The chieftains decision is teaching him to take full responsibility for his actions, and even if this kills him, Santiago feels that he has done the right thing. Santiago is naturally shaken by this encounter, but then (as always) he learns a lesson from his reaction, realizing that his alarm comes from a fear of death. If what you had found was only a moment of light, like the explosion of a star, you would find nothing on your return. The man was speaking the language of alchemy. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! If I am really a part of your dream, you'll come back one day.. He explains their love, for instance, by comparing it to the pure Language of the World, which allows people (and things) to communicate with each other and with the Soul of the World. As the war drags on and the caravan remains in Al-Fayoum, Santiago meets Fatima at the well every day. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. He does not believe in omens and he will not follow them, instead trusting only his own rationality. The other metals such as lead, copper, and iron have their own Personal Legends, and if one disrupts these he will never fulfill his own Personal Legend. What page does santiago meet Fatima? Answered by Aslan 6 years ago 9/20/2016 11:26 AM. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. He compares their love to the "Language of the World," because the two are connected in the mystery of life, proven by their ability to communicate that love without words. He'll be married to, Santiago does not sleep that night. Santiago sees himself and the wind as equal and connected because they were both made by the same hand, but the wind is more resistant to helping Santiago because of its sense of its own superiority. Through reading the Englishmans books, Santiago learns about the Emerald Tablet, one of the key symbols in the novel. The narrative essentially reached its climax with Santiago turning himself into the wind, so these last scenes now feel like a decompression or denouement. She feels content to be one of the oasis women who wait for their loved ones to return. Santiago matures in accepting that the future will be a mystery to him, and he will just have to accept it when it comes. Fagatogo is the downtown area of Pago Pago (the territorial capital of American Samoa). He and Fatima find true love, and Santiago nearly decides to abandon his personal legend . He says to the Son of God, my Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but only speak a word and my servant will be healed.. The Soul of World shows that everything is connected, which Santiago has already sensed through the idea of the universal language. They agree to wait for each other every day as he continues his journey, a situation common to the women of the oasis. The alchemist and Santiago travel together, and their style of traveling seems to reflect their spiritual, introspective naturesthey travel in silence and live simply. (one code per order), SparkNotes PLUS A young woman appears at the well, and is not dressed in black like the married woman. Much of the magic in the novel is subtle like thisusually dream interpretation or fortune telling. He and the Englishman are on similar quests. It is surprising to learn that Santiago has been so close to such priceless objects for so long, but as usual there is a lesson to be learned in this. You'll also receive an email with the link. creating and saving your own notes as you read. When youre in love, you can feel like your beloved is a gift from the universe. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. LitCharts Teacher Editions. When alchemists were interested only in the gold for the sake of the wealth, they never found the secret. The caravan rolls on toward the oasis. He also twists Melchizedeks advice in his mind to support his new desires and justify his actions to himself. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. And I am a part of your dream, a part of your destiny, as you call it. The caravan leader explains that the group will remain in Al-Fayoum until the war ends, and that they must hand over their arms and stay in tents with locals and fellow travelers. The heart is not all-powerful over the fate of an individual, and it seems to favor those in need, or those who are at a disadvantage of some kind. The principles of alchemy, first introduced here, will be important throughout the novel. -Graham S. The timeline below shows where the character Fatima appears in, Santiago asks the girl her name, and she says it is, The next day Santiago returns to the well, hoping to see, Santiago goes to the well every day to meet, Santiago is sad after he says farewell to, Santiago goes in search of the Englishman, to tell him about, that none of that gold is from the pyramids. Despite this word of warning. He compares their love to the "Language of the World," because the two are connected in the mystery of life, proven by their ability to communicate that . At that moment, it seemed to him that time stood still, and the Soul of the World surged within him. More wisdom from the camel driver helps calm Santiagos concern about the threat of the war, and teaches him to do each thing in its own time. Overall this can be a comforting ideathat everything is written, essentiallybut not necessarily suited to the real world, particularly when ones role in creation seems less than desirable. July 17, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Santiago, seemingly at the end of his rope, finally admits the truth about his search, and the leader of the refugees responds. What is Santiago's original profession? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. This series of events best articulates Coelhos view of maktub and free willthe future is prewritten by God, but when God chooses to reveal visions of that future to people, it is to the give them the choice of whether or not to act and change that future. The alchemist argues that the reason to continue to the pyramids and find the treasure is more to make sense of the journey than anything else. The alchemist only responded that he must go and try. The Englishman feels annoyed to get such vague instructions after his long journey, but he resolves to try. The fifth obligation of Islam presents a problem for the merchant, and we see why he purposefully left it off his list. The elder chieftain backs up his quiet authority by referencing a past figure similar to SantiagoJoseph, who is from the Biblical Old Testament, and thus a holy figure for Christians, Muslims, and Jews. The way the content is organized. And one can always come back. The leader of the caravan introduces himself to the people who will be accompanying him across the desert. The Englishman explains that he has abandoned his fear of failure and will attempt the Master Work. It now becomes more clear that everything and everyone Santiago encounters is portrayed as some kind of lesson or archetype put there for the sake of his educationthere are few characters in the book that feel complex and alive, apart from their relation to Santiago and the lessons he is learning. Santiago is confident in finding his treasure, but the alchemists warning seems typically prophetic. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. And yet its also clear that the alchemist is famously powerful, as tribal chieftains want to see him, and he can even deny them an audience without facing consequences. Santiago has now truly entered a world beyond that of humanitya hierarchy of the elements and of the universe itself. Santiago begins to see his quest in terms of all the experiences he has had along the way, but primarily values the fact that the quest has led him to Fatima. The only female character in The Alchemist to get a modicum of attention, Fatima is defined by her beauty and her willingness to wait for Santiago while he pursues his Personal Legend. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. The Englishman seems to trust Santiago alone and no one else in the oasis. The caravans ability to head toward a destination despite any obstacles serves as a metaphor for Santiagos journey. Santiago tries to follow both the advice of the alchemist and the camel driver and not dwell on either the past or the future. What happens when Santiago meets the alchemist? Log in here. The camel driver achieves peace of mind by living in the moment (like Santiagos sheep) and focusing only on the present. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Once Santiago has learned to speak to his heart, he is ready for his final lesson from the alchemist. Located in the low grounds at the foot of Matafao Peak, it was the location of the first American settlement on Tutuila Island.It includes the sub-village of Malaloa. In retrospect, Fatima sees that she was aware Santiago would come out of the desert because of omens. She speaks Santiagos language as she describes those who dont come back as returning to the Soul of the World. In fact, as the old man that Santiago speaks to explains, the chieftains cant even meet with the alchemist unless he consents. 2 What does Santiago say when he meets Fatima? His understanding of people gives him all he needs to persuade them to leave the pair alone. The idea of the weapons having a spirit also relates to the interconnectedness of all things, and to the concept of even inanimate objects being alive in some way and speaking a universal language. The merchant now reveals what seems to be his own Personal Legend (traveling to Mecca), while also admitting that he. As soon as he sees her, he falls deeply in love with her. His heart is wary of moving on from the happiness he has already found, but this is not a reason to ignore the dream of his Personal Legend. The Englishman possesses the terminology of alchemy, but the ideas are not unfamiliar to Santiago. But he checks this feeling, having learned from the camel driver to enjoy the moment of success and security as it is achieved rather than worrying about the future. When Santiago meets Fatima in the Al-Fayoum oasis, he wants to give up his Personal Legend with Fatima, because he thinks "Soul of the World" gives the message to him to falls in love with Fatima, but Fatima does not want obstruct his Personal Legend. Complete your free account to request a guide. The alchemist reminds Santiago of the role of God in the continued existence of the world (another idea that suggests pantheism), and the importance of the process of alchemy to matters beyond mere metals. He also stands by his belief that he did the right thing in reading the flight of the hawks because he may have saved other lives in the process. Santiago is still envious of the ability to turn lead into gold, and so he learns another valuable lesson from the alchemist: do not covet those things that are not part of ones own Personal Legend. On the third and final day, Santiago has an audience. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1748 titles we cover. Discount, Discount Code Free trial is available to new customers only. This might be an oversight on Coelhos part, or just another way of showing how vague and universal Santiagos faith isits not attached to any particular doctrine. Santiago applies the Englishmans argument for the value of the process of alchemy to the process of cleaning crystal. Santiago then meets Fatima. Earlier in the novel, Santiago is. The alchemist has already explained the power of eyes (as windows to the soul), indicating that the death in these characters eyes shows their true intentions and the danger of their presence. The dead hawks remind the reader of the power of the alchemist, but also imply the interconnectedness of all existencethe same birds have acted as wild animals, as oracles of the future, and now as food for the humans who interpreted their omens. It is not the kind of job that makes him happy, but he sticks with it because the merchant treats him fairly. This presentation of cultural differences regarding women shows that Santiago and the Englishman are now truly in an environment that is foreign to them, and they are faced with other ways of thinking than those theyre familiar with. He is truthful with them, but he knows they will not believe the truth. Despite the enemy commanders justification, the oasis must be upheld as a neutral, even sacred grounda place of peace and life even in the midst of a desert and constant war. The alchemist paints a rather bleak picture of how abandoning ones Personal Legend can lead to a life of dissatisfaction. Two of the tribesmen tell. More books than SparkNotes. Throughout the novel, Santiago sees other characters who have given up on their Personal Legends, from the baker in the square to the crystal merchant. When Santiago meets Fatima in the alchemist? In this moment, both of their lives change. On the third day, the chief and the tribesmen gather to watch Santiago turn himself into the wind. The relationship between Fatima and Santiago is a symbolic part of attaining and searching for his own personal legend. Explain. The old mans selfless nature is also evident in his last wish, which doesnt concern himself at all, but only his son. Renews July 24, 2023 Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. It didnt bring with it the smell of the desert, nor the threat of Moorish invasion. Fatimas character is two-dimensional throughout the novel, and we learn little about her other than her willingness to instantly embrace Santiagos quest as part of her own life. The reason that the Emerald Tablet can be so simple is because it is not trying to contain lots of information, but rather to provide a link to the unifying force of the Soul of the World. perfume, as well as a kiss from far away. Subscribe now. What did Santiago do before Shepherding? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_C-j0QvFlQ. Santiago feels torn between his two dreams, a return to the past, or seeking a different future. The alchemist warns him that he will be tested, in order to put his new learning to use, before his quest is finalized. Once again, Santiago experiences the universal feeling that it is easier to not try at all than to try and fail and be hurt, but the alchemist teaches that the fear of suffering is more painful than suffering itself. 5 What page does Santiago turn into the wind? for a group? The camel driver tells Santiago that they are safe in Al-Fayoum. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The people in the caravan may follow different gods, but the novel never focuses on any particular religion, instead portraying a vague God as the Hand That Wrote All and/or the Soul of the World.. He has seemingly overcome his fear and accepted that he must learn by doing, rather just than by reading and overly complicating the process of alchemy. The alchemist seems to sense what will impress the tribesmen, as he so often seems to have an intuitive understanding of other mens characters.