Name: Torrechiva, Allen Bryan M.

Section: 11 - A

Begin writing your book review.

“The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Title

Beginning the text

“How can a children's book contain such profound narratives?”, was a question that
popped into my head while reading the story. In Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic tale,
"The Little Prince," readers embark on a journey through the eyes of a young prince who
offers profound insights into the complexities of adulthood and the enduring value of
retaining one's childlike innocence. It teaches us to address small problems promptly,
embrace wonder, and reflect on life’s essence.

(Write a transition sentence leading to your thesis statement here.)

Through poignant storytelling and allegorical wisdom, the narrator invites us to reflect on
the essence of human nature and the significance of preserving the purity of our inner
child.

In "The Little Prince," Antoine de Saint-Exupéry uses the whimsical tale of a young
prince's interstellar journey to explore profound themes of love, friendship, and human
nature; he underscores the importance of reconnecting with our inner child, advocating for
the preservation of innocence, imagination, and curiosity amidst the challenges of
adulthood.

The author used the pilot and the little prince to illustrate the contrast between the
perspectives of children and adults, highlighting how the Little Prince's innocence and
curiosity allow him to perceive the world in its truest form.

At the beginning of the story, it shows how the pilot's first interest was being a painter. He
drew a boa constrictor and an elephant inside it, but when he showed it to the adults, they
thought it was a hat. He then explains that it wasn't a hat but an elephant inside a boa
constrictor. Chapter I pages 9-10 explains why he gave up being a painter; “The grown-ups'
response, this time was to advise me to lay aside my drawings of boa constrictors, whether
from the inside or the outside, and devote myself instead to geography, history, arithmetic
and grammar. That is why, at the age of six, I gave up what might have been a magnificent
career as a painter”. That's when he chose another profession and learned to pilot planes.
Now the next part was when the pilot's plane crashed in the Sahara Desert resulting in him
meeting the little prince. Chapters X-XV, pages 67-108. This part of the story emphasizes
how the little prince met various types of people throughout his journey. On the first planet,
he met a king with no subjects. He can only command people to do what they would
already do. The next planet was inhabited by a conceited man who sought admiration from
everyone and constantly demanded praise for his actions, even when they were mundane.
Then came the tippler who drinks to forget his shame. He then meets a businessman who is
busy counting the stars for days and claiming them as his. Next was the smallest planet
that could only fit a lamp and its lamplighter. He tirelessly lights and extinguishes a lamp
every minute. Lastly, the sixth planet was inhabited by a geographer who never explored
the lands he mapped. Each of these characters symbolizes different aspects of adult folly,
narrow-mindedness, and the complexities of human existence.

The author uses symbols and hidden meanings to talk about important life lessons, like
love, time, and what truly matters.

Explained in Chapter VII, pages 53-54. “But one day, from a seed blown from no one knew
where, a new flower had come up; and the little prince had watched very closely over this
small sprout which was not like any other small sprouts on his planet.” This is the time
when the little prince met his most valuable possession: the rose. A coquettish flower that
the Little Prince tends to on his asteroid. She is both vain and naïve, and her inability to
express her love for the prince drives him away. Despite this, she occupies his thoughts and
heart throughout his journey. The rose symbolizes love, vulnerability, and the beauty of
imperfection. When the little prince went to earth, he was stunned when he saw a couple
more hundreds of roses, all this time, he thought that he had the only rose in the world.

After walking for a long time through sand, rocks, and snow, the little prince at last came
upon a road. And all roads lead to the abodes of men. “Good morning,” he said. He was
standing before a garden, all a-bloom with roses. After realizing that there were more roses,
he lay down on the grass and cried. Then he met the wise fox. The little prince wants to
play with the wise fox but the wise fox refuses, stating that he is not yet tamed. Not
knowing what the word tame means the little prince asked the wise fox, the wise fox
responded, “It is an act too often neglected,” said the fox. “It means to establish ties.”
After some time, the little prince eventually tamed the wise fox. Just in their usual
conversation, the wise fox mentioned another unfamiliar word (rite) to the prince, he then
explained that it means to make something different to the other, in other words, special.
And when the hour of his departure drew near, he demanded that the little prince should go
and look again at the roses. As he will understand now that his rose is special. Then go
back and say goodbye and the fox will tell him his secret. “You are beautiful, but you are
empty”, said the little prince to the roses. He added that his rose is special because he cared
for it and spent some time with it as it's his rose. He then went back to say goodbye to the
fox. The fox told him his simple secret: “It is only with the heart that one can
see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

The wise fox in The Little Prince symbolizes the significance of relationships and their
ability to bring meaning, happiness, and transformation to our lives. Through the fox’s
teachings, we are reminded of the importance of forming deep connections, looking
beyond appearances, and valuing the unique qualities of others. The fox imparts a profound
lesson to the Little Prince when he says, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly;
what is essential is invisible to the eye.” This statement emphasizes that true understanding
goes beyond mere observation. The heart perceives what the eyes cannot—the intangible,
the emotions, and the essence of things.

Saint-Exupéry advocates for the importance of embracing vulnerability, resilience, and the
capacity for imagination, qualities essential for navigating life's complexities with grace
and authenticity.

Going back to chapter XVII, we have the snake, whom the little prince first meets after
coming to Earth. Their first conversation was when the little prince asked the snake where
 he was. The little prince said the snake was a funny animal because it speaks in riddles. He
also said that the snake was not even thicker than a finger, but the snake responded, “But I
am more powerful than the finger of a king.” Not knowing that the snake was poisonous,
the little prince underestimated the snake saying, “You are not very powerful. You haven’t
even any feet. You cannot even travel ...” “I can carry you farther than any ship could take
you,” said the snake. But since the little prince is not from Earth, he is weak and
vulnerable. Before parting ways, the snake stated, “I can help you, someday, if you grow
too homesick for your own planet. I can —”.

Chapter XXVI, pages 159-173. The pilot overheard the little prince talking to someone, so
he tried to get close. Despite being 20 meters from the wall, he still can't see who the little
prince was talking to. After a silence the little prince spoke again: “You have good poison?
You are sure that it will not make me suffer too long?” The pilot stopped in his tracks; his
heart torn asunder; but still did not understand. The little prince then demanded his
acquaintance to go away as he wants to go down the wall. The pilot then saw who the little
prince was talking to. He froze once he saw a yellow snake that only takes 30 seconds to
take someone's life. Moving to page 173, the little prince succeeded to go home, though
this time, it's much further. However, this ending is not meant to be interpreted literally.
Instead, it symbolizes his departure from the physical world and his return to a realm of
pure innocence and imagination. His “death” signifies shedding earthly existence and
entering a new realm where he can continue his adventures without limitations. The snake
in The Little Prince carries multifaceted symbolism. It represents mystery, danger, and
temptation. However, its most crucial role lies in escape.

In its essence, The Little Prince is a tale of exploration, not just of the universe, but of the
human heart. It invites readers to view the world through the innocent questioning eyes of a
child, sparking introspection about our own lives, relationships, and the true meaning of
love and responsibility. It calls us to question societal norms and appreciate the unique,
often overlooked beauty of the world around us.

“One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye.”

Note: Make sure that you use appropriate transition words or phrases to link your ideas
together and to shift from one idea to the next.