Summary
Santiago and the alchemist travel cautiously over the next two days while they
pass through the area where the tribal fighting is worst. Santiago tells the
alchemist his heart doesn’t want him to continue because it fears it will lose
everything. The alchemist replies that no heart suffers while it pursues its dreams,
because to pursue a dream is to encounter God. The next morning, Santiago’s heart
tells him that everyone who has God within him feels happy, and that everyone on
earth has a treasure waiting for him. Santiago tells the alchemist he has come to
peace with his heart.
The next day, three tribesmen approach Santiago and the alchemist. They insist
on searching the pair, and discover that the alchemist carries the Philosopher’s
Stone and the Elixir of Life. The tribesmen laugh when the alchemist tells them
about the magical properties of his possessions, and they allow to the two to
continue on. Santiago asks the alchemist why he told the men about his possessions,
and the alchemist replies that people seldom believe a person carrying
treasures.
As the pair travel, Santiago’s heart says it protected him throughout his life
in ways he never noticed. They pass a tribal encampment and Santiago says he feels
no danger. The alchemist gets angry, saying that Santiago should remember he travels
through the desert. Two men suddenly appear behind Santiago and the alchemist and
tell them they can travel no further. The alchemist stares into the eyes of the men
and tells them they are not going far, and the men leave. The alchemist explains to
Santiago that the eyes demonstrate the strength of one’s soul.
After the alchemist and Santiago cross a mountain range, the alchemist says
that they have two days’ journey to the pyramids. Santiago asks the alchemist to
tell him the secret of alchemy before the two part ways, and the alchemist says
Santiago already knows alchemy because he can penetrate to the Soul of the World.
Santiago asks how to specifically turn lead into gold. The alchemist says that gold
represents the most evolved metal, and that successful alchemists understand
evolution.
That evening, hundreds of Arab tribesmen dressed in blue approach Santiago and
the alchemist and accuse them of acting as spies. They take them to a military camp
and begin questioning them. The alchemist says Santiago is an alchemist, and offers
Santiago’s money to the tribe’s chief. After the chief accepts the money, the
alchemist says that Santiago could destroy the camp with the force of the wind. The
men laugh and challenge Santiago to prove the alchemist’s claim. The alchemist says
that after three days Santiago will transform himself into the wind. Santiago feels
confused, and the alchemist says he was only trying to avoid getting killed.
Santiago replies that, since he can’t become the wind, they will die in three days
anyway. The alchemist pours tea on Santiago’s wrists, saying only fear prevents
someone from living out their Personal Legend.
Analysis
As Santiago continues his journey with the alchemist, he learns several new
lessons about himself and his abilities. First, the Alchemist explains that each
person’s heart emerges from the Soul of the World. Because Santiago’s heart connects
him to the Soul of the World, Santiago must learn to listen to it properly.
Santiago’s heart does not always influence him in positive ways, though. It
expresses fear, yearns for Fatima, and otherwise distracts Santiago from following
his Personal Legend. Santiago goes as far as to call his heart a traitor, and
wonders why he should listen to such a discouraging thing. The alchemist explains
that the heart never stays silent, so Santiago must come to terms with it. In other
words, Santiago must learn to separate himself from the desires of his heart. Only
by paying attention to his heart and understanding its “dodges and tricks” can
Santiago tame it and turn it into an ally.
