Literary Devices
"The oasis was like a jewel in the endless sands of the desert."
What is a Simile?
Who is Fatima?
This stage is best described as Falling Action, where the character faces atonement and sometimes refuses to return.
What is The Road Back?
The two stones that represent foresight and judgement.
What is Urim and Thummim?
The universe is said to conspire to allow for people to complete this.
What is a Personal Legend?
"The desert is a capricious lady, and sometimes she drives men crazy."
What is a Personification?
The character Santiago meets first on his journey.
Who is the Gypsy woman?
The stage where the Hero hesitates for some reason.
What is the Refusal of the Call?
This craft is all about transformation.
What is alchemy?
The spiritual unity that binds together all of nature, from human beings to desert sand, and creates Personal Legends.
"His heart was a traitor. It does not want him to go on."
What is a Metaphor?
The name of the boy who observed his reflection in a pond daily.
Who is Narcissus?
In this stage, the character has a revelation or rebirth, and is given a greater understanding or epiphany.
Santiago sees that this type of creatures symbolize the sort of existence lived by those who are completely blind to their Personal Legends.
What are sheep?
What is Maktub?
"Every search begins with beginner’s luck and ends with the victor’s being severely tested."
What is Foreshadowing?
Melchizedek is the king of this place.
What is Salem?
The largest / most lengthy stage of the Hero's Journey.
What is the Challenge stage? (Or, Rising Action)
Tests are an inherent part of all Personal Legends, and this setting presents silence, emptiness, and monotony for Santiago.
What is the desert?
When the tribal chieftain takes Santiago’s dream of the hawks very seriously, and Santiago sees a butterfly when speaking with Melchizedek, those are examples of this term.
What are omens?
"The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon."
What is a Parable?
This character resides at the Al-Fayoum oasis.
Who is the alchemist?
In this stage, the protagonist is often given talismans.
What is Supernatural Aid or Meeting the Master?
This is a symbol for embracing God and faith in the climax of the book.
What is the wind / What is becoming the wind?
What is love?