alchemist synopsis may seem very simple and brief, there are many important details to know about the novel.
Part One
Santiago is a shepherd boy living in Andalusia, Spain. At the beginning of Part One, Santiago is sleeping in the ruins of an abandoned church beneath a sycamore tree and experiences a recurring dream as he sleeps. When he wakes, he travels with his sheep to the Andalusian town of Tarifa, where he visits a fortuneteller to interpret his dream. Santiago explains that, in his dream, an unknown child leads him to the Egyptian pyramids and tells him that there is hidden treasure there. However, Santiago never learns the exact location of the treasure because his dream always ends before the child tells him. In exchange for one-tenth of the treasure, the fortuneteller advises Santiago to go to Egypt to look for his treasure near the pyramids.
Soon after, Santiago meets an older man named Melchizedek, who claims to be the King of Salem and knows every detail about Santiago's life. Melchizedek explains the idea of a Personal Legend and causes Santiago to consider his own Personal Legend. In exchange for one-tenth of Santiago's flock of sheep, Melchizedek reveals to Santiago that the treasure is hidden in the pyramids of Egypt. After selling his entire flock of sheep, Santiago uses the money to travel to Tangier, Morocco, to pursue his Personal Legend of finding the hidden treasure. Moments after arriving in Tangier, Santiago is robbed by a thief who takes all of his money. To earn back the money to pay for a guide to the pyramids, Santiago stays in Tangier and finds a job selling crystal glassware. The owner, known as the Crystal Merchant, teaches Santiago the intricacies of the job and some life lessons.
Part Two
After one year working for the Crystal Merchant in Tangier, Santiago finally earns enough money to travel to Egypt. He leaves Tangier and joins a caravan of travelers journeying across the Sahara Desert. He meets the Englishman, who is also traveling in the caravan in hopes of meeting a famous alchemist who lives in the desert. The Englishman has brought with him many books and allows Santiago to read some of them during the journey. Santiago learns about the Emerald Tablet, the most important text in alchemy, by reading the Englishman's books about chemistry and alchemy. He also learns about the Soul of the World, a universal language that all things use to communicate, and the Master Work, which consists of the Elixir of Life and the Philosopher's Stone.
Once the caravan reaches the oasis, the Englishman finds the Alchemist, who challenges him to turn lead into gold. Santiago meets Fatima, a young woman who lives at the oasis. Santiago and Fatima fall in love. Santiago discovers that he has a talent for understanding the Soul of the World and uses his talent to predict a future enemy attack on the oasis. Santiago then meets the Alchemist, who leads him out of the oasis and toward his destination at the pyramids of Egypt. On their way to the pyramids, Santiago and the Alchemist are captured by enemy soldiers. They will only be released if Santiago can transform himself into the wind within three days. Santiago uses his alchemist powers to turn himself into the wind, and the amazed soldiers release the captives. Continuing their journey, the Alchemist and Santiago stop at a monastery. The Alchemist uses the monastery's kitchen to transform lead into gold, which he shares with Santiago. The Alchemist then turns back and travels toward the oasis, while Santiago continues alone toward the pyramids.
Santiago finally reaches the pyramids and starts digging in the sand to search for his hidden treasure. As he digs, two strangers approach him, beat him, and steal his gold. One of the strangers reveals to Santiago that he, too, had a recurring dream of finding treasure buried at the base of a sycamore tree in Spain near the ruins of a church. Santiago realizes that his treasure is not buried at the pyramids in Egypt but under the sycamore in Spain, where he began his journey. He returns to the abandoned church and digs beneath the sycamore tree. There, he uncovers a treasure chest full of gold coins, jewels, and other valuable treasures.
The Alchemist Characters
- Santiago – The main character of The Alchemist plot. A young Spanish boy from the region of Andalusia, Spain. Although he comes from a humble family of farmers who take pride in their homeland, he has a strong desire to travel and chooses to become a shepherd to travel and see the world. Throughout the novel, Santiago ventures to Egypt in search of hidden treasure and his Personal Legend.
- The Alchemist – An expert of alchemy who has lived at the Al-Fayoum oasis in the Sahara Desert for nearly 200 years. He appears to Santiago as a horseman and helps him achieve his Personal Legend by leading him in the direction of the treasure.
- Melchizedek – The King of Salem who first appears in the form of an older man who approaches Santiago in the village of Tarifa. Before he even speaks with Santiago, he knows Santiago's history and every detail about him. He tells Santiago about his Personal Legend and encourages him to follow it. He gives Santiago the stones Urim and Thummim from his breastplate to help Santiago make decisions.
- Crystal Merchant– Lives in the city of Tangier, Morocco. He hires Santiago to work in his crystal shop for one year. In this way, he provides Santiago with the money he needs to continue his journey to Egypt and find his treasure. The Crystal Merchant is a devout Muslim and actively practices his Islam faith and follows the commands of the Koran. He dreams of completing a pilgrimage to Mecca to complete one of the five pillars of Islam but doesn't want to leave his city.
- Englishman – A scholar who has studied chemistry and alchemy for ten years and desires to become an alchemist. He joins the same caravan as Santiago to lead him through the desert to a famous alchemist who lives there. He loves to read and spends much of the journey absorbed in his books.
- Fatima – A young woman who lives in the oasis in the desert. She meets Santiago when his caravan arrives at the oasis. From the moment Santiago sees her, he knows that he loves her and wants to marry her. Fatima and Santiago fall in love and realize that they are destined to be together. Santiago is forced to leave Fatima behind as he leaves in search of his treasure.
The Alchemist Quotes
The Alchemist has inspired readers worldwide since its publication, principally because of the profound contemplative themes present in the novel. There are a few quotes from the book that capture its key ideas in just a few sentences:
Santiago's Dream
In The Alchemist, whenever Santiago falls asleep under a sycamore tree located near an abandoned church in Spain, he has a recurring dream: he will find treasure if he travels to the pyramids in Egypt. Upon the advice of a gypsy woman and Melchizedek, who purports to be the King of Salem, Santiago goes to Egypt in search of his own Personal Legend. Melchizedek tells Santiago, '…whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth.'
What would you do if you were in Santiago's position? Stay where you're comfortable and safe or travel to a foreign land to discover your Personal Legend? Let's see what Santiago decides to do.
Santiago in Africa
The good news is Santiago decides to go to Egypt; the bad news is someone robs him when he gets off the boat in Tangier, a country in North Africa. With no money and in low spirits Santiago finds a job in a shop that sells crystals, and in the course of advising the crystal merchant, finds himself a wealthy man. Instead of using his new wealth to return home, the former shepherd crosses the Sahara desert in search of his Personal Legend.
Santiago joins a caravan that includes an Englishman, who is searching for the secret of alchemy, or the process of turning metal into gold. The Englishman is on his own quest for a 200-year-old master alchemist, who lives at an oasis on the way to the pyramids. Once they reach the oasis, Santiago meets and falls in love with a girl named Fatima. However, tribal warfare overshadows his happiness, and an invitation from the alchemist leads him to abandon Fatima and continue on his way. Before Santiago leaves, Fatima reminds him, 'If I am really a part of your dream, you'll come back one day.'
Santiago in Egypt
While Santiago and the alchemist travel across the desert, the latter teaches the shepherd about the 'Soul of the World'. As the pair nears the pyramids, they're taken prisoner by some Arab soldiers. In an effort to save their lives, Santiago gives the soldiers all his money, and after appealing to the Hand That Wrote All, awes them by creating a sandstorm and turning himself into wind.