In The Alchemist, who was Fatima?

In this book Fatima is a
character who is shown to be the person who is able to connect with Santiago most of all. This
is shown through the instant bond that the two feel when they first meet. Fatima shows that her
love for Santiago is sincere when she passes the test of allowing Santiago to go on his way and
embark on his quest, even though that means leaving her behind. The narrator argues that love,
if it is genuine, is expressed by people who "genuinely wish us well and want us t obe
happy." Fatima acknowledges that if there love is true, then Santiago will come back to
her. Fatima is also important because she teaches Santiago an important lesson about the Soul of
the World and what happens to all living matter when she says to Santiago the following
important teaching:

..those who dont return become a part
of the clouds, a part of the animals that hide in the ravines and of the water that comes from
the earth. They become a part of everything€¦.They become the Soul of the World.

Of course, at the end of the novel, when
Santiago has learned the truth that he has sought so determinedly, he and Fatima are rewarded by
their reunion. The last words of the novel indicate that Santiago will return to Fatima and they
will spend their lives together.