From Coelho's The Alchemist, in what ways is the alchemist the most important character? He helps the boy through his adventure, but are there any...

The alchemist can be considered the most important character in Coelho's novel not only because his name is in the title, or because he shows Santiago how to achieve his Personal Legend and cross the desert without being killed. The alchemist is the most important character because of what he represents. He is the example of one who has already achieved his Personal Legend. He also represents the possibility for the boy, as well as the reader, to fulfill the measure of his creation. The measure of one's creation can not be fulfilled unless a transformation happens, though. For example, Santiago's transformation takes him from being a simple, inexperienced shepherd to a spiritually mature and transformed being. The boy could not have achieved this without paying attention to what he learns about alchemy. Plus, the alchemist knows what the boy must suffer and endure in order to transform himself. The alchemist knows these things because turning lead into gold teaches him that the process of transformation is more important than the result.

Santiago realizes the importance of the process of transformation when he asks the sun to turn him into the wind. The sun doesn't have the ability to do that, though. It is then that Santiago realizes that only he can make the transformation happen. Santiago's revelation about transformation is connected with his understanding of alchemy as learned from the alchemist. He explains in the following excerpt:

"This is why alchemy exists . . . So that everyone will search for his treasure, find it, and then want to be better than he was in his former life. Lead will play its role until the world has no further need for lead; and then lead will have to turn itself into gold. That's what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too" (150).

Santiago never would have made the connection between alchemy and personal transformation had he not met the alchemist and learned about it through discussions and personal experiences. Furthermore, Santiago represents the reader or any person in the world; however, the alchemist symbolizes the result, or the fact that complete transformation from something dull to something better is possible. Since the major theme of the novel is that transformation is possible and required to live a full, complete, and satisfying life, then the argument behind the claim that the alchemist is the most important character can be supported because he represents that ultimate transformation. Not only does he teach the boy how to transform, but what he does (alchemy) and who he is both represent the belief that achieving Personal Legends through personal transformation is possible.