The Little Prince, or Le Petit Prince, originally published in 1943, is a literary masterpiece written by French author and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The book explores themes of love and loss, as well as imagination and wonder, through the perspectives of both the protagonist, referred to as the Little Prince, and the co-protagonist, who is the narrator, presumably the author himself.
I was twelve years old when I first read it. Even as a child, I believed it was so much more than a fictional story about a little boy leaving his planet. The Little Prince felt overwhelmed by the consistent demands of his vine roses, which he watered and cared for every day, and ultimately, went on a journey to explore other planets in the galaxy in search of happiness, fulfillment, and meaning in life.
The Little Prince’s relationship with the rose can be seen as a metaphor that represents the complex nature of human relationships. Sometimes, people feel overwhelmed and consumed by love to the point that they lose themselves, so they then embark on a journey of endless possibilities in pursuit of fulfillment. During this journey, the Little Prince realizes it’s the time and care he spent on his rose that made her special and set her apart from all the other roses in the garden, which he later discovers.
The Little Prince teaches us that whenever we feel lost or unsure about our path in life, it’s okay to take the first step towards new experiences and opportunities. Even if that means moving on from things that made us feel stagnant and stuck, because growth starts when you reflect on what you deeply desire from life and who you want to be.
I believe Antoine de Saint-Exupéry intentionally chose a child as the protagonist to convey a pure and unfiltered sense of wonder and a more sincere perspective on the world for the readers. In his journey, the Little Prince is observant and curious to learn about each planet inhabited by a single adult. Through his curiosity, he tries to understand the purpose of each individual. The book tries to critique the modern adult world in which people occupy themselves with tedious and nonsensical activities (Matinpoika, de Saint-Exupéry, & Bowker, 2021). For instance, the Little Prince visits a planet where a businessman is obsessed with counting and owning stars, without ever caring or appreciating their significance. Although the businessman symbolizes greed and materialism, ownership without passion or purpose is truly pointless and unsatisfying. A great businessman is passionate about their endeavours, driven by empathy, and motivated to make a meaningful impact on others. Although the Little Prince never asks directly if these adults are truly happy or passionate about what they do, his innocent questions, driven by his curiosity to understand them, encourage the reader to dig deeper and question the realities of their own lives in pursuit of uncovering their real beauty and essence.
The irony lies in the notion that all the potential interactions, encounters and conversations one has with people they meet will unlock a part of themselves they never knew existed. A moment of sympathy, a moment of childlike wonder about the mysteries of life, a moment of love, and a moment of curiosity into the depths of a person’s mind and soul is precisely the beauty of life. We all indeed yearn for connection, but in the end, we end up discovering ourselves.