Santiago’s Heart Character Analysis in The Alchemist

Santiago’s heart is given a voice and distinct characteristics as he learns to listen to what it says. His heart is afraid of losing his loved ones and of Santiago not finding his treasure, because the heart knows that it will suffer if these things happen. Santiago also learns from his heart how to hear the Language of the World, and to communicate with the desert, the wind, and the sun.

Santiago’s Heart Quotes in The Alchemist

The The Alchemist quotes below are all either spoken by Santiago’s Heart or refer to Santiago’s Heart. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

The Pursuit of Your Personal Legend Theme Icon

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Harper One edition of The Alchemist published in 2014.

“People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don’t deserve them, or that they’ll be unable to achieve them. We, their hearts, become fearful just thinking of loved ones who go away forever, or of moments that could have been good but weren’t, or of treasures that might have been found but were forever hidden in the sands. Because, when these things happen, we suffer terribly.”

“My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer,” the boy told the alchemist one

night as they looked up at the moonless sky.

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.”

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker), (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 134

Explanation and Analysis:

Santiago’s Heart Character Timeline in The Alchemist

The timeline below shows where the character Santiago’s Heart appears in The Alchemist. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The Interconnectedness of All Things Theme Icon

Alchemy and the Value of Simplicity Theme Icon

...see the power of all of creation. To do this, Santiago should listen to his heart, because it came from the Soul of the World. (full context)

...where the tribal wars are being waged. As they travel, Santiago practices listening to his heart, but discovers that this is not easy to do. He remembers a time in his... (full context)

The Unimportance of Death and Fear Theme Icon

Santiago’s heart is agitated and emotional, and keeps him awake at night thinking about Fatima. The alchemist... (full context)

Santiago listens to his heart and comes to understand its changes and contradictions, and he is able to move past... (full context)

Maktub and What is Meant to Be Theme Icon

Santiago’s heart becomes restful and quiet, and it begins to tell him things from the Soul of... (full context)

...to any omens along the way. Because he has now learned to speak to his heart, Santiago will know where his treasure is. The alchemist says that the last thing he... (full context)

...rarely believe that you do. With each day of traveling in the desert, the boy’s heart grows more and more silent. It is no longer active with questions—it is simply content... (full context)

Santiago’s heart points out something that Santiago has never noticed—at various points in his life he has... (full context)

The sun is setting that night when Santiago’s heart warns of danger. Two horsemen are waiting for them, and before they can do anything... (full context)

...into his fears. If he remains unafraid, he will be able to listen to his heart. Santiago protests that he has no idea how to turn himself into the wind. The... (full context)

...afraid of his powers. He spends the afternoon observing the desert and listening to his heart. He knows that the desert is aware of his fear, because they speak the same... (full context)

...the language of the desert and of the wind. Santiago says that it was his heart. The wind is stronger than the desert, because it does not come from any specific... (full context)

...feels the universe fall silent. Santiago begins to pray. It is a prayer from his heart filled with love. Santiago understands that the desert, the wind, and the sun are seeking... (full context)

Santiago rides alone through the desert, listening to his heart. The alchemist had told him “where your treasure is there also will be your heart,”... (full context)

...finds nothing. His hands hurt and he is exhausted, but he is listening to his heart, which tells him to dig at the place where he cried. (full context)