The Alchemist is the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found. From his home in Spain he journeys to the markets of Tangiers and across the Egyptian desert to a fateful encounter with the alchemist.
An allegorical novel, The Alchemist follows a young Andalusian shepherd in his journey to the pyramids of Egypt, after having a recurring dream of finding a treasure there.
The one purpose of the personification in the above excerpt is: it makes death seem friendly and familiar. The poem "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" is about the journey of the poet towards death. She tells about the appearance of the death and her journey towards her grave.