Dream Psychology and the Human Psyche: A Freudian Interpretation of Santiago in The Alchemist

Dr. S. Ancy Jeba Sundari

Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal college, Sivakasi, Virudhunagar (DT), Tamil Nadu – 626123.

Abstract

The unconscious mind’s hidden desires, fears, and unresolved conflicts have long been thought to be represented symbolically in dreams. This paper examines the concept of dream psychology in The Alchemist through the lens of Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory. The study investigates how Santiago’s recurrent dream serves as a catalyst for psychological change and self-realization, drawing on Freud’s groundbreaking book, The Interpretation of Dreams. The story emphasizes dreams as a symbolic projection of the protagonist’s unconscious desires as well as a means of fulfilling aspirations. Santiago’s voyage from Andalusia to the Egyptian pyramids is an introspective investigation of identity, fate, and personal mythology rather than just a tangible search for riches. The dream progressively gains existential significance and interpretative depth through interactions with important characters like the Alchemist, the King of Salem, the Crystal Merchant, Fatima, and the dream interpreter. Santiago’s choices and actions are shaped by dream psychology, which functions as a structural and thematic tool that connects the conscious and unconscious domains. Through a psychoanalytic framework, the study illustrates how Coelho combines narrative progression with psychological symbolism. In the end, Santiago’s dream solidifies Freud’s claim that dreams are significant psychological phenomena with roots in lived experience by embodying the dynamic interaction between desire, fear, and fulfilment. 

Keywords: Dream psychology, Psychoanalysis, Unconscious mind, Santiago, The Alchemist.