PART TWO Summary (continued)

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Summary

The boy is impressed with the size of the oasis which is larger than many towns in Spain. Also, he notices that no precautions are being taken against the tribal wars. The camel driver explains that this is because oases are considered neutral territories since most of their inhabitants are women and children. The members of the caravan must stay at the oasis until the tribal wars are over and will be given the best accommodations according to the law of hospitality. However, no one will be allowed to carry weapons. The Englishman hands over a revolver and when Santiago asks why he was carrying it, the man replies that it helped him to trust people. As for Santiago, he is aware that the closer he gets to his treasure, the less his beginner's luck is working. He is constantly being subjected to tests of persistence and courage. He knows he must be patient or he will miss the signs and omens placed in his path by God. He is amazed that he now knows it was God who placed them there, because he thought them to be the things of the world. He had never thought of them as a language used by God to tell him what to do.

The next day, the Englishman comes looking for Santiago to help him find the Alchemist. They search for.....

Notes

The major lesson of this section involves the concept of omens. Santiago has finally realized that he must be patient and God will send him the omens he needs to proceed to his treasure. He is content, therefore, to remain on the oasis until an omen changes the course of his life. One of the course changes involves........

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