We learn about the alchemist’s personal life, how he became an alchemist and about how a person should pursue their Personal Legend. We learn that he started practicing alchemy by chance, as his grandfather was an alchemist and he taught him the practice, just as his grandfather learned from his own father. Furthermore, this essentially means the practice of alchemy has no special importance in the novel except for the fact is stands a metaphor for a person’s purification in pursuit in their Personal Legend, except the emerald tablet, because it contains a direct passage to the Soul of the World. However, some alchemists have lost sight of their Personal Legend and only sought the gold they were going to create, so they lost their ability to practice alchemy. Overall, the story tells Santiago that his Personal Legend is more important than the specific dream he wants to fulfill and that he cannot reach his dream through learning, he must do so over action.
While Santiago continues on his journey with the alchemist, he finds many new aspects of himself and his capabilities. Initially, the Alchemist describes the fact that everyone’s heart emerges from the Soul of the World, because Santiago’s heart connects him to the Soul of the World, he must
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He shows that most do not believe someone who has great treasures by admitting to carrying the Philosopher’s Stone and the Elixir of Life, and although the alchemist refers to theses as material possessions, it can also apply to untouchable treasure such as spiritual knowledge of omens. In another lesson when Santiago admits he has no fear when a group of tribesman passes them, the alchemist reprimands him for forgetting that they are in a dangerous situation. The alchemist reminds Santiago that the Soul of the World doesn’t think of him as any more special than anyone else; causing Santiago to think that everything is