Creating an ideal life: Describe one full imagined life.

1. What do you accomplish in high school?

2. One year after high school graduation, where are you and what are you doing?

3. At age 23, where are you? What are you doing? Employment? Relationship? Hobbies/Activities

4. Age 30

5. Age 50

The Alchemist

Study Questions – Introduction & Prologue

Part I p. 3 - 25

Please answer the following questions on a sheet of loose-leaf paper.

1. What are the four obstacles to achieving our dreams? Any examples?

2. What, to the best of your knowledge, is an “alchemist”? What can you infer about the book from this title?

3. How do most people interpret the legend of Narcissus? How does Coelho want readers to interpret the legend?

4. How are the sheep described? How could this be metaphorical?

5. How does Santiago differ from his father? What motivates each?

6. Why does the old fortune teller say that Santiago’s dream is difficult to interpret? Why is Santiago suspicious of her?

7. What is the world’s greatest lie? Do you agree?

8. Why does Melchizedek, the king of Salem, appear? What does he say is man’s only obligation? What will the ‘universe’ do?

9. What’s the problem for the baker?

10. What is the difference between what Santiago offers for Melchiuzedek’s help and what king requests?

The Alchemist

Personal Legends – Page 21 – 25

1. What is a Personal Legend? (22)

2. When do you know it and how do you follow it? (23 – 25)

3. Do you believe you have a mission, calling, or obligation on Earth, or do you simply have needs and desires?

4. What are the specifics of your answer to number 3 (ie. your mission or desires)?

5. What difficulties might you face along the way?

6. Why do you think you might not follow your dream/goal?

7. Can you be unfulfilled and still be happy? Why/Why not?

Coelho’s Definition of Personal Legend

1. PERSONAL LEGEND: list three quotes that Coelho uses to best define a personal legend.

A. page:

B. page:

C. page:

2. FOLLOWING THE PATH: list three quotes that answer the following question:

How do you follow your personal legend?

A. page:

B. page:

C. page:

The Alchemist – 25 – 47

Personal Legends, Omens & A Trip to Africa

1. Explain Santiago’s inner conflict concerning the gypsy’s interpretation of his dream and the offer from Melchizedek. Discuss Coehlo’s “obstacles.”

2. What is the principle of favorability? Do you agree?

3. Why does Melchizedek give Santiago Urim and Thumin?

4. Explain the parable of “the spoon and the oil.”

5. What happens in Tangier?

6. Analyze Santiago’s initial and subsequent reactions.

7. What role does the Crystal Merchant play in the story?

8. What are Santiago’s plans?

9. When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it - Agree or Disagree. Why?

The Alchemist – questions p. 51 – 71

1. Locate one sentence (quote) that you find particularly important or insightful in these pages. Be able to explain why it’s meaningful.

2. What lessons does Santiago learn by working in the crystal shop?

3. What is the merchant’s explanation for not taking his pilgrimage?

4. How does the merchant’s answer highlight the difference between him and Santiago? Who has the better philosophy?

5. What effect has Santiago had on the merchant?

6. What does “maktub” mean? What role does it play in the story?

7. What are the goals of the Englishman?

The Alchemist – questions p. 71 – 104

1. Explain the wisdom of the camel driver and the desert/caravan (71, 76, 77).

2. How does Santiago’s comment on the caravan and the Englishman mirror the story of the oil and the spoon (75)?

3. How does the Englishman explain alchemy and the “soul of the world”?

4. What is the camel driver’s wisdom in regards to the tribal war (85)?

5. What does the Alchemist’s thoughts reveal about the world (86 – 87)?

6. Who is Fatima? How is she important?

7. What is Santiago’s vision? How does he decide what to do about it?

8. Choose one important quote from these pages and explain it.

The Alchemist – 104 – 152

Discuss the conflict Santiago faces with the elders at the oasis.

o Choose a significant quote

Discuss the scenes where Santiago first meets the Alchemist

o Choose quotes which reveal the Alchemist’s explanation of:

Santiago’s personal legend (132)

The significance of Fatima

Alchemy, the Emerald tablet, and “the soul of the world.”

Discuss how Santiago reflects the ideas at the bottom of page 152 through:

o Gold and the Tradition

o The Wind and the Sun

o The Soul of the World

How does the ideas of this section and Santiago’s epiphany relate to other stories in the Hero Journey genre such as The Wizard of Oz or Harry Potter or Star Wars?