Symbols and Signs, O's and Zeroes

"You are turning the letter ‘o’ instead of the zero."
I can't recall how many times I've turned the letter 'o' thinking it was a zero. Sometimes I'll do it multiple times, getting the same results, never realizing that I have tunnel vision and that the results I desire can be achieved by simply recognizing that I need to try turning a different symbol. Usually by the time I realize this, it's too late. I'm speaking metaphorically of course. But this seems to happen throughout Greek mythology, particularly in tragedies. Consider Oedipus for example. Attempting to avoid the oracle's prophecy, Oedipus proceeds down a path he believes will thwart his prophesied fate, but in doing so he seals it. He turned an 'o' when he should have been turning a zero. Maybe the father in this story has done the same thing. He chose the method he thought was best fit for his son's well being. He chose the 'o.' Then when he realizes that he should have been turning the zero, the story leads the reader to believe that it is too late, that his son's fate is sealed.
I think this story presents the reader with a juxtaposition of the consequences of looking too deeply into the mythic clues in life alongside the failure to look into those clues. Neither result in a favorable outcome. To interpret the mythic clues just the right amount is vague and intangible, but failure to try to interpret the clues is worse.