The Alchemist By: Paulo Coelho Vocabulary and Discussion Questions
Group Meeting # 1
Prologue-Page 21
Vocabulary Words
Pilgrimage: A journey or search of moral or spiritual significance Narcissus: A character from Greek mythology who was obsessed with his beauty Alchemy: A medieval science that turns metal into gold Andalusia: A region in Spain that provides the setting for the introduction of The Alchemist Tarifa: A town in the Andalusia region of Spain
Gypsy: A traveller
Discussion Questions
1. What is the name of the main character? What does he do for a living and for how long? What is the name of the region he is in at the beginning of the novel?
Santiago is the main character in The Alchemist. He has been working as a shepherd for the past two years. He is in the Andalusia region of Spain at the beginning of the novel.
2. Why do you think he made the choice to leave the seminary after learning to read and write?
He chose to leave the seminary because after learning to read and write about experiences and far-off places he wanted to experience travelling and adventures himself.
3. Explain why the main character’s jacket could be both a blessing and a curse. The jacket is considered a symbol for the hero’s journey. Make an inference as to what the jacket may symbolize.
The jacket is considered a blessing because it keeps Santiago warm at night. It is considered a curse because of the burden of the weight when he has to carry it around all day. The jacket may symbolize the experiences that someone may have in life. Things that seem difficult or like a curse can also appear to be a blessing when you look at the positive side.
4. The novel opens with the main character thinking about his sheep. What does he observe about their existence? How might the sheep symbolize the way some people live their lives?
The main character thinks that sheep live a very simple life. He thinks they are predictable. He believes that they sheep are so dependent on him that they could not survive without him. He thinks that people are like sheep sometimes in that they can be followers and had difficulty making decisions.
5. How does Santiago’s father react when his son tells him that he wants to travel? (p.9) What does he say about travellers?
The father wanted him to become a priest but he eventually gives his blessing and money to buy the sheep. He says that travellers when they see the land do not want to return to their own places and want to stay forever.
6. Why does the gypsy woman say that Santiago’s dream is difficult to interpret? (p.12-14).
She says that his dream is difficult to interpret because it is in the language of the soul and only the person having the dream can understand the meaning. She makes him promise one tenth of his treasure.
7. Describe Santiago’s Dream. What does the old fortune teller tell him it means?
Santiago says that a child was playing in the fields with his sheep. Then the child took him by the hand to the Egyptian Pyramids. She tells Santiago that he must go to the pyramids in search of his treasure.
8. What is the lie in Santiago’s book according to the old man?
The world’s greatest lie according to the old man is that fate eventually takes over our lives and we lose control of what happens to us.
9. At the beginning, Santiago thinks the old man might be a gypsy like the woman. How does the old man gain Santiago’s trust?
The man gains Santiago’s trust by drawing names of people that he knows and things he has never told anyone in the sand.
The Alchemist By: Paulo Coelho Vocabulary and Discussion Questions
Group Meeting # 2
Page 21- 47
Vocabulary Words
Salem (Jeru”salem”): The capital of Israel King Melchizedek (Genesis14, “King Most High”): A king and priest referenced in the Christian bible as a person who provides bread and wine Levanter: the wind infidel: someone without religious beliefs scabbard: a sheath that covers a sword
Discussion Questions
1. According to the King, what is a Personal Legend?
A personal legend is what someone wants to accomplish most in life. It is easier for young people to recognize their personal legends, but people lose sight of it as they get older.
2. The old man tells Santiago that he often appears in people’s lives just at the moment they are about to give up on their destiny. What are some of the guises he takes? Sometimes the old man appears as a solution, or a good idea or a critical moment.
3. The old man tells Santiago the story about the miner and the emerald on p. 24. How does it connect to Santiago’s situation? What does he mean when he says that “treasure is uncovered by the force of flowing water, and it is buried by the same currents”? What does this quote have to do with the miner/emerald story?
The miner is also searching for something that he believes is his personal legend. Sometimes in life they very thing that drives you to search for your treasure can be the thing that destroys your ability to reach it. An example could be if you are very determined and greedy, then you might not recognize when you have actually found what you started out wanting. In the miner’s case, the anger and frustration that caused him to give up is the same anger that enabled him to break the stone and find the emerald he had been searching for. The character flaw can work both ways.
4. What does Santiago realize about the wind (p.27) How does this help him on his journey?
Santiago realizes that the wind is picking up its intensity. It helps him realize that he has a difficult choice to make and he decides to continue on his search for treasure.
5. What is the principle of favorability? It is basically beginners’ luck. When you are trying something for the first time the universe conspires to help you get it. This allows you to taste success and want to continue going for it.
6. What point does the old man’s story about the boy in the castle and the drops of oil (p.30-32) make? How might this story apply to us in our modern lives?
The point of the story is that the boy needed to keep an eye on both the oil and the sights. It is nearly impossible to have seen all the beauty of the house and not spill a drop, but in real life people need to have a balance to be able to experience beauty not just in our destinations but the journey as well.
7. How does the King assist Santiago in recognizing omens? When does Santiago use this help?
The king gives Santiago two stones (Umim, Thumim) to ask objective questions and receive a yes or no answer. He uses them after he has been robbed in Africa.
8. How do Santiago’s thoughts and perceptions about himself and the world begin to change on pp. 42-44?
He realizes that everyone has their own personal legend and they are all different. He also realizes that he there is a language that extends beyond words after he understands a boy who does not speak Spanish. He thinks that if he can understand the language, then he can understand the world.
9. What difficult choice does Santiago make when he meets the crystal merchant?
He must choose to continue working for him, taking time away from his quest for treasure, or not work for him, and not have food or shelter or money to continue on his journey. He decides to stay and work for him even though he could never make enough money in a year to cross the desert and make it to the pyramids.