The main character in ‘The Alchemist,” Santiago is a boy who was set off to follow his “personal legend” as said in the novel. A personal legend is a person 's goal to attain a dream also known as a destiny. Throughout the novel Santiago, the boy was in search of his destiny through a long journey to make his dreams of seeing the world come true. The sole purpose to navigate through his journey from dreams to reality was to achieve his destiny, in order for it to occur he had to change his routine and began to follow a course that changed throughout his journey to something greater than expected. In many novels characters change their course in order to attain a dream.
To further exemplify, Santiago becomes a Shepherd whose dream is to travel the world instead of becoming a priest as his parents wanted. He begins his journey when his father supportingly gives him coins to help him travel, he set toward Andalusia, Spain, along with his flock of sheep. He used an abandoned church by a sycamore tree, as shelter, where he had recurring dreams of treasure in the Egyptian Pyramids. He continues his journey to sell his flocks wool to a merchant, which excited him to see the merchant 's daughter who he said he was in love with. On his way he comes across a women who interprets his dream in return he was to give her, “one-tenth of the treasure,” so he agrees. Santiago then decides to take a break so he reads a book he bought. An old man approached him, and he pays no mind until the