Journal October 4

For my final Alchemist blog post, I would like to talk about names in this book. The book is very strange when it comes to names. Throughout the book, the author only mentions Santiago's name once, and this is when we are introduced to him. "The boy's name was Santiago" (pg. 1). I think that this is so the reader can relate to the protagonist more. A name puts another barrier between the reader and the protagonist. By not having a name for the protagonist, the reader will be able to relate their journey through life to Santiago's journey through life. Even though readers most likely won't travel through Egypt, they will be able to understand his journey to complete their goals easier since Santiago is just called the boy. They will also be able to put their name in place of the Santiago's name because he is just referred to as the boy.