the general
The general is the chief of a powerful armed tribe encountered by Santiago and the alchemist in the final stage of their journey across the Sahara Desert. He embodies the ultimate ordeal that the hero must face before reaching his treasure, representing the severe test that, according to the alchemist, concludes every search for a Personal Legend. His role is that of a formidable antagonist who, through his demand for a demonstration of supernatural power, inadvertently forces Santiago to achieve his deepest understanding of the Soul of the World.
Capture and Confrontation
As Santiago and the alchemist approach the Pyramids, they are seized by tribesmen dressed in blue, with black rings around their turbans and faces hidden behind blue veils, their eyes conveying the strength of their souls and speaking of death. The general, holding a meeting with his staff in a tent, interrogates them as suspected spies, having been seen near an enemy camp three days earlier. The alchemist deflects the accusation by claiming that Santiago is an alchemist who understands the forces of nature and wants to demonstrate his extraordinary powers. Seizing Santiago's bag, the alchemist gives the general all the gold coins the boy had saved, enough to buy many weapons. The general accepts the gold without a word, then asks what an alchemist is. When the alchemist replies that such a man could destroy the camp with the force of the wind, the general and his men laugh, but each feels his heart beat faster, for they are men of the desert and fearful of sorcerers. The general demands to see the demonstration, and the alchemist bargains for three days, promising that Santiago will transform himself into the wind; if he cannot, they will offer their lives for the honor of the tribe. The general arrogantly notes that they cannot offer what is already his, but grants the three days.
The Test of Transformation
On the third day, the general calls the alchemist to a meeting and says, "Let's go see the boy who turns himself into the wind." He and his officers follow Santiago to a cliff, where the boy tells them all to be seated. The general replies, "We're in no hurry. We are men of the desert." As the boy begins his dialogue with the desert, the wind, and the sun, the general watches from a distance. When the wind blows with such force that it creates a sandstorm blotting out the sun, the commanders urge the general to end the test, but he refuses, saying, "I want to see the greatness of Allah. I want to see how a man turns himself into the wind." He makes a mental note of the names of the two commanders who expressed fear, planning to remove them from their commands, because true men of the desert are not afraid. When the simum finally ceases and the boy reappears standing next to a sand-covered sentinel on the far side of the camp, the men are terrified at his sorcery, but the general is one of the two people who smile, because that disciple had understood the glory of God.
Release and Aftermath
The following day, the general bids Santiago and the alchemist farewell and provides them with an escort party to accompany them as far as they choose. The general's role in the story is thus that of a threshold guardian who, through his demand for proof, becomes the catalyst for Santiago's apotheosis. His initial arrogance and suspicion give way to a grudging respect for the power of the boy's faith, and his decision to release them rather than execute them marks the final clearing of the path to the treasure. The general's character also serves as a contrast to the tribal chieftain of the Al-Fayoum Oasis, who rewarded Santiago for his vision; the general, by contrast, tests Santiago's courage and forces him to prove his worth through an act of supreme spiritual mastery.
