THE INFLUENCE OF SETTING BACKGROUND FOR DEVELOPING

SANTIAGO’S SELF-CONFIDENCE IN ORDER TO FIND THE TREASURE IN A

NOVEL ENTITLED THE ALCHEMIST BY PAULO COELHO

BOYKE ADIMAS TRIYOGO S.

1
boykeadimas04@gmail.com 218.IG.S1.2296 3VI J

ENGLISH LITERATURE, FOREIGN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT

MAHASARASWATI UNIVERSITY OF DENPASAR

Novel is dedicated to narrating individual experiences of characters, creating a closer,

more complex portrait of these characters and the world they live in. The novel of Santiago
entitled THE ALCHEMIST which was written by Paulo Coelho in 1988. This novel
provided a journey of a young shepherd, Santiago who struggled to seek his dreams in Egypt.
The intrinsic elements of the Alchemist were very important for Santiago’s character
building. The combination of all elements in this novel are very related to each other in order
to create a great story for developing the Santiago’s personality. Those literary devices can be
divided into; theme, characterization, plot, setting, style, tone, and point of view. The writer
here had a brilliant imagination to bring many different aspects of setting as long as the
stories were started at the first place. Setting is an environment or surrounding in which an
event or story takes place. It may provide particular information about placement and timing.
The importance of setting is very related to frame the characters development. Both of them
are strongly influence the actions, emotions, and experiences of the characters. A setting can
contribute to the mood and tone of the story. By describing a very memorable sense in the
entire story, the readers will have a comprehensive understanding for the direction where the
character will lead the story. A setting can drive the possibilities for the character’s lives and
actions. For inputting the background of the character, their identity, hometown, social
environment will create different perceptions and options in order to evaluate the whole
stories. A setting can evolve and change the story progresses. Once, an event comes to the
character’s life, with particular situation and condition, of course, it will bring many
progresses for evolving the character, either it will lead them to be a good or bad one.

First, a setting can contribute to the mood and tone of the story. The development of
Santiago’s character which was known as a person who was stimulated by environment.
Santiago was born and lived in Andalusia, Spain which is close to Iberian Peninsula. This
place is the important setting for the character because he started his journey and found his
dream in Andalusia. Andalusia’s age-old story has left behind a wealth of artistic heritage. In
the Alchemist, this city was illustrated as a land where many people could travel and do
business here. Santiago was depicted as a young shepherd who wanted to seek his treasures in
pyramids. The portrait of Andalusia could convince the readers that Andalusia was his
treasure in his journey. The treasure here actually was not defined as material just like gold,
money, etc. But it is about the identity, hometown, and background of the character. The
character of Santiago defined as a friendly and sociable person. He was able to communicate
with others at the first time, including with the merchants, fellow shepherds, and stable
owners. The figure of Melchizedek did really stimulate his consistency in order to find his
purpose in life.

The analysis can be proven in the passage “You old sorcerer," the boy shouted up to
the sky. "You knew the whole story. You even left a bit of gold at the monastery so I could get
back to this church. The monk laughed when he saw me come back in tatters. Couldn't you
have saved me from that?”. This statement was delivered by Santiago (EPILOG, PAGE 93)
after he arrived in Andalusia and found the clue for his dreams. The Personal Legend
described as the fundamental of life in the Alchemist story. Everywhere he went, at the end of
the day he will be back to his own treasure which was Andalusia. It was a welcoming country
for foreign tourists and immigrant. There were many people who lived here such as Moors
conquerors from Africa. By living as the shepherd was Santiago’s treasure. Even though he
travelled to a very long destinations such as Tangier, Al-Fayoum, and Egypt but he did not
find something.

Second, a setting can drive the possibilities for the character’s lives and actions. The
Alchemist was set in an indistinct time in the past. It was precisely in the pre-modern time
before the automobiles and the most modern technologies existed. Santiago lived in the
Middle Ages before the Renaissance (15th until 17th centuries) where the readers can see the
hustle and bustle of the society. The Moors who lived in Andalusia came from Africa, and
settled in there for a long time. The development of the character can be seen from the
survive of Santiago in order to achieve his dreams. He travelled to the pyramids in Egypt, by
visiting so many regions such as Tangier in North Africa and Al-Fayoum with its oasis. He
passed various challenges during the journey to Egypt. He walked from one area to another
by foot.
 The meeting with some people who influenced himself for preparing the new
Santiago’s personality from the hopeless person to be someone who were curious with his
dreams. The struggle of Santiago in caravan, oasis (Al-Fayoum) made the character of
Santiago improved. He changed to be a person who were in the process of emerging
adulthood. He was so naïve at the first time, because he believed his dreams can achieve
easily. But, at the end of day it was so hard to do until he accepted it gracefully without
forcing the reality.

Third, a setting can evolve and change the story progresses. The Alchemist has
successfully given the evidence to the readers about the journey of the main character
Santiago evolved and changed during the story progresses. The importance of setting in this
novel is very essential to see the evolution of Santiago’s habits and attitudes. Santiago has
started his journey in Andalusia where the shepherds lived together in this land. Thus,
Santiago were influenced by the personality of traveller. Santiago was represented as a
curious boy which can be proven with his habits and attitudes to change everything that he
had to pursue his dream, in this case he changed his sheep with two magical stones, Urim and
Thummim from Melchizedek, King of Salem.

On the other hand, Santiago continued his dream to another place which called
Tangier. This place was very different with the first place where the merchant dominated
here. The social structure reflected the habits and behaviours Of Santiago. The crystal
merchant was very essential in order to build Santiago’s character to be a religious boy. There
is a principle that called “the Five Pillars of Islam” which was learnt by Santiago as long as
his journey in Tangier. Those principles consist; profession of the faith, prayer, the giving of
alms, fasting, and pilgrimage. In this case, Santiago learnt the wider perspective about the
world, his Personal Legend. Then, he decided to continue for seeking his treasure but he tried
to more believe in God about his dream. Last, he continued his journey to pyramids, Egypt.
In this place, he changed very differently. He had passed many obstacles and challenges
during to reach this place. The character of Santiago transformed to be a wise man after he
met with the Alchemist. He started to be realistic with the situation and condition about what
happened in the world at this moment rather than put his ideology about what he expected.

In conclusion, based on my analysis the relation between Santiago’s character and the
setting in the Alchemist is very strong. The author combined the setting (WHERE, WHEN
and SOCIAL CONDITION) for performing the Santiago’s journey. An adventurous young
boy with his Personal Legend changed to be a wise man who came back to his hometown
after learning about the whole world during his journey to Egypt. These significances had
proven the strength of setting which was delivered smoothly by the author, Paulo Coelho.
Firstly, the place setting can contribute to the mood and tone of the story. By inputting
Andalusia as the starting point of Santiago’s journey in the novel, it means that the writer
wanted to give the adventurous colourings to be understand by the readers about the journey
to pursue his dream. Secondly, time setting can drive the possibilities for the character’s lives
and actions. By taking the setting between 15th-17th centuries has successfully brought the
Middle Ages Era where there is no much technologies and automobiles which made Santiago
must find the treasure by himself without depending on the others. Lastly, the setting can
evolve and change the story progresses. As long as Santiago moved from Andalusia to Egypt,
there were a lot of people he had met which symbolize the character’s development for
Santiago himself. The shepherds, the crystal merchants, and the Alchemist has proven the
character of Santiago has changed wherever he stepped in the different environments.