Contrast and Contradictions- Page 147

After the Alchemist and Santiago are confronted by the dessert tribe, the Alchemist bargains his and Santiago's life by telling the dessert tribe that if Santiago cannot turn into the wind in three days, then they can kill the two travelers. This already seems out of place with the cool-headed, logical Alchemist, but the scene that follows contradicts the serious Alchemist even more. After Santiago questions why the Alchemist would put their lives on the line when they were both aware that Santiago did not know how to turn himself into the wind, the Alchemist responds with the snarky remark, "'You're the one that may die…I already know how to turn myself into the wind.'" This seems odd, since the Alchemist basically left Santiago on his own to figure out how to do the impossible. This contrasts the serious and logical outlook of the Alchemist, as he usually does not respond with snarky comments but rather with explanations.

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