Because David is normally a rather unempathetic person, the fact that he develops a fondness for Petrus’s sheep is significant, as the animals come to represent his small and fleeting ability to show compassion. Petrus, for his part, is simply focused on preparing for his party, so he ties the sheep up and waits until the day of the celebration to slaughter them. However, David doesn’t like having to look at them, since they have no room to graze and are rather loud, so he asks Petrus to move them. When he refuses, though, David takes it upon himself to untie the animals and lead them to a grassy area, thereby defying Petrus’s wishes. As such, the sheep also symbolize David’s tendency to disrespect other people in order to get what he wants.
The Sheep Symbol Timeline in Disgrace
