73 pages • 2 hours read
Paulo CoelhoThe Alchemist
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1988A 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.
Introduction
The Alchemist
- Genre: Fiction; allegorical fantasy
- Originally Published: 1988
- Reading Level/Interest: College/Adult
- Structure/Length: 2 parts; approx. 208 pages; approx. 4 hours on audio
- Protagonist and Central Conflict: Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy, travels in search of buried treasure and learns important life lessons during his journey.
Paulo Coelho, Author
- Bio: Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1947; currently resides in Switzerland; has worked as an actor, director, and songwriter; member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters since 2002; has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace since 2007
- Other Works: The Pilgrimage (2009); Warrior of the Light (2004)
- Awards: Hans Christian Andersen Award; Grinzane Cavour Book Award; United Kingdom’s Nielsen Gold Book Award (2004)
CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:
- Dreams and Omens
- Gold, Treasure, and Money
- Fear and Loneliness
STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:
- Gain an understanding of allegory as the literary form that structures Coelho’s novel.
- Discuss the historical and biblical allusions incorporated into Coelho’s novel.
- Analyze the importance of historical and biblical figures to character development through the Activity and Discussion Prompts.
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