The Alchemist
Literary terms applied
Personification
 When a nonliving thing is
___________________________________
 “The wind’s curiosity was aroused…” (147)
 “The wind was a proud being, and it was
becoming irritated with what the boy was
saying.” (147)
 “The sun thought about that, and decided to
shine more brightly.” (150)
Irony
 The opposite of ___________________
 “‘That’s the Philosopher’s Stone and the
Elixir of Life. It’s the Master Work of the
Alchemists.’ …The Arabs laughed at him,
and the alchemist laughed along. They
thought his answer was amusing…” (133)
 “When you possess great treasures within
you, and try to tell others of them, seldom
are you believed.” (134)
Humor
 “’If I’m not able to turn myself into the wind,
we’re going to die,’ the boy said. ‘Why feed
your falcon?’
 ‘You’re the one who may die,’ the alchemist
said. ‘I already know how to turn myself into
the wind.’” (143)
Imagery
 Language that appeals ________________
 “They were tribesmen dressed in blue, with
black rings surrounding their turbans. Their
faces were hidden behind blue veils, with
only their eyes showing.” (139)
 “The desert nights were cold, and were
becoming darker and darker as the phases
of the moon passed.” (124)
Foreshadowing
 When an author ____________________
 “…before a dream is realized, the Soul of
the World tests everything that was learned
along the way…that’s the point at which
most people give up…” (132)
 “The sun was setting when the boy’s heart
sounded a danger signal.” (138)
Simile
 Compares two things _______________
 “The alchemist fell as silent as the desert…”
(137)
 “If what you had found was only a moment
of light, like the explosion of a star, you
would find nothing on your return.” (123)
 “The alchemist’s words echoed out like a
curse.” (138)
Metaphor
 Compares two things ________________
 “Because a grain of sand is a moment of
creation…” (131)
 “The sun was turned into a golden disk.”
(148)
 “…the desert only moments ago had been
endless and free, and now it was an
impenetrable wall.” (141)
Allusion
 A reference to another _________________
 “’My Lord, I am not worthy that you should
come under my roof. But only speak a word
and my servant will be healed.’” (158) (Luke
7)
 “everything would be a symphony of peace
if the hand that wrote all this had stopped on
the fifth day of creation” “If there hadn’t been
a sixth day, man would not exist” (149-50)
Motif: the wind
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A recurring ________________________
Has many names: levanter, sirocco
Is personified and has character
Positive or negative force?
Direct plot device: Santiago becomes wind
Romantic: brings perfume and a kiss
Forces of nature, the unknown
Represents travel/the whole world