The Alchemist: Pgs 104-167 (the end)

Ok, so there are a few more pages in this section of the review than normal, so we'll see how it goes.  I have had something I have wanted to talk about for the whole book ... because there are so many parts where it applies so I want to make sure I fit it in here.  Towards the end of page 105 the chief tans confront Santiago and ask him: "Why would the desert reveal such things to a stranger, when it knows that we have been here for generations?"


This is an eternal principle contained in this book that can be applied to every day life in many different ways.  You see most of the people that Santiago meets throughout this book are older and set in their own ways.  They are not willing to learn or to be guided.  This principle is taught in the bible by Jesus in Matthew 9:14-17; Mark 2: 18-22; Luke 5: 33-39 and also another version in the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas (saying 47)  The read something like this in the King James Version of the bible:

And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

– Luke 5:36-39

 Bottles in the old days were actually sack type things made from animal skin.  When they were new... new wine was put into them and it fermented which expanded the sacks and stretched them.  So putting new wine that would ferment again into the "old bottles" or sacks would possibly burst the sacks.  This is very similar to the other parable where new cloth is put onto old cloth.  The new cloth had not yet shrunk... so if combined with old cloth which had already shrunk and would budge no more... when washed... they would pull away from each other and rip.  Here is my own.... take new clay from the ground which is moist and it can be molded easily.... leave it exposed to the elements long enough it becomes brittle and un mold able.  Santiago is moist clay in the hands of the omens which allows him to become as great as he is.  It is the reason he is continuously talked to by the omens.  Now, age does not necessarily matter when it comes to these things... being mold able is truly just a matter of being humble... which is a secret to completing your personal legend and finding your treasure.

I love historical fictions.  At least I think that is the right genre.  Essentially what I am talking about is when something that really happened is inserted into a completely fictional book.  On page 107 the Chieftans talk about Joseph of Egypt and his dreams and page 158 talks about Jesus Christ and the amazing faith of the Centurion.  The story of Joseph is very important to Christians, Jews, and Muslims and you can read more about it in the late chapters of Genesis Chapters 30 and beyond.  You can read about the Centurion in Matthew 8 and Luke 7.

Santiago's faith in the omens is tested on page 108 when he is told that if the omen doesn't come true at least a little bit, he will be put to death.  This is crucial for him because if he doesn't believe in the omens he should run.  But if he does believe in them, they can make him a rich man. (Which they eventually do, paying him 50 Gold pieces for the death of the 500 soldiers)

The Alchemist is a very wise man.  Santiago is continuously looking to him for this easy answer.... an amazing secret.  page 115 the Alchemist tells him: "You already know all you need to know.  I am only going to point you in the direction of your treasure."  It is so true.  Now that Santiago is open to the teachings of the omens his possibilities are endless.  I also like that the Alchemist is a rule breaker... you can read about that on the same page. :)  And he uses scripture to justify his rule breaking.  I told my brother that if you're gonna be very good at being bad you better know the scriptures well... cause it makes you that much worse when you can "justify" it. (even though it's really rationalization not justification.)

I love the picture that the Alchemist can paint for Santiago as if he knows everything about the rest of his life.  How Fatima expects him to find his treasure and how year after year things will gradually get worse if he doesn't continue to search out his personal legend.  He has committed himself.  He has been given a greater knowledge and now much more is expected of him. (around pg 120)

I love the way Fatima talks about love on page 122... it is definitely worth a second glance. "Don't say anything,"  "One is loved because one is loved.  No reason is needed for loving."


Throughout the book we learn alot about balance.  On page 125 the Alchemist explains why many have gone in search of their personal legends and treasure and failed.  It is the distraction of the treasure.  You see the treasure isn't just the gold... it is also the knowledge that comes along with the personal legend.  That is an underlying theme throughout the book... that the knowledge and experience and love is the actual treasure... and once you have that... you can have all the gold you want....because you are one of the richest people on the planet... "richest people" .... the alchemist shows that he can actually turn anything into gold on page 154 at the Coptic monastery.

Another great message we learn from this book (pg 127) is that our hearts came from the soul of the world... and that's why they know everything... because they are connected to it.  But just because our hearts know everything does not mean our brains do.  See... I think there is a definite parallel here between heart and spirit and soul of the world and God.  Our spirits are a part of God and are destined for greatness.  We are here to figure out how to understand them.  I'm sure many of you have heard before that we are not physical beings here on earth to have "spiritual experiences"  We are spiritual beings here on earth to have physical experiences.

"Listen to your heart.  It knows all things, because it came from the Soul of the World, and it will one day return there."  (pg 127)


The Heart:


Starting on page 127-128 Santiago really starts understanding his heart.  He is having a hard time though because thoughts of immediate gratification and staying with Fatima are starting to cloud his vision of his personal legend.  He also starts to understand fear more and starts to fear progressing in fear of losing all that he already has.  "My heart is a TRAITOR!"  I love that line!  :D  "My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer,"  "Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.  And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity."  WOW!!!!

pg 131 "Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turn out, indeed, to be a threatening place."  This reminds me of a story I heard of a man who is trying to decide where to move.  He stops on 3 corners of the same city and gets 3 different stories.  One woman tells the man that the city is dangerous, full of crime, and a terrible place to live.  The next person says that there are far better places to live and that she would move if she had the chance.  And the 3rd person says that it is the most wonderful place she has ever been, the people are friendly, the streets are nice, the schools are good... etc.   It's a story about perspective.  And really the lesson was that we can be as happy as we like if we look for the good in things and live in love rather than living in fear.... or some form of it.

Lessons in life are often if not always repeated.  If life confronts us with a problem and we avoid it.... we will continue to have that problem until we overcome it.  and sometimes even after we overcome it life will throw it at us again just to make sure we have really overcame.  The Alchemist teaches that to Santiago on page 132 " What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way.  It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we've learned as we've moved toward that dream.  That's the point at which most people give up.  It's the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert, one 'dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon.' "


That quote is followed by two more great ones "Every search begins with beginner's luck. And every search ends with the victor's being severely tested."  "...the darkest hour of the night comes just before the dawn."

There is a great lesson in this book that I learned before reading it, but it was nice to have it confirmed.  It is on page 133 and 134.  There are these thieves who find the philosophers stone and the elixer of life.  They ask what they are and so the Alchemist tells them exactly what they are.  In the thieves minds... no one would admit to having such great things if they even existed, they think that the Alchemist is trying to trick them into taking something that isn't really valuable so they leave it to show they are smarter than him.  :D!!!!  anyway... then the Alchemist gives the great explanation: "When you possess great treasures within you, and try to tell others of them, seldom are you believed."

"Your eyes show the strength of your soul" (pg 136)

Page 137 "And then there were the others, who were interested only in gold.  They never found the secret.  They forgot that lead, copper, and iron have their own personal Legends to fulfill.  And anyone who interferes with the personal Legend of another thing never will discover his own."  I 100% believe this :)  Let me just give one example that is my own opinion.... it is a Christian view.... so sorry for any readers who aren't... just bare with me.  I am gonna really simplify it ok? :)  So In Christianity we learn that in order to return to heaven we must be baptized (water), confirmed (receive the holy spirit, ... baptized by fire... etc), and live our lives trying to emulate Christ and follow his teachings.  The Earth we live on has the same mission but in a more literal sense.  It was baptized by water with the flood.  It will be baptized by fire during the 2nd coming.  And it spends it's life revolving around the sun. (Like we must center our lives on "The Son" of God)

The conversation that Santiago has with the desert, the wind, and the sun are really much to symbolic for me to try to give them one single meaning.  But I will say this about it.  This is Santiago's true treasure.  You see the treasure was always back in Andalusia.  His father helps him buy his flock with Spanish coins he found one day which are a part of that actual treasure.  The omens could have told him just to dig there... but he had to find his true treasure which was Alchemy.... which was connecting to the soul of the world... understanding things as they really are and understanding that all things are and were created by the same hand.

I love that the alchemist continues to tell Santiago "I only invoked what you already knew."  Another great lesson is when the Monk tries to say he has been paid too much for his generosity and the alchemist says "Don't say that again.  Life might be listening, and give you less the next time."  Pg 155

Another thing I love from the Alchemist's mouth... that seems illogical but also makes sens is this:  "Everything that happens once can never happen again.  But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time."  I love that :)!

When Santiago finally reaches the pyramids he dispels a lie that he heard earlier.  "the boy could see now that he couldn't do so if he placed stone upon stone for the rest of his life"  This was the lie that they pyramids werent that great and that anyone could build one in their own back yard. :)

In the end... Santiago is true to his promises and pays the gypsy woman.... and starts to see some of the good in gypsies.
He does not forget his love.

And he finally puts it all together when he says "You old sorcerer, you knew the whole story. You even left a bit of gold at the monastery so I could get back to this church.  The monk laughed when he saw me come back in tatters.  Couldn't you have saved me from that?"  "No" said a voice in the wind  haha... then he says weren't those pyramids beautiful?.

So, I hope you have enjoyed this book as much as I have and learned form it great lessons.  I would love to hear about them if you want to send me a message :)  You can also send me an email at oakbjefferies@gmail.com  The next book will be "The art of possibility" by Rosamund Zander and Benjamin Zander ... my mom recommended it.. I have never read it before... hopefully it is good!