Summary Of The Alchemist, Novel By Paulo Coelho
I'm a pre-final year engineering student at MAIT Delhi. Apart…
The Alchemist is perhaps one of the most widely read books written by Paulo Coelho. It was first published as O Alquimista in 1988 and was written originally in Portuguese.
This blog is an attempt to summarise this novel.
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The shepherd boy, Santiago had a recurring dream while sleeping in an abandoned church, near a sycamore tree. He saw a child who told him that he can find a hidden treasure in the Egyptian pyramids.
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He told an old woman about his dream who explained to Santiago that this dream was prophetic. She said that he must follow its instructions. The shepherd started his journey.
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On his way, he met a man who introduced himself as Melchizedek or the King of Salem. He told Santiago about good and bad omens and said that the shepherd boy must search for his legend. Melchizedek then gives Santiago two stones, Urim and Thummim, to understand the omens.
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Santiago hesitates before selling his flock and purchasing a ticket to Tangier, in northern Africa. He travels to Africa by boat. Shortly after he arrived there, a thief stole all of his money, so Santiago began looking for a way to make enough money to return home.
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He found work in a crystal merchant’s shop, who paid him decently. After eleven months of working in the shop, Santiago was confused whether he should return to Andalusia and buy more sheep or cross the Sahara desert to find the hidden treasure.
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Santiago joined a caravan travelling to Egypt. He met an Englishman who came to learn the secret of alchemy, i.e., turning any metal into gold, from a famous alchemist who lived at an oasis on the way to the pyramids.
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The caravan reaches an oasis. Here, Santiago met an Arab girl named Fatima, falling in love with her. Later, The caravan leader gathered the travellers and announced that the journey can’t be continued due to tribal warfare.
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Santiago saw two hawks fighting in the sky, which had a vision of an army entering the oasis. This is against the desert rules. Santiago shared his vision with the oasis’s tribal chieftain.
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Soon afterwards, Santiago saw a black-garbed, veiled stranger with a sword, who sat atop a white horse. He was an alchemist. He offered to cross the desert with Santiago.
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Soon the two men entered into an area of intense tribal warfare. Warriors held the two men captive, but finally, allowed them to continue their journey. The alchemist told Santiago that he needs to return to the oasis alone so that he can claim his Personal Legend.
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Santiago arrived at the Egyptian pyramids and started digging. He didn’t find anything. Thieves attacked Santiago, robbing him of his money.
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Santiago then told them of his dream. One of the thieves related his dream to buried treasure in an abandoned church.
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Santiago went to Andalusia. He goes back to the church where he used to sleep. He dug beneath a sycamore tree, where he used to rest. He has his treasure there, beneath the same place he used to sleep every night.
If you have not read this profoundly magical novel already, our editors highly recommend you to put it in your priority list!
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I'm a pre-final year engineering student at MAIT Delhi. Apart from my CSE Major, I'm keen on other stuff as well. Writing blogs, poetry, graphic design, and snap lens creation are some of them. I had a lot of people who invested in me, and I excelled at most of my many and varied hobbies ;)