1. How does Santiagos spiritual journey parallel the alchemists practice of transforming metal into gold?
2. What are the weaknesses that Santiago sees in his flock of sheep, and how do they relate to the weaknesses of human beings who fail to pursue their Personal Legends?
3. According to the book, is it possible to live a fulfilling life without ever achieving ones Personal Legend? Why or why not?
4. What role do forces of nature such as the wind and the sun play in Santiagos journey?
5. During Santiagos stay in Tangiers, what does Santiago teach the crystal merchant, and what does the crystal merchant teach Santiago?
6. During Santiagos stay in Tangiers, what does Santiago teach the crystal merchant, and what does the crystal merchant teach Santiago?
7. What stylistic strategies does Coelho use to make The Alchemist come across as a mythic, universally applicable story?
8. What is the function of magic in The Alchemist, and what does the ability to practice magic symbolize?
9. The prologue tells the story of Narcissus. How does this well-known myth relate to the main narrative of the novel?
10. Many of the characters in the novel are motivated by money and material wealth. How does this motivation relate to the various religions in the text?
11. How does the romance between Fatima and Santiago (and, to a lesser extent, the girl in the village) interact with the themes of self-belief and destiny?
12. In a structural and a literary sense, what is the symbolic meaning of the ruined church?
13. Santiago encounters magic and miracles throughout his journey. In what way do these experiences affect his own personal beliefs?
14. The tribal wars present the greatest existential threat to Santiago and the alchemist. In what ways does the novel demonstrate the threat that they pose?
15. Throughout the novel, numerous characters share their dreams. Analyze the various ways they imbue these dreams with meaning and how these meanings affect the course of the narrative.
16. Santiago reaches the pyramids and digs for his buried treasure. What is the nature of the treasure that Santiago uncovers in Egypt and in Spain?
