77 pages • 2 hours read
The Alchemist
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Summary and Study Guide
Overview
The Alchemist, first published in 1988, is a novel by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho and translated by Alan R. Clarke. It tells the story of Santiago, a shepherd from Andalusia who dreams of a treasure buried beside the pyramids in Egypt. Heavy with allegory and including many magical elements, the novel has been described as adventure, fantasy, magical realism, and philosophical fiction as it encourages the characters (and the reader) to fulfill their Personal Legends.
The Alchemist is Coelho’s most famous work, ranking among the best-selling novels of the contemporary era and having been translated into more than 80 languages. Other titles by Coelho include The Fifth Mountain (1995), Veronika Decides to Die (1998), and The Zahir (2005), several of which have similarly been termed “novels of ideas.”
Plot Overview
The novel begins with a brief prologue in which the alchemist picks up a book and reads the story of Narcissus, though the ending has been changed.
In Andalusia, a shepherd named Santiago stays the night in an abandoned church with his flock of Unlock all 77 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
Related Titles
By Paulo Coelho
