The Alchemist Analysis:

Archetypes and Literary Analysis

Bryan Lopez
Central Idea
● The novel, The Alchemist, introduces personal legends to the
readers. A personal legend is a person’s destiny in life. Santiago,
the protagonist, purses his personal legend throughout and realizing
the importance when meeting a king in a city. When pursuing a
personal legend it means to follow your dreams and listen to your
heart.
Archetype: A Hero’s Journey
● At the beginning of the novel, Santiago was merely a shepherd who
wanted to travel the world. He kept having a strange dream about a
boy who lead him the Egyptian pyramids. Santiago meets with a
gypsy to explain to him about his and that he must go. Santiago
was refusing to go on a journey because he thought it was
something that he could not do. After meeting with king
Melchizedek that he must pursue his personal legend in order to
find the meaning of his dream. He departures to his adventure and
meets an Englishman who happens to be an alchemist. Santiago
faces many death experience for him to mature along the way. The
boy meets a girl who he falls in love with named Fatima and wants
to spend the rest of his life with.
Symbolism
● Violence with the hawks reveal
violence that is about to come to
the oasis. This gave Santiago a
warning about an army coming
to the oasis.
“ Suddenly, one of the hawks made a
flashing dive through the sky,
attacking the other. As it did so, a
sudden, fleeting image came to the
boy: an army, with its swords at the
ready, riding into the oasis.”
Symbolism
● Santiago would refer to his “ They never have to make any
sheep as ignorant followers decisions. The only things that
since they only care about food
are concerned the sheep were
and water. He then realized this
food and water.”
resembles people who do not
follow their personal legends.
● Some people just follow another
person due to what they think
are. One must follow their own
dream or destiny in order for
them to develop themselves in
order to mature.
Allusion
● When Santiago goes to the “The shepherd swore that he would.
gypsy to learn more about his The old woman asked him to swear
dream. The gypsy then tells him again while looking at the image of
to swear while looking at the the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
image of the sacred heart of
jesus. This image is known for
being a holy image and must be
respected at all times.
● People in real life take religion
very seriously. In catholicism,
God and Jesus are seen as a holy
beings. Many give their respects
for who they are and praise
them.
Repetition
● Santiago leaves the oasis to “ From that day on, the oasis would just
fulfill his personal legends by be an empty place for her. From that day
on, it was the desert that would be
going to the Egyptian pyramids.
important...From that day on, the desert
“ From that day on” represents
would represent only one thing to her: the
the day Santiago left. These hope for his return.” "
words resemble that the love
Fatima has for Santiago and that
she will be waiting for her.
Personification
● The lake cannot actually cry. The “ I weep for the narcissus, the
author gives the lake human-like lake replied.”
characteristics to understand
the idea of narcissism.
● Many people can be self
obsessed with themselves that
they become closed minded.
They tend to care only for
themselves. Leaving other
people in second place or not
giving any value at all.
Metaphor
● The author is comparing the “ The desert is a capricious lady
desert to lady with a temper. and sometimes she drives me
Both can have unpredictable
crazy.”
changes. This can give us an
idea of how fast the desert can
change.
● Human are to understand one
another when it comes to
relationships. A person must
learn about their partner’s
personality and mindset to
maintain a healthy and strong
relationship.
Simile
● Santiago learns by observing his “ Books are like caravans in that
surroundings. However the respect.”
alchemist always has a book in
his hands. This simile is
comparing the caravan to books.
Santiago is learning by just
watching how people act within
the caravan.
● Some people can be visual
learners. When a person
watches how a person or society
react, they understand moral
values of what they saw.