Not the Treasure, but the Journey

“I’m surprised,” the boy said. “My friend bought all the other sheep immediately. He said that he had always dreamed of being a shepherd, and that was a good omen.” (Coelho pg.27)
Through out his journey, Santiago learns a lot about omens. He experiences a lot of good and bad omens, which influences his journey. Santiago who is first a shepherd boy goes in search of a treasure that he dreamt about many times. He begins his journey in Andalusia (Spain) and moves toward the Egyptian Pyramids. During his journey he meets lots of people, overcomes obstacles and finds love. Santiago successfully achieves his destiny by being courageous, by using his adaptability, and by using his spiritual views.

During his journey, Santiago gains courage. Santiago was brave to go looking for a treasure that might not even exist and leave his past behind. The boy doesn’t know what is coming but he uses his intuition to move on toward his destiny. On his way he meets the alchemist. “Who dares to read the meaning of the flight of two hawks?” he demanded, so loudly that his word seemed to echo through the fifty thousand palm trees of Al-Fayoum. “It is I who dared to do so,” said the boy. (Pg. 104-105) Although Santiago knows he is in danger he still has the courage to stand up for himself. Eventually, he wasn’t in danger, but the alchemist wanted to test his courage. Later while on his way to the Pyramids the alchemist and the boy get stopped by one of the tribes. The alchemist spoke to the head of the tribe and told him, that Santiago, who he told them was the alchemist, would turn himself into the wind. If he couldn’t do this he would ne killed. When the day arrived he still hadn’t accomplished it, but he tried. And, eventually he turns himself into the wind by knowing how to summon the strength within himself. While Santiago is very courageous on his journey, he also adapts well to new situations.

On his journey, Santiago adapts to change quickly. He abandons his life in grassy Spain with beautiful flowers and grass fields behind, to go to Egypt where there is a humid desert with nearly no plants. He adapts to different environments very fast and respects it. “He was so ashamed that he wanted to cry. He had never even wept in front of his own sheep.” (Pg. 37) Later in the café a man pretends to help Santiago and then runs of with all the money he had. Santiago had nothing left and couldn’t do anything. But quick enough he started to help some people and earned money. He also worked at the Crystal Merchant for a long time and earned a lot of money there. He helped the Crystal Merchant sell more and so Santiago also earned more money. After he meets the alchemist he goes on to look for his treasure. Towards the end of his journey the alchemist leaves him to go look for his treasure on his own. Santiago has to get used to not having help from the alchemist but soon get used to it. And, eventually, he knew what to do by himself. Santiago successfully adapts to change, and he is also a very spiritual person.

While on his journey, Santiago learns more about spirituality. Santiago has been dreaming of a treasure in Egypt continuously. The last time he has this dream is before he starts moving on asking a gypsy woman about the treasure in Egypt. He was in a church in Andalusia. The church was eventually where the treasure was. “Suddenly, one of the hawk’s 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. The vision vanished immediately, but it had shaken him. He had heard people speak of mirages and had already seen some himself: they were desires that, because of their intensity, materialized over the sands of the desert. But he certainly didn’t desire that an army invade the oasis.” (Pg. 95-96) When the boy sees the two hawks he can immediately connect it to something bad in the future. Santiago sees the hawks when he is meditating in the desert and following them. When suddenly the one hawk attacks the other he gets this visions. He only gets visions when he wants them to happen. He didn’t understand because he didn’t desire this. Also people say an oasis never gets attacked. Santiago talks to the wind, sun and god. He can do this by knowing the Soul of the World and the Language of the Universe. These two things are connected, he is able to communicate with gods words. The Language of the universe is a passage to be able to talk to god. He communicates with his heart to find his treasure and help get threw the difficult times in his journey.

At the end Santiago fully accomplishes courage, adaptability, and spirituality. When Santiago has found his treasure he decides to keep his promises and give one third of his treasure to the gypsy woman. After he has done this he goes back to Al- Fayoum and will hopefully live the rest his life with Fatima. The love of his life. The moment he steps into the desert there is a soft blowing wind with the scent of his love. When he gets closer to his destiny he meets the scent, Fatima. The treasure was at the church. The book starts with him at an abandoned church and Santiago dreaming about his treasure. All the time the treasure was at the church. As he learned, it was not the treasure that mattered it was the journey.