Symbolism In Three Wise Old Man By Melchizedenek

After delivering Santiago two stones for his journey, Melchizedek tells him the story of the wisest man in the world, who asked a visitor to his beautiful palace to carry a teaspoon of oil throughout the grounds. Upon the boy’s return, he asked what he had seen, but the boy had been too focused on not spilling the oil that he had failed to notice any of the marvels around him. “The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.” (Coelho, 32) This quote symbolizes the contribution from.
Three wise old man photographs symbolize the ‘savior’, deliverer, and the ‘master.’ The first of the three wise men that Santiago encounters represent his father. His father had wanted Santiago to

become a priest, but despite those wishes he had; he still gave Santiago his blessing when he told him he wanted to travel and befit a shepherd. The second wise man Santiago encountered on his journey was the King of Salem. This man motivates Santiago to follow his personal legend. He tells him his recurrent dream is true and should follow the dream to the pyramids of Egypt. The final and most important wise man Santiago came upon in his journey was the Alchemist. The Alchemist was the one to “push him” to stay on the right path of following his personal legend, rather than staying with Fatima in the oasis. He directed him through the desert and explained him many things along the way, including about the Soul of the World and how everything is connected. These three wise old men were crucially influential because if Santiago had never met them, he would have completely given up on his Personal Legend and merely remained a shepherd for the rest of his life.
The second item I would put Urim and Thummim that Coelho alluded to Hebrew Bible. They are fortune-telling stones that Melchizedek gives to Santiago. These stones stand for the characters' needs to respond to omens, which are essential motivating factors.
The stones are black and white; with their colors, representing “yes” for black and “no” for white to answers Santiago’s questions. Melchizedek tells Santiago that he must only ask objective questions about the stones. Because of this, Urim and Thummim symbolize certain and objective knowledge and act as an answerer for Santiago’s journey.