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The two embraced. It was the first time either had touched the other. Ill be back, the boy said. p.54
Santiago also loves his sheep and treats them as friends of him by calling them by name, telling them about what is in his mind and his feelings, as well
describing the views they he saw along the way he herds the sheep. He treats them as if they are human.
The boy prodded them, one by one, with his crook, calling each by name. He had always believed that the sheep were able to understand what he
said. So there were times when he read them parts of his books that had made an impression on him, or when he would tell them of the loneliness
or the happiness of a shepherd in the fields. Sometimes he would comment to them on the things he had seen in the villages they passed. p.2
Since his purpose of being shepherd is to be able to travel as far as he can reach, the fact that he has to herd the sheep gives him advantages from the wool
or the meat, as well as the friendship and companion from them.
3. Determined
Santiago is so determined on the things he wants. He will do everything he must do in order to bring what he wants into reality. It is seen in the conversation
between him and his father as following, People from all over the world have passed through this village, son,
said his father. They come in search of new things, but when they leave they are basically the same people they were when they arrived. They
climb the mountain to see the castle, and they wind up thinking that the past was better than what we have now. They have blond hair, or dark
skin, but basically theyre the same as the people who live right here. But Id like to see the castles in the towns where they live, the boy
explained. Those people, when they see our land, say that they would like to live
here forever, his father continued. Well, Id like to see their land, and see how they live, said his son.
The people who come here have a lot of money to spend, so they can afford to travel, his father said. Amongst us, the only ones who travel are
theshepherds.
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Well, then Ill be a shepherd When he expresses his willingness to travel to his father, his father tries to
give him understanding that traveling is not easy to do, especially for poor family as his. But even to leave the possibility to have bright future and to be the pride of
the family, he chooses to be shepherd to enable him to travel the world instead.
4. Educated
As a shepherd, Santiago is sufficiently educated formally and informally. He was educated in Seminary and his father also lays good foundation for
Santiago‟s character development. His autodidact ability supports him a lot in surviving during the journey.
The fact that Santiago went to seminary before he decided to travel as a shepherd gives him basic knowledge to read and write, besides Latin, Spanish,
and Theology. Being able to read literature, Santiago is able to extract life values in it. This basic education is considered to be really sufficient for him as a young
man to live independently and well assists him a lot in his traveling later on. “He was planning, on this visit, to explain to the girl how it was that a
simple shepherd knew how to read. That he had attended a seminary until he was sixteen.… He had studied Latin, Spanish, and theology. But ever
since he had been a child, he had wanted to know the world, and this was much more important to him than knowing God and learning about mans
sins.” p.4 Besides the formal education he got from the seminary, he also got good
education from his father. The conversation between Santiago and his father was quite short in the story but shows the reader that the father was wise man trying to
give a life for his son. Santiago was sure that he saw on his father face a willingness to travel as Santiago was going to do, nevertheless, to sustain the life
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of his wife and children; he did not travel but settling down and working hard for food instead. On the other ha
nd, Santiago‟s father must be disappointed a lot by the fact that Santiago wants to travel instead of continuing the study in the
seminary, means he will not be a priest as the source of pride of the family. p.4 However, instead of being mad to Santiago, he patiently tries to give him
understanding about what is meant to be travelling. Andalusia is an important place in the history of Europe attracts many travelers and tourists. He tells him
that people from all over the world have passed through this village in search of new things, but when they leave they are basically the same people they were
when they arrived. It shows that Santiago‟s father has a good understanding about diversity of race and people as showed when he said that they have blond hair, or
dark skin, but basically they are the same as the people who live right here p.4. Santiago is so determined with his decision to travel, though, his father
explains him that traveling as the other travelers do is not affordable for Santiago. His fathe
r‟s argument toward him does not mean to reject his willingness to travel, but more as consideration for him to prepare him to travel. Seeing
Santiago‟s determination to travel, he gave him a solution to enable him to achieve his dream to travel. His father suggests him to travel as a shepherd and
financially support him to buy some sheep p.4. Based on the arguments stated by the father during the conversation and his way treating Santiago, we can
conclude that he is a wise man. Being raised by that kind of father, Santiago must tend to be a wise young person as his father is.
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5. Smart
