English 102
Dr. Neela B. Saxena
Thinking questions
The Alchemist
Name: Nkokheli Benson Date: November 11, 2018
1. “The Soul of the World is nourished by people’s happiness. And also by
unhappiness, envy, and jealousy. To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only real
obligation. All things are one” (22). Explain what the Soul of the World is.
The Soul of the World is sometimes equated with God. It’s a spiritual force
that binds all of us together and governs all things and, speaks with us in the
language of signs and omens.
2. What is the secret of happiness according to the wisest of wise man on page 32
and what does it mean?
The secret of happiness is to see the world’s marvels without forgetting the
oil in the spoon. It is important for the boy to experience the world, but on
this journey, he shouldn’t be distracted from his own personal goals and
purpose in life.
3. What does the crystal merchant teach the boy when he says “both you and I
needed to clean our minds of negative thought” (46)?
The crystal merchant teaches the boy that just because he is hungry, doesn’t
mean he has to clean because the Koran orders him to feed the hungry.
4. What is the universal language that the Englishman is looking for on p 70? Does
he succeed?
The Englishman is looking for the language of the world. The language of the
world is a way all things communicate because all things are one. The
Englishman does not succeed because when Santiago told him about the
language of the world, he responded with saying that all he needs to know is
found in books. The Englishman isn’t interested in listening to the desert or
trying to listen to omens, hence why he does not succeed.
5. What does the boy learn about intuition on p 74?
The boy was beginning to understand that intuition is really a sudden
immersion of the soul into the universal current of life, which is where the
history of all people are connected, we are able to know everything because
it’s all written there.
6. What does he learn about fear from the camel driver’s story on p76, and what
does he say about time on p 85 and 103?
The boy learns that we are afraid of losing what we have, whether it’s our life
or our possessions and property. But this fear goes away when we
understand that our life stories and the history of the world were written by
the same hand. The camel driver tells the boy to live in the moment and not
focus on the past or the future in order to be happy.
7. What does the Englishman say about the Soul of the World and alchemy on p 7879?
The Englishman compares Santiago’s success to the governing principle of
Alchemy, called the Soul of the World. The term refers to the positive force
of the world that works for the betterment of all things, both living and
inanimate.
8. What are Elixir of Life and the Philosopher’s Stone (81)?
The philosopher’s stone is a legendary substance known for its ability to turn
ordinary metals into gold. It was also known as an elixir of life and that was
used for rejuvenation and sometimes immortality.
9. What happens to the boy when he meets the Arab woman on p92?
When the boy meets Fatima he immediately falls in love with her. He actually
thinks about staying at the oasis and take her instead of the treasure. But
since him and Fatima have true love, she know he will be back for her if it’s
meant to be. So she urges to continue his journey while she patiently waits
for his return.
10. How does the boy meet the alchemist and what does he tell the boy on p111?
The alchemist appears as a horseman carrying a sword aimed at him, asking
him a series of questions. The Alchemist tells the boy that he needed to test
his courage, and that he must not give up on his goal.
11. “You must understand that love never keeps a man from pursuing his Personal
Legend. If he abandons that pursuit, it’s because it wasn’t true love…the love
that speaks the Language of the World” (120). What kind of love is this?
This kind of love is true love. True love speaks the universal language and
will last even through separation and difficulty, because it is meant to be.
12. What went wrong with the older alchemists according to the alchemist on p 125?
The older Alchemists went in search of their own personal legends and
treasure but they had failed. The reason why it had failed was because of the
distraction of the treasure.
13. What does the alchemist say about the heart (127-)?
The alchemist says that our hearts came from the soul of the world and that
is why we know everything because they are connected to it.
14. “Every search begins with beginner’s luck. And every search ends with the
victor’s being severely tested” (132). Explain what that means.
This quote means that the darkest moments of our lives, come just before the
Prime of our lives.
15. What does the alchemist say about treasure, alchemy, and gold p 136-138?
The Alchemist says that there were many that were interested only in gold.
They never found the secret. They forgot that lead, copper, and iron have
their own personal Legends to fulfill.
16. How does the boy turns himself into the wind?
The boy tells the Sun about love. He says that love transforms the Soul of the
World. He tells the sun that love cam empower it to do anything.
17. Why does the boy laugh when he looks at the pyramids on p 163?
The boy laughs at the thought of traveling all the way to the pyramids in
Egypt to find that his treasure was under the sycamore tree all along.
18. Think about the connection between, perfume, kiss and Fatima at the end of the
story and explain why the story is called The Alchemist.
He devotes himself to finishing his quest and returning for Fatima. The very
end of the book supports this as he discovers the treasure at the bottom of the
tree at the church, back in his homeland, though he acknowledges that his
greatest treasure is not gold. The Alchemist theme is to always follow your
dreams and listen to your heart.