1. Background of The Alchemist
Brazilian author, Paulo Coelho
Background of The Alchemist
Trekking in the Sahara

2. Table of Contents Geography Religion The Hero’s Journey
Essential Questions
Typical Middle Eastern bazaar

3. Geography
The novel is set in the Middle East and the southern region of Spain.
Destination: Egypt
Southern Spain is very close to N. Africa

4. Geography, Con’d Santiago hails from Andalusia
Al-Fayoum, an Egyptian oasis

5. Religion – The Coptic Church
The Coptic Orthodox Church is the indigenous Christian church of Egypt.
It’s one of the oldest Christian churches in existence; according to tradition, it was founded by St. Mark in 42 AD.
St. Catherine’s Coptic Monastery
The Copts have their own pope

6. Religion – Melchizedek
Melchizedek briefly appears in Genesis 14 – he blesses Abram (father of the Jewish people) and provides him with bread and wine.
Later, Melchizedek is referenced in Hebrews 7, as Jesus, the Savior, is compared to Melchizedek.
Given these Biblical allusions, what does this suggest about Melchizedek in The Alchemist?
Byzantine icon
of Melchizedek

7. Religion – Urim and Thummim
According to the Bible, these stones were a form of divination (using supernatural powers to determine the future).
First reference: In Exodus 28, God gave instructions for the priest to wear a breastplate with room for two stones: Urim and Thummim.
Second reference: In I Samuel 14, Urim and Thummim were used to determine an individual’s guilt.
Artist’s rendering
of the breastplate

8. Religion – Islam
On page 54,the text mentions the five pillars (obligations) of Islam:
Declare there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet;
Pray five times/day;
Fast;
Almsgiving; and
Pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj)
Note: Mecca is the birthplace of Muhammad. It’s also the location where Abraham built the Kaaba, a sacred Islamic site.
The Kaaba is a granite cube

9. The Hero’s Journey
“The Hero’s Journey,” or “monomyth” was first popularized by mythologist Joseph Campbell.
According to Campbell, “A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”
– from The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Frodo Baggins,
Lord of the Rings

10. The Hero’s Journey, Con’d
Below, is a diagram of the Hero’s Journey.
According to Campbell, there are seventeen steps.

11. Essential Questions How do other people define me?
How do I want other people to define me? How will I make that happen?
What distinguishes me from others?
Santiago, the
young shepherd