77 pages 2 hours read

Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1988

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.

Answer Key

Prologue-Part 1

Reading Check

1. Narcissus (Prologue)

2. Shepherd (Part 1)

3. A priest (Part 1)

4. To help Santiago make decisions (Part 1)

5. Helping Others (Part 1)

6. Egypt (Part 1)

7. The man tricks him, and he runs off with Santiago's money. (Part 1)

Short Answer

1. He knows that it has been difficult for Santiago to tell them that he doesn’t want to be a priest and that Santiago wants to see the world. (Part 1)

2. The world’s greatest lie is that “at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate.” (Part 1)

3. It is the goal that someone has always wanted to accomplish. (Part 1)

Part 2, Section 1

Reading Check

1. A year (Part 2, Section 1)

2. Arabic (Part 2, Section 1)

3. Melchizedek (Part 2, Section 1)

4. The philosopher’s stone (Part 2, Section 1)

5. The alchemist (Part 2, Section 1)

6.