The Alchemist | Short Essay Assignments

Short Essay Questions

The 60 short essay questions listed in this section require a one to two sentence answer. They ask students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the text. Students must describe what they've read, rather than just recall it.

Short Essay Question - Part 1 (through page 26)

1. At the beginning of the book, how long has it been since Santiago saw the merchant's daughter?

2. What does Santiago reflect upon in Part 1 regarding to the sheep?

3. How does Santiago spend his time before he falls asleep on the old abandoned church floor?

4. In Part 1, what does Santiago anticipate explaining to the merchant's daughter?

5. Why did Santiago's parents send him to study at the seminary?

6. What advice does Santiago's father share with...
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