Reference no: EM133402545

Questions:

1. What point does the Melchizedek's story about the boy in the castle and the drops of oil make? How might this story apply to us in our modern lives?

2. How does the King of Salem (Melchizedek) assist Santiago in recognizing omens? When does Santiago use this help?

3. How do Santiago's thoughts and perceptions about himself and the world begin to change? Describe three things that Santiago sees now that he had never noticed before.

4. After he meets Melchizedek, Santiago considers traveling to Africa to start his journey. He even goes so far as to approach a ticket window to book passage on a ship to Africa (across the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier in Morocco). In the hero's journey model, Santiago is, perhaps, standing right at the beginnings Call to Adventure: he has to decide whether to respond to The Call, or not. At this point, we see his uncertainty when he momentarily changes his mind and decides to stay and continue being a shepherd. What makes Santiago hesitate?

5. As he stands gazing across the Strait toward Africa, Santiago feels a strong wind, called the "levanter" on his face. What does he realize that the wind symbolizes, and how does this realization help him decide to start on his journey? How do we know that Melchizedek's advice helps him make this decision?

6. The King tells the boy that when you really desire something "All the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." And he explains the principle of "favorability," or beginner's luck. How has Santiago benefited from beginner's luck so far? What can we anticipate will happen at some point in his journey based on his favorable luck so far?

7. What does Melchizedek give Santiago to help him on this journey, and how does he tell the boy to use the gift? In the hero's journey model, what is the term we use to describe this sort of object given by a mentor to an initiate? Hint: this gift has symbolic meaning. Can you guess what the gift symbolizes?

8. Melchizedek tells Santiago the fable of the oil and the spoon. Those who understand the moral of the fable hold the key to happiness. Santiago believes he understands the moral of the story. What does he think the lesson of the story is?

9. One of the first major diversions from Santiago's journey is the theft of his money in Tangiers. How is Santiago's money stolen? Using the terminology of the hero's journey model, we could describe this experience as a Test/Ordeal. How does the fable of the oil and the spoon relate to this Test?

10. After he has been robbed of all his money in Tangier, Santiago at first begins to despair and regret that he ever set out on his journey. As he gazes at the stones, however, he realizes what his mistake was in dealing with the thief who robbed him. What was his mistake, and how will need to change in order to find his treasure?

11. What happens when Santiago asks the stones to tell him if he will find his treasure? Santiago believes this is an omen. What might it mean?

12. Santiago realizes that he has a choice to make: he has to choose between thinking of himself as a poor victim of a thief and as an adventurer in quest of this treasure? What choice does he make, and how does this relate to the idea of Tests and Ordeals in the hero model?

13. How has the character of the Crystal Merchant been tricked over time into believing "the world's greatest lie," as Melchizedek called it?

14. The Crystal Merchant tells Santiago that even if the boy worked for a year in the shop his earnings wouldn't pay for his passage across the Sahara Desert to Egypt. What does Santiago say in response to this news? How does his response confirm the omen that was revealed when he asked the stones if he would find his treasure?