The Little Prince (4C25)

Date: 15/12/2022

Good morning everyone. I am Jeffrey Tam from 4C.Today I would like to share a famous, but nonetheless inspirational book to all of you.

The book is titled The Little Prince, written by the French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in 1943.

 

The book is narrated in the perspective of a pilot stranded in the Sahara desert, who then encounters the mysterious figure who calls himself the Little Prince. The narrator then draws an odd looking sheep under the request of the Prince. Accepting this gift, the Prince then begins sharing his experience on a distant planet and his journey to Earth.

 

On Asteroid B-612, the Little Prince is the only inhabitant, taking care of the baobabs and a beautiful rose. Having an argument with the rose, the Prince then embarks on a journey to 6 different planets and meets 6 different grown-ups, each with distinct personalities representing the modern world, finally reaching Earth.

 

The narrator reminds him of the precious flower on his planet, and encourages him to return home. In a flash of an eye, the Prince disappears, and the story is concluded.

 

The Little Prince is truly an exceptional piece of literature. While the whole book uses children's language and depictions, the meaning behind it is very profound and impactful. The Little Prince, although small and young, carries a heavy burden in the book, having to clear the hazardous baobabs the moment he notices the sprouts and take care of the rose with increasing demands.

 

As he travelled to the 6 planets, the inhabitants of them reflected the ugly traits of humanity. For instance, the lonely king who reigns over his tiny planet demonstrates egoism. He had no knowledge of foreigners and merely lived in his own imagination, commanding all arrivals as if they were peasants to his kingdom.

 

The lamplighter who blindly follows so-called “orders” set many years ago to switch a lamp on and off. As the planet spins faster and faster, he did not betray the “orders” and instead lit and put out the lamp in mere seconds, non-stop. The lamplighter reflects blind compliance to so-called “authorities”, where people brainlessly followed their commands without understanding what they were doing.

 

This book serves as a good reminder for all readers, whether young or old, about the importance of upholding the fundamental purposes of life that we have learnt since childhood. Through the lens of the innocent Little Prince, the author highlights the harsh reality that humans, like all animals, possess ugly characteristics that harm individuals and global developments.

Referring to the historical context, we can notice that the book was published in 1943, during the high tide of the Second World War. Having lost Metropolitan France to Nazi Germany, the writer had to flee to North America to continue the French resistance. After seeing the horrors of the War, the writer took inspiration from them and used analogies (namely the six people) to reflect this depressing truth in the world.

 

Another spectacle is the prince’s affection towards the rose on his planet. Even though the prince went on a journey due to a conflict with the rose, he slowly realised the significance of the rose’s beauty. The relationship between the Prince and his adorned rose, symbolised the author’s connection with his kind wife who had always been on his side during ups and downs. Even after a big argument, the two realised the importance of each other in their lives, prompting the Prince to return to his planet to take care of his dear rose.

 

While a modern-day point of view may deem this too simple and naive, it reminded us that love is pure and spiritual, not materialistic. True love should be able to withstand conflicts and challenges, as demonstrated by the little prince’s story. I would like to end today’s book sharing with a quote:

“If you come at four in the afternoon, I’ll begin to be happy at three.”

 

In a world filled with uncertainty and pressure, it is important that we find a place of tranquillity in our heart. Have you found the rose to your Prince? I will leave this question to all of you. Thank you.

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