Santiago

Santiago is the central character, and as this fable begins the reader sees the world mainly through his point of view. His long, difficult journey represents each person's journey through life. Santiago's parents have raised him with respect and sent him to school to study language and religion. Their hope is that he will become a priest and not live a life of toil, like they have. His nature is to be curious about the world though, and he craves traveling so that he can find things out for himself. He chooses to become a shepherd so that he can travel and learn things firsthand.

When Santiago has the same dream twice, of a child trying to show him where to find hidden treasure at the Egyptian pyramids, he responds to it. The dream is a sign, or an omen, that he must leave his familiar life as...