The significance of the sheep in The Alchemist:
Santiago’s sheep symbolizes the kind of living lived by people who are absolutely blind to their Personal Legends. Santiago adores his sheep, yet he also conveys a slight contempt for them due to their urge for merely water and food.
According to him, the sheep don’t appreciate the beautiful destinations that he discovers while travelling. He also imagines something really cruel about his sheep that they trust him so badly that he could kill them one by one without them noticing about it.
The sheep signify the personalities who are not seeking their Personal Legends such as the baker as well as the crystal merchant. Like that of the sheep, with their worldly needs and social status, these people are also pleased with themselves. Therefore, they lose the ability to appreciate some aspects of creation, and tend to leave out on numerous opportunities due to their limited perspectives.