Soul of the World"I am following my destiny. It's not something you would understand." (Coehlo 106)
This is the point in the book, The Alchemist, where Santiago, the main character, meets the alchemist who acts as a mentor to Santiago on the journey to his destiny. Santiago starts out a simple shepherd herding his sheep across Spain because of his love for traveling. Later he meets a king named Melchizedek who gives Santiago Urim and Thummim, two stones that can read the omens. He travels to Egypt in pursuit of his destiny. He meets the Englishman who tells him about the soul of the world on the way to the pyramids. Santiago can reach his destiny using courage, wisdom and sense of adventure.
Santiago is courageous throughout the book showing bravery at many points. One example of Santiago showing particular bravery at the beginning when he tells his father that he doesn't want to be a priest but that he would rather travel, so he became a shepherd. At another point he shows courage when meeting the alchemist for the first time at the oasis. 'The sword did not fall. Instead the stranger lowered it slowly, until it touched the boy's forehead. It drew a droplet of blood... "Who are you to change what Allah has willed?"' (105) It takes alot of courage to remain composed during this greeting. The last point of bravery in the book is when he finally arrives at the pyramids and is greeted by attackers. 'But one of them seized the boy and yanked him back out of the hole... the moon shone and in the man's eyes the boy saw death.' (154) Santiago shows bravery at this time because if he hadn't it would be as if he were giving up on his destiny.
Santiago also shows a great deal of wisdom throughout the story. At the beginning he doesn't quite realize that he can understand a bit of the Soul of the World. He understands and can communicate with his sheep. The boy tells the crystal merchant that he worked for how he must respond to the omens and follow your dreams. He also tells him about the principle of favorability, or beginner's luck. At the point where he turns himself into the wind, he seems wise as he speaks to his heart and speaks the Language of the World to speak with the desert, the wind, the sun and with God. He is wise to follow his destiny in the first place, wise for listening to the king.
Santiago has a sense of adventure that keeps him going towards his destiny throughout the book. People who aren't adventurous couldn't go out and search for their destinies, or leave the country to do so, just as Santiago did. 'How strange Africa is, thought the boy.'(32) He arrives in Africa thinking how different it is to Spain. He's also adventurous in a way when deciding to work for the crystal merchant. Not many people can leave their home in pursuit of their destiny anyway as well as find a job to pass the time, when Santiago goes on his way to Al-Fayoum when he meets the Englishman who teaches him about the Soul of the World. He meets Fatima, the woman he fell in love with. He is adventurous in his own sense that he could go out in a strange place he's never been to and talk to people he's never met on a journey to his destiny.
Anyone can search for their destiny if they put their mind to it. Santiago in particular goes on a long journey in search for his destiny. Santiago does many things to get to the pyramids in Egypt, he goes on a journey from Andalusia to Al-Fayoum in a caravan. Once he's left the oasis he is wise to speak to the Soul of the World to turn himself into the wind. He speaks with the desert, the wind, the sun and God to turn himself into the wind. He is a brave man to have been able to go in search for his destiny and to leave his home to start a new life in Egypt where supposedly his treasure lies. Santiago is a very adventurous person who can go out on his own to places he's never been to and speak with people he's never met before. Santiago can speak the Language of the World and can understand the Soul of the World with the help of his mentor the alchemist.
