In Coelho's The Alchemist, the achemist says that for the boy to find his treasure he must listen to his heart. Why does the alchemist feel that the...

In
Coelho's , the Englishman seems to provide part of the answer to this
question. The Englishman is caught up in words: he believes that everything he needs to know he
has read in his books. However, when Santiago speaks to the alchemist, the older man explains
that the Englishman still has more to learn: he has to learn to understand the desert. This
cannot be learned from a book, but from one's hearta heart that listens to the world and
searches for omens.

The alchemist's words echo those of the Bible verse,
Matthew 6:21

For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.

The alchemist says:

Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your
treasure.

My understanding in looking at the Englishman's
methods (which the alchemist does not dismiss) is that he depends
too much on words and not enough on faith and listening to his heart. For
while the world and its words will betray one, the heart will speak the truth...if one will only
listen. And the heart...