The Alchemist as a starter

Hi Melanie--I agree, this is a good book with which to start. Almost like a fable, no? The story of the boy's travels also tells us a lot about what motivates people to travel--and that they often discover much more than a destination. Maybe I could get the ball rolling here with a question on that line--what are some of the "discoveries" the boy makes along the way? Does he remind you of other travelers you may be familiar with--like Huck Finn? or Robin in Hawthorne's "My Kinsmen Major Molineaux"? or Elizabeth Bishop's ideas about travel? Or some other traveler you know about from reading? PD