The Little Prince

This is the story I read for my literary analysis, and now that I’m blogging about it, I’m wishing I could just cut and paste my paper into this new post! The Little Prince falls into the genre of fantasy for its talking animals and journey through space. It is also, however, a fable that can be read again and again. The little prince is actually a young boy who lives on Asteroid B-612. On his planer/asteroid/star (all used interchangeably throughout the story), the boy own three volcanoes, two of which are active, and a special flower. Unfortunately, he does not always appreciate the flower because of her outrageous demands to be loved and cared for all the time. The flower’s vanity is what initially causes the little prince to leave his home.

In traveling, the little prince comes across several characters that live alone on their own respective asteroids/stars/planets. Many are delighted to see the little prince (who has no name other than the little prince) but cannot offer much of a purpose beyond themselves to hold the little prince’s attention. Instead, the little prince drops in on Earth, where he meets a snake and a fox, and finally the pilot.

The summary on the back of the book chalks The Little Prince up to being one of those “stories that in some way, in some degree, change the world forever for their readers.” I’ve always enjoyed that description for its mystery and power, as well as its truth. The writing is poetic and philosophical, originally written in French by Antoine de Saint-Exupery and translated by Katherine Woods. There is a new translation available now by Richard Howard. I have not read it, but I am already partial to Katherine Woods’ version. It is a delicate story, but one told with humor and a sense of playfulness that nothing should be taken seriously unless it is a matter of consequences; and as the little prince learned from the fox, only “what is essential is visible to the heart”. If you haven’t read this book before, please do. It is a children’s story that needs to be read by all adults.

Also, this is just fascinating: Antoine de Sainte-Exupery