Part 1, Section 3: Summary

Santiago then meets an old gypsy woman in the hope of understanding his recurring dream. She tells him that the dream represents “the language of the world” and that he must embark on a quest to find this treasure. He remains unconvinced and feels that her interpretation is a little too literal. He later meets a mysterious old man, Melchizedek, the king of Salem. He tells Santiago that the dream is a call to pursue his Personal Legend. He also tells Santiago that every young person knows their own Personal Legend—the dream they want to fulfill—but as people grow old they convince themselves that the dream is beyond their reach. He urges Santiago to pursue his dreams and fulfill them. He also stresses on the importance of not ignoring omens. Santiago finally decides to embark on his quest. His father tries to dissuade him, but realizing that Santiago has made up his mind, he blesses him and gives him money. Santiago crosses the Strait of Gibraltar and reaches Tangier in Morocco, where he is swindled by a thief and loses all his money. He is distraught for a while, but very soon he resolves to see this as part of the adventure and refuses to victimize himself. He then finds work at a crystal merchant’s shop. The merchant tells him that to save enough money to cross the desert and make his way to Egypt, Santiago would need to work for more than a year. Santiago is discouraged by this at first, but decides to work until he has enough money to return to Spain and buy a new flock of sheep.

Part 1, Section 3: Analysis

Several crucial themes of the book can be discerned in Santiago’s interaction with Melchizedek. The core concept of finding one’s Personal Legend, one’s purpose in life, and the need to pursue and fulfil that Legend is mentioned in this episode. The emphasis on omens and signs hints at the ways in which the universe comes to the aid of someone who dares to pursue their dream. Melchizedek is a character from the Old Testament. He is the king of Salem, and, notably, Salem could very well be another name for Jerusalem, the holy Christian site. The Biblical overtones are hard to miss, and they underline the fact that Santiago’s journey is not only a physical one but also spiritual, a journey resulting in the soul’s awakening.

The interaction with Melchizedek offers Santiago several lessons that would resonate throughout the book. For instance, Santiago learns that his quest will not be easy, and he will have to overcome challenges along his way. His success would also depend on sacrifices. We also learn that conventional forms of knowledge, such as knowledge obtained solely from books, may not always teach us the lessons we need. In fact, they can reinforce the message that, since fulfilling one’s Personal Legend is an onerous task, one must refrain from its pursuit.