How did Coelho deploy figurative language elements to reveal the themes of the novel

There is figurative language throughout the book. Coelho was a master at magic realism fiction. The figurative language often illustrates dreams and the subjective interpretation of reality. Symbolism, metaphor and personification often take centre stage, especially within the context of the dreamscape.It is a dream that first leads Santiago to pursue his destiny. It is also a dream (although someone else's dream) that sends him back.

Santiago dreams of a child showing him a treasure at the base of the Pyramids; when we first read of the dream, we are led to believe that Santiago has had it before. When he tells the gypsy of Tarifa and Melchizedek about this dream, they both implore him to follow it, because, they argue, dreams are the language in which the Universe speaks.