Alchemist, ending of part I

I think the novel ends this way b/c he has to suffer a setback. Like the video we watched last week argues, the hero always suffers a setback. Obviously, if it were easy to get your "treasure" everyone would have one and treasure would be less valuable. We want our hero to struggle and prevail. This is his first real challenge. Everything has pretty much gone his way to this point (although, as it's pointed out, he hasn't traveled too far yet). He needs to suffer. He's is only heroic if, after suffering, he perseveres and continues on his quest. The second part of the book will be about that quest.