Will you be my friend? You can take The Little Prince statement as a rhetorical question to his readers, a refection of humanities greatest desires: wanting to be known, and have deep companionship within genuine connections. The book echoes the desire for the casual recollections of sweet and special memories from the mundane parts of our lives, remembering our friends fondly through ordinary things or objects, because they remind us of them.
Through this whimsical journey, the Little Prince goes on an adventure for friendship and finds out what it means to be a good friend.
Artistry and Craft
The Little Prince was alright. I found that some of the pacing with the storyline was weird, specifically when the Little Prince was telling his story in the desert. I also found the beginning a bit wanting, except for the very first opening lines with the inside and outside of a cobra resembling a hat—or so most adults thought. That was a very charming opener to the book, and it engaged my interest in the children's novel almost immediately. The opening also makes it very adaptable for other media to portray, as there are so many creative and refreshing ways to explore this story just by the opening alone.
I found that the story was very unique, with the small planets being visited by the Little Prince with all the different occupations that adults take up. The small worlds really represented the theme of isolation quite clearly, as the more we saw that the adults not only were self-focused, but that intense focus on themselves made them isolated, without friends. Considering that the main theme of The Little Prince was friendship, this way of portraying the message was very visually poignant and memorable. I also admire the bravery and determination the author had in order to pursue the particular ending that the Little Prince faces at the end of the book, as I'm sure that because this is a children's book, it would have been very difficult to convince the publishers he was working with at the time to leave it in. ★★★.5
Themes and Messages
Like I mentioned earlier, friendship is a huge theme. I heard that in the original translation to English, the French word for "friends" was mistakenly written as "sheep," adding another layer of charm and symbolism unintentionally into the book. Nevertheless, friendship is still a core part of the dynamics in parts of the book: the search for friendships, the building of friendships, and the parting of friendships, even touching on the dynamics of relational breakdown—which is a part of a young person's life when they are learning how to make and maintain good friendships through their connection and behaviours with others.
There's also a huge part of the friendship theme that is tied in with the author's idea of adults in the book. I think that in examining why the adults on their small planets are isolated, we can have a clear view of our isolation crisis among adults today. This aspect I believe, would not only be a comfort but a help to lots of adults.
What makes something meaningful? This message is scattered all throughout the small book, as well as responsibility within particular relationships. That being said, there's a particular point of contention for me with The Little Prince:
“It is the time you've wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”
I have a bit of a problem with that key statement, which is a major philosophical point in the small book. There was a blog post by Seth Godin where he stated something significant and what I believe something to keep in mind when reading the children's novel:
“Your first mistake was getting on the A53 bus, the one that goes crosstown instead of to where you're going.Mistakes like this happen all the time.
The big mistake, though, the one that will cost you, is staying on that bus.
I know it wasn't easy to get on the bus. I know you got a seat. I know it's getting dark outside. But you're on the wrong bus, and staying on the wrong bus won't make it the right bus.
If you really want to get where you set out to go, you're going to have to get off the wrong bus.”
The quote above is a reminder about wasted effort; staying on the wrong bus won't make it the right one, no matter how long you've been on it. It's a less poetic, less feel-good line than the one in Antoine de Saint-Exupery's book; maybe it's not comforting, but to say that something is worth it because of the wasted time put into it is dangerous. For instance, what about repentance then? Are sin or vices all of a sudden "worth it" merely because we've been practicing or making it a part of our identity for so long? Maybe it's the fear of something new, the newness without the old. A dead man may know his grave far back as he can recall, stepping out into the cold wind above can be anticipated as a dangerously vulnerable thing to do instead of refreshing and freeing as it is, it is a familiar hell. At least we know where we stand, sitting on the "wrong bus" rather than taking the risk and humble pursuit of getting off of it.
Of course, relationships are special when you put time and effort into them. As the book's analogy suggests, it's like caring for and watering a flower; it's your responsibility to look after it as much as you can. But this analogy only goes so far... The idea of the rose receiving all the time while the boy gives continuously is flawed. It is an error to believe one side should continuously give in friendship. I'm not talking about possessions or things; you can give in a relationship in many ways, the main way is effort. This error of thought runs through many children's books, such as The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein or The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. This idea of relational dynamics creates the expectation among young children and adolescents, even, that it's okay if relationships are one-sided, when really this can be experienced as harassment if it is unwanted, or at least toxic.
I firmly think that there should be an expectation in relationships for mutual participation and a recognition that if one side refuses or declines to participate, it is a good thing to respect the other person's and your own space. This is tricky, though, as this dynamic in friendships and even relationships is often discovered by means of the many failed relationships along the way, even as we develop a sense of what we want.
Time spent on someone as well does not dictate importance. You can be in the same classroom for 10-plus years as a child, interacting and talking with your peers without making a true connection, merely having relationships out of convenience. Connection and effort to maintain connection is what makes a relationships special. ★★★
Final Thoughts
Overall, I think the little prince was a very whimsical book that was heartwarming. It spoke to the human experience of finding true companionship and the struggle to stay selfless in a world that often demands selfishness to survive. I would definitely suggest critical thinking when reading the novel, as there can be some character dynamics that can be misconstrued and good or expected. Overall, I would recommend this book to everyone who wants to read a short, bittersweet story. I rate this book three point five out of 5
Content Discretion:
Suicide, death, greed, and relational breakdown.
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