Excerpt from the alchemist by paul coelho "when you want something, all the universe conspires to you achieve it," the old king had said. but the old king hadn't said anything about being robbed, or about endless deserts, or about people who know what their dreams are but don't want to realize them. the old king hadn't told him that the pyramids were just a pile of stones, or that anyone could build one in his backyard. and he had forgotten to mention that, when you have enough money to buy a flock larger than the one you had before, you should buy it. how does the symbol of the desert affect the meaning in this passage? when he realizes the old king’s promises were empty, the desert symbolizes the empty future the boy will have if he continues this journey. by reflecting the universe and its endless possibilities, the desert symbolizes all the different paths the boy could have taken. the desert symbolizes the lies told by the old king who tricked the boy into selling his sheep and setting off on a fool’s quest. the desert represents the unexpected struggles that the boy has faced, showing that it is not easy to realize one’s destiny.