Summary of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Part 1:
- Santiago is a young shepherd in Spain who has a recurring dream about finding treasure near the Egyptian pyramids. He decides to follow his dream and sell his sheep to travel to Egypt.
- In Tarifa, Santiago meets an old king who encourages him to pursue his Personal Legend and provides him with two magical stones, Urim and Thummim, to help interpret omens.
- In Tangier, Santiago’s money is stolen by a thief who pretends to help him. Santiago finds work in a crystal shop and learns lessons about the interconnectedness of life.
- After 11 months, Santiago has enough money to continue his journey. He joins a caravan crossing the Sahara desert towards Egypt.
Part 2:
- In an oasis in the desert, Santiago meets an alchemist who also encourages him to find his treasure and teaches him about the Soul of the World.
- War breaks out in the oasis, but Santiago turns himself into the wind to escape harm. This demonstrates his ability to perform magic.
- The alchemist takes Santiago to an abandoned church where Santiago starts digging. He is robbed by refugees but convinces them to let him live by telling them he’s also searching for treasure based on a recurring dream.
- Santiago continues digging where he had previously cried and finds a hidden chest of gold, jewelry, and Spanish coins – his treasure.
Epilogue:
- Santiago returns to the abandoned church with a shovel and digs up the treasure he had dreamed about, finally achieving his Personal Legend.
From the book:-
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho