Coelho uses the story of Narcissus in the beginning to show the reader that when you are caught up in your own life you do not realize greater things like nature and friends. The Alchemist has a message that states you can connect a person to nature and the spiritual world. Santiago puts his own interest first throughout the whole book. Instead of becoming a priest he becomes a shepherd to fulfill his desire of travelling. Its different when compared to the story of Narcissus in that in the ending though Santiago was after his own dream he realized his potential at the last moment. He realized there was more to this