The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – Chapter 1

Blog #1 by Ada Tripp

In the book, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, the main character’s name is Santiago. As you read the book, you find out more about Santiago, a young shepherd boy. Santiago seems like a very adventurous and outgoing person. In the book, he tells his father, “But I’d like to see the castles in the towns where they live.”(Coelho 9) Wanting to go see the world shows that Santiago is curious about what he might find and he wants an adventure.

Santiago thinks that the sheep have become accustomed to his schedule. He thinks to himself  “They are so used to me that they know my schedule.” (Coelho 4) The sheep in the story have been with Santiago for so long that they know what he does everyday. The sheep in the story are affected by the way that Santiago lives his life and how much he travels. “He had always believed that the sheep were able to understand what he said.”(Coelho 4) shows how the sheep are affected. Yet, Santiago also wonders whether or not it is he that is influenced by the sheep, as well. It is inferred in the book that Santiago likes to read. In the first chapter, it says “He swept the floor with his jacket and lay down, using the book he had just finished reading as a pillow.” (Coelho 3)

The book used in this instance shows how much he loves reading and that he will use a book instead of buying a pillow. Only of the things that Santiago is grateful for is his warm jacket. It says “….he was grateful for the jacket’s weight and warmth.” (Coelho 8) Even though Santiago has to carry around the jacket all the time he is glad that when it is cold he has the warmth. Throughout the first chapter you learn a lot about Santiago through indirect characterization which will help the reader to know what he is like throughout the rest of the book.