What does the crystal merchant symbolize in the Alchemist? The crystal merchant serves as an important friend to Santiago during Santiago’s time in Tangier, but he also functions as a cautionary case of someone who has become complacent and given up the pursuit of his Personal Legend.
What does the crystal symbolize in the Alchemist? Crystal Glassware: Fragility and clarity are the characteristics represented by the crystal merchant’s crystal glassware. Desert: The desert is symbolic of all the obstacles and hardships that stand between people and their dreams. In The Alchemist, characters learn to accept the desert, even listen to it.
What does the crystal merchant teach Santiago? What he learns first is that people deceive themselves about the world and the way it works. More crucially, Santiago learns that he can continue to be a passive receiver of the events of his life, a victim — or he can embrace his experiences and move forward with purpose, thereby becoming an adventurer.
Who is crystal merchant in the Alchemist? Crystal Merchant A middle-aged resident of Tangier, he hires Santiago to work in his shop.
The crystal merchant’s Personal Legend is to make a pilgrimage (or haj) to Mecca, but he knows he will never fulfill this dream.
He is Santiago’s foil, a character who characterizes another by contrast.
What does the crystal merchant symbolize in the Alchemist? – Related Questions
What kind of character is the crystal merchant?
Santiago’s foil
In literary terms, the crystal merchant is considered to be Santiago’s foil, a character who demonstrates by contrast everything that another character is and isn’t.
What is the world’s greatest lie in the Alchemist?
Early on in The Alchemist, Melchizedek (or the King of Salem) explains the world’s greatest lie to Santiago. He tells him: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That’s the world’s greatest lie.
What is the irony in the Alchemist?
More irony: The gold that the alchemist created from lead is precisely what causes the thieves to believe that Santiago is digging for more treasure, and to beat him. For Santiago, and for the reader, this is an unexpected, negative consequence of the alchemist’s wisdom and power.
What does the crystal merchant represent?
The crystal merchant serves as an important friend to Santiago during Santiago’s time in Tangier, but he also functions as a cautionary case of someone who has become complacent and given up the pursuit of his Personal Legend.
What is the difference between Santiago and the crystal merchant?
Santiago chooses to go and follow his dreams in finding his hidden treasure and he realizes his dream,but the merchant is afraid to realize his dream of going to Mecca and keeps it as a motivative thought for himself to make look up to it.As Santiago is a shepherd he is familiar with trying new things and changes, but
Why does Santiago leave the crystal merchant?
Santiago offers to build a display case to place outside the shop and attract more customers, but the crystal merchant fears people will bump into it and break crystal. He argues that business has been good and asks why Santiago wants more.
Why does the crystal merchant say Maktub?
Maktub. Many of the characters that Santiago meets during his journey use the word maktub, which as the crystal merchant explains, means “it is written.” The word typically appears just as Santiago is about to turn to a new chapter in his quest, usually by taking a big risk or abandoning a comfortable situation.
Why does the crystal merchant not like change?
The crystal merchant resists these changes, because he is content with his small business, just as he fears realizing his dream of traveling to Mecca, because he worries that he won’t have anything to live for if his dream is realized.
Why did the crystal merchant give Santiago something to eat?
When Santiago finishes, the crystal merchant takes him to a café. He explains that Santiago didn’t need to clean, because the Koran orders him to feed the hungry. The crystal merchant says it was a good omen that customers entered while Santiago cleaned and offers Santiago a job.
What problem is the crystal merchant having?
The crystal merchant is one of those people you want to pick up and shake into taking some action to make their lives better. The problem is that he doesn’t want his life to be any better; he’d rather it always be the same than have to deal with change to make it better.
How does Fatima help Santiago?
The love between Santiago and Fatima is help up as ideal – a love that is sincere and true but also involves faith rather than any effort to control the beloved. Fatima believes in letting her beloved Santiago wander free, and encourages him to pursue his Personal Legend. She promises to wait for him while he does so.
What message does the alchemist teach us?
The constant theme in The Alchemist is to pursue your dreams by following what your heart desires. During the young boy’s journey, he learns to listen to the heart and to follow the language of omens. With each passing obstacle and hurdle that the young boy encounters, there is a lesson to learn.
What is the soul of the world in the Alchemist?
In The Alchemist, part of Santiago’s journey involves his growing understanding and acceptance of the Soul of the World, an interconnectedness between living and nonliving things. It’s role is to create a Personal Legend for everything, and be fed by human emotions.
What is The Alchemist personal legend?
A personal legend, as it’s referred to in The Alchemist, is one’s destiny in life. It’s identifying our purpose in life and pursuing it. In the story, the main character, Santiago, goes in search of his personal legend. The story is an allegory for those wishing to live an examined life.
What is ironic about the ending of the Alchemist?
It is ironic that Santiago has turned down a life in the seminary because he didn’t need God to travel with his sheep. In the end, it is God he ultimately finds in his Personal Legend……
What is a metaphor in the Alchemist?
Metaphors in the Alchemist: Metaphors are figures of speech in which a word is used in a way that it is not literally applicable. An example of a metaphor in the Alchemist is the desert. An example of a metaphor in the Alchemist is the relationship between Santiago, the Merchant’s Daughter, and Fatima.
What religion does the crystal merchant practice in the Alchemist?
One reason the Islamic faith has the greater effect on The Alchemist is that the crystal merchant practices the Islamic faith.
