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He remembers how it is so worthy to have that jacket during the cold times. He considers of adapting to various circumstances in both his mind and physic.
Therefore, this thought leads him appreciating the fact that he has that warm though heavy jacket. This decision of not leaving the jacket behind even if he is
not currently having need of it, prepares him for the very possibility of having cold times in the future that requires him to wear that heavy and thick jacket in
order to survive during his travelling as well shepherding on the pastures of Andalusia. Moreover, Santiago takes obstacles in shepherding as an excitement of
being a shepherd as shown in the following sentence, “But he decided to take a chance. A shepherd always takes his chances with wolves and with drought, and
thats what makes a shepherds life exciting. ” p.6
The wind is a symbol of freedom. Santiago pictures himself of being able to be as free as the wind and that there is nothing to hold him back except himself
shows that he is ready for the adventure, as seen in the following statement, “The boy felt jealous of the freedom of the wind, and saw that he could have the same
freedom. There was nothing to hold him back except himself.” p.43
2. Loving
Santiago is a loving person. He fell in love twice during the story; the first time was with the daughter of a merchant to whom he sold the wool of his sheep.
It is shown, in the part when the narrator describes Santiago is feeling something different toward this girl he has met and talked to, as follows:
During the two hours that they talked, she told him she was the merchants daughter, and spoke of life in the village….. As the time passed, the boy
found himself wishing that the day would never end, that her father would stay busy and keep him waiting for three days. He recognized that he was
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feeling something he had never experienced before: the desire to live in one place forever. With the girl with the raven hair, his days would never
be the same again. pp.2-3
Despite his hunger of travelling and discovering new places, Santiago finds the pleasure of be
ing accompanied by the merchant‟s daughter and her beauty is able to make him thinking about settling down with her, which means to
not travel anymore. He believes that only being with that girl, he will find happiness as the traveling brings him happiness. He falls in love with the girl and
is about to give up everything he has. He recognizes that he is feeling something he has never experienced before, that is the desire to live in one
place forever. With the girl with the raven hair, his days will never be the same again. p.3
Later on, after Santiago meets and falls in love to Fatima in the oasis, he even shows stronger love. It makes him not afraid of facing the risk of death as his
responsibility of the omen he has interpreted, “It didnt even occur to the boy to flee. In his heart, he felt a strange sense of joy: he was about to die in pursuit of
his Personal Legend. And for Fatima.”p.48. thus, at one point, he also believes that Fatima is a treasure greater than anything else he has won p.51. When
Santiago is about to continue the journey to Egypt, he states his love to Fatima, and promises her that he will come back for her.
Im going away, he said. And I want you to know that Im coming back. I love you because...
Dont say anything, Fatima interrupted. One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.
But the boy continued, I had a dream, and I met with a king. I sold crystal and crossed the desert. And, because the tribes declared war, I went to the
well, seeking the alchemist. So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.
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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