Part 2, Section 1: Summary

One month later we find Santiago working with great diligence at the crystal merchant’s shop. Santiago suggests they build a display case to bring in more customers. The merchant is wary of this idea and is not sure of taking risks.

The merchant asks Santiago why he wants to travel to the pyramids. Santiago, believing that his quest is now a distant dream, does not wish to answer his question. The merchant then tells him that he had always wanted to go to Mecca, the holy place of Muslims. At first he’d deferred this dream to pursue wealth, and then he’d lost the courage to embark on the journey. Santiago tries to convince him that it’s not too late, but the merchant tells him that he is afraid of fulfilling this dream because there would then be nothing to look forward to in life.

Santiago discusses a new idea with the merchant, that of selling tea in crystal glasses to the people who have climbed the hill. The tea drinkers would then be inclined to purchase the beautiful crystals. The merchant realizes that Santiago has opened his eyes to possibilities he’d never explored. The idea is successful, and the merchant’s business flourishes.

Nearly a year after working in Tangier, Santiago is ready to return home. As he leaves, he once again urges the merchant to fulfill his dream of going on a pilgrimage to Mecca. The merchant says that he will never fulfill that dream, and that neither will Santiago return home to buy his sheep.

Santiago soon realizes that he must resume his quest. If he fails, he can always go back to being a shepherd. He then decides to join a caravan to cross the Sahara desert.

Part 2, Section 1: Analysis

In this section, Santiago is seen befriending the Muslim merchant. He has indeed come far; he no longer seems to view Arabs as infidels. In this section, the merchant also mentions the Arabic concept of Maktub, which roughly translates to “it is written” and refers to the primacy of destiny or a supreme power with the ability to determine fate. The merchant is aware of the power of Santiago’s Personal Legend, and seems to know that he is destined to resume his quest. In a way, the merchant and Melchizedek play the same role in Santiago’s journey. In their own, both these figures give him a reason to continue his quest when he is almost ready to give up.