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"Tangier is not like the rest of Africa. This is a port, and every port has its thieves" (Coelho 38).

The author uses irony when the young man (new friend) warns Santiago about thieves in Tangier. It is ironic how the young man reminded Santiago about thieves while he was a thief.

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"He recognized that he was feeling something he had never experienced before: the desire to live in one place forever"(Coelho 6).
Coelho presents Santiago's inner thoughts without using quotations. He indicates, using interior monologue, how Santiago changes because of the merchant's daughter, whom he likes.

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The main character of the book is a boy named Santiago. When he was young, his parents sent him to a seminary where he learned to become a priest, a stable and prestigious job. However, he realized he wasn’t doing what he loves, and his dream was to travel. Therefore, he left home to become a shepherd, journeying around and selling wool.

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In one of the villages where he sells wool, he meets a merchant’s daughter whom he falls in love with. He can’t stop thinking about the girl and decides to revisit the town and find her.

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Just as he is about to arrive at the village, he has a recurring dream about a child who tells him he can find treasures if he goes to the Egyptian Pyramids.

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Santiago is intrigued by this dream and finds an old Gypsy woman to interpret it. The old lady demands 1/10 of the treasures, but she tells him very little about the dream. The boy is still confused but chooses to put it behind him and continue pursuing the girl he loves.

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While reading a book, Santiago encounters an old man, Melchizedek. The old man stuns the boy when he calls out all his personal information, including his parents' names and the name of the girl he loves.

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Melchizedek claims that he is the king of Salem and that his job is to encourage and inspire people to seek out their personal legends. He helps Santiago realize that his personal legend is to find treasures in Egypt.

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He gives a piece of advice to Santiago: to follow the omens. He also bestows two stones, Urim and Thummim, on the boy, telling him to use them as guides when omens are unclear.

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Santiago feels enlightened after their conversation. The next day, he sold his sheep, gave 1/10 of the flock to Melchizedek, and set off on his journey to Africa.

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Arriving in Tangier, the boy feels everything is unfamiliar. He can’t understand Arabic, the language spoken there, and has no idea what to do next. In a coffee shop, Santiago entrusted a “friend” he had just met. While he is not paying attention, the “friend” robs all of his money and flees.

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Santiago feels disappointed and upset. He starts doubting whether or not he should continue finding the treasures. He decides to work for a crystal merchant in Tangier to earn and save some money.

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Coelho uses various natural elements, including the fields, the sea, sunrise, and sunset. The main character, Santiago, is spiritual. He believes in nature and values the power of the universe. When portraying Santiago's connection to his sheep, the author used: "It was as if a mysterious energy bound his life to that of the sheep," referring to nature(Coelho 4).

Looking at the sunrise, the boy felt touched by the beauty of nature. Pondering how he has actualized his childhood dream of traveling, he thought: "I couldn't have found God in the seminary"(Coelho 10).

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The words from the old woman (Gypsy) foreshadow the appearance of Melchizedek.

"I told you that your dream was a difficult one. It's the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary; only wise men are able to understand them"(Coelho 15).

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Urim and Thummim are the two rocks that Melchizedek gave to Santiago. He told him to use them as guides when omens are unclear. The two black and white rocks symbolize the old king and his blessings for the boy.

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After a tiring and disappointing day in an unfamiliar country, Santiago looks at the sunset in melancholy. The setting sun symbolizes the arrival of darkness. It reflects how the boy faces difficulties and hardships throughout his journey.

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As the boy converses with the old king, "a butterfly appeared and fluttered between him and the old man"(Coelho 30).

The butterfly is a good omen; it symbolizes change and transformation, signifying that the boy and his purpose will change over time.

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Levanter symbolizes freedom and the ability to go wherever one wants to go.

"The boy felt jealous of the freedom of the wind, and saw that he could have the same freedom" (Coelho 28).

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Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. New York: Harper Collins, 2009. Print.

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Everyone has a personal legend, it is one's dream in life, and one can choose whether to pursue it or not. Melchizedek, the king of Salem, is an old man who specializes in helping people realize or get closer to their personal legends. Through conversing with Melchizedek, Santiago recognized his personal legend: searching for treasures in Egypt. The journey to actualize your personal legend is not effortless, and there are all kinds of difficulties and obstacles. However, as long as you have a strong will to pursue your personal legend, nothing can stop you from doing it, and "all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it"(Coelho 23).

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SANTIAGO & SCAMMER
Upon his arrival in Africa, Santiago met a young man whom he soon became "friends" with. The "friend" claimed that the bar owner was trying to steal Santiago's money and made him think he had helped him in a dangerous situation. By doing so, he gained Santiago's trust very quickly. While Santiago wasn't paying attention in a crowded market, his "new friend" stole all his money.

SANTIAGO & MELCHIZEDEK
At first, Santiago distrusts Melchizedek, he thinks that he is just a random old man and feels annoyed by him. However, as the old king reveals his identity and converses with the boy, Santiago starts to trust him and rely on him.

SANTIAGO & HIS SHEEP
Santiago's sheep rely on him for food and water and trust him entirely.

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"All things are one"(Coelho 45).

Although shepherding and crystal selling are different fields, both jobs require patience. Santiago discovered things that he learned from his sheep could be applied everywhere. Your experiences count and teach you things you can use in your lifetime.

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Santiago's personal legend changes over time, shaped by his experiences and conversations with others. When he was young, the boy's personal legend was to travel and become a shepherd. As he succeeded in shepherding, he began his pursuit of the merchant's daughter. After having a dream about the Egyptian Pyramids and conversing with the Old King Melchizedek, his personal legend became the search for treasures in Egypt. Change is inevitable, and we always learn from changes.

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The boy uses his jacket for different purposes as his personal legend changes throughout the story. When it is cold, he wears it to keep warm; when he needs it, he uses it as a broom and duster cloth. The jacket symbolizes the boy's purpose and his metamorphosis on the journey.

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Mechizedek, the old king who guides Santiago, is a biblical character. The use of this character is an allusion to the bible.