Urim and Thummim

The Alchemist is about a shepherd named Santiago from a town in Spain, who has a recurring dream about a treasure buried next to the pyramids of Egypt. He meets a man who claims to be the King of Salem, telling Santiago that his Personal Journey is to search for his treasure. The king gives Santiago two stones called Urim and Thummim, which will help him in his times of need. On his journey, he meets an Englishman who introduces him to alchemy. They stop in Al-Fayoum to avoid any interaction with a present war. There Santiago meets Fatima, a woman he claims to have loved before knowing of her existence. Santiago meets an alchemist who teaches him to listen to his heart in order to pursue his Personal Legend.They come across one of the battling…

Santiago pondering a dream that he's had, and he eventually goes to a gypsy who analyzes his dream. Santiago has many times dreamed of a treasure in the pyramids to Egypt. Santiago soon finds out that going to Egypt and finding treasure is his personal legend. God was communicating with Santiago through his dream to help him achieve his personal legend. Coelho also decided to include the Gypsy, who deciphered Santiago's dream, demonstrating how Coelho believes that dreams are a message from God…

Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Santiago is impacted by The Alchemist, the crystal merchant and Melchizedek. All of these people taught Santiago something which let him achieve his personal legend. All of these characters played a vital role in him completing his journey. The first person that Santiago meet on his journey which really taught him something about himself was Melchizedek. When Santiago ,met with Melquisedec, he appeared to be a rich man wearing a golden breastplate but covered with a…

place called Salem and thinks that the old man is crazy. He thought the old man was part of the Gypsy scam he encountered earlier saying how his treasure is in the pyramids. While Santiago continues to read, Melchizedek begins to write the names of his parents in the sand with a stick that happened to be nearby. Santiago never told the Gypsy the name of his parents. He then gives a chance for the king spek and Melchizedek explains the concept of a Personal Legend. While he explains, the king…

The Origins of Urim and Thummim Two simple stones; they were smooth and clear in color. There is proof of the stones existence during the 8th century BC. Those that understand them know these stones as Urim and Thummim (The Alchemist). Their main function was to communicate with God because “they were one of the three legitimate means of obtaining oracles in early Israel” (Jewish Viral Library). Now, not just anybody could use them, only a select few had the knowledge to make them function. …

and chooses not to give up on his dreams unlike before he’d faced the adversity. Santiago perfectly demonstrates how when an individual faces adversity with perseverance it shapes the person and how they think for the better. When Santiago first set out on his adventure he was an overly eager and trusting young man who expected that because he choose to follow his dreams that they would quickly and easily become reality with little effort. The world soon challenges how dedicated Santiago is to…

difficulties and pain which he will have to suffer in his journey of being an shepherd. He was happily living in the hills of Andalusian with his family if he chooses to become a priest than he might be happy and without any fear living in the hills of Andalusian with his family, but he listened to his heart and his hearts wants to travel the world and discover the treasure he dreamed for. Everybody doesn’t have the courage to leave home and chose a path in which he has to face danger,…

“We found it!” yelled Miguel as the boat sailed into El Dorado. “Finally! After months and months of sailing we finally found the famous-for-it’s-gold- El Dorado!” I cried leaping off the boat. It was amazing to see all of the gold that we have been looking for. Their chief came and greeted us along with Tzekel-Kan, the kingdom’s High Priest. The chief whispered something to Tzekel-Kan, who lighted up as if the world was in his hands. “Yes, Your Majesty, I did predict that three young people…

interpret what he has said. But if he speaks in the language of the soul, it is only you who can understand,” wrote Paulo Coelho. Omens are events that hold great prophetic power, and in the case of Santiago, can change one’s life. Fatima, Santiago’s sheep, and Urim and Thummim are omens and are symbols that project the story of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho forward by shaping a theme of “some risks are worth taking”. In the first half of the novel, the sheep embodied what was keeping Santiago…

The first effect of leaving his fears behind is that he learns that the treasure in his dreams is real. For example, Santiago is scared to tell the woman about his dream, but he tells her anyway, and she tells him that his treasure is at the pyramids in Egypt. Instead of forgetting about the dream and not telling the gypsy, he is able to know for certain that the treasure exists. Similarly, the second effect of leaving his fears behind is he learns where and how to find his treasure. For…