Question

As Santiago considers why he needs to keep his jacket, even though he spends most of the day carrying it around in the heat, a central theme of his hero's journey is introduced. The jacket, therefore, is a symbol, or something that is itself but also represents something else or something deeper, in this case, a theme.

What is that theme or lesson, and how does the jacket embody, or symbolize that theme?

Answer 1

In "The Alchemist," by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, Andalusian shepherd boy Santiago prefers to keep his jacket for the reason that in the south of Spain the temperature changes from extremely hot during the day to very cold at night. Besides, the jacket is a representation of his willingness to change and see the world during his journey to Egypt, which has to do with the central theme of the novel: readiness to change.