The Little Prince Book Review
Reading “Le Petit Prince” at different stages of life brings out mixed emotions. It is an enriching read that is heartwarming and saddening at times, as the story evokes our childhood sentiments and adulthood reflections. As the author Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote, “Toutes les grandes personnes ont d’abord été des enfants, mais peu entre ells s’en souviennent.” (All grown-ups were once children, but only a few of them remember it)
I read this book first in English and then in French, and felt that the beautiful prose of the French language made the tale more stirring and captivating. Three elements of the story made a lasting impression for me — the essence of “loving another”, our innate curiosity, and our common humanity (the follies of “les grandes personnes”).
The essence of love
The fox said to the little prince, « On ne voit bien qu’avec le cœur. L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux. » (One sees clearly only with the heart.) « C’est le temps que tu as perdu pour ta rose qui fait ta rose si importante. » (It is the time lost with your rose that makes your rose so important for you.) In teaching the little prince how to befriend and love another, the fox demonstrates that patience, consistency, hard work, and oftentimes pain is encountered along the way.
In adulthood, we realize that the superficial objects — wealth, titles, and fame — are superfluous and fleeting. If is our family, old friends, and a portfolio of memorable events lived together, that anchors you through rough tides.
Reflecting in the past few years, a few memorable events stood out for me. Listening to D**** talk through the grievances and challenges he faced as he navigated adulthood, discussing with J*** and J**** on ruptures with close ones, and the reunion with E**** on the other side of the planet were important memories that held us together. It is the difficult times, the rough tides, and the hard conversations that bond us tighter. “Sometimes you need a shoulder to lean on, and sometimes you will be the one who provides strength and courage for others to go on.”, said C****.
Our innate curiosity
« Le petit prince ne renonçait, jamais à une question, une fois qu’il l’avait posée. » (The little prince never lets a question of his go unanswered.) As we enter society after graduation, our courage to ask questions and our curiosity for the world around us seems to sink gradually. Following rigid rules, staying safe (better than sorry), climbing ladders step by step, we try our best to put on a mask of confidence, composure, and competence.
The little prince reminds us of the innate curiosity that we all possess as children, and still possess today. His questions remind us of the courageous and open-minded soul within us. He asks us to loosen up a little, to be a bit playful, to change some our daily rituals to learn about something new.
How long has it been since you’ve tried a new hobby, a different way back home, or learn something outside your field of work? Consumed by work and pressed by family obligations, it might be challenging to be creative and curious — yet some “blank space” between our schedules for curious pursuits are important for nourishing our souls.
Our common humanity
« On y compte cent onze rois, sept mille géographes, neuf cent mille business men, trois cent onze millions de vaniteux, c’est-à-dire environ deux milliards de grandes personnes. » (In this world, we have 111 kings, 7000 geographers, 900,000 businessmen, 311,000,000 conceited men- about 2 billion grown-ups.) The little prince shares a simplified caricature of adult life. During his journey across different planets, he encounters a businessman, a king, a drunkard, a geographer … all of them consumed into their daily ritual, and radiating characteristics such as vanity, selfishness, obsession with rank and wealth.
« Si je vous ai raconté ces détails sur l’astéroïde et si je vous ai confié son numéro, c’est à cause des grandes personnes. Les grandes personnes aiment les chiffres. » (Grown-ups love numbers) To an extent, this is a true reflection of the corporate world, where being precise with figures and growth numbers is essential. Growing up requires “code switching”, as we learn about the obligations and rules across our workplaces, schools, and society.
« Lui parle de bridge, de golf, de politique, et de cravates. Et la grande personne était bien contente de connaitre un homme aussi raisonnable. » (I talk to adults about bridge, golf, politics, and neckties.) This rings a bell, when I listen to conversations of property prices, cars, and the next vacation…until one day I find myself in midst of these conversations too (?)
Since high school, I’ve had periodic calls with pals closest to me, and it has always struck me how fast conversation topics progress, throughout these 7+ years. From freshman year joys of foreign endeavors and university settings, senior year apprehensions on visa status and work, to adulthood discussions on relationship ruptures, further study endeavors, to family dynamics… these years of our twenty somethings are accelerated with change and growth. Conversation topics diverge and transcend, and we may become smoother with age, but are we wiser with experience?
