3 Review(s)

The Little Prince, a classic children’s tale by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, is the story of a tiny, charming Prince from another planet, and his journey across the universe. Summary Of The Book The story begins with the narrator, a pilot who is stranded in the Sahara desert. He has an accident over the desert, and ends up with a broken plane, and very little chance of survival. Here, thousands of miles away from civilization, he is woken by a little boy, the little Prince of this story. The pilot slowly discovers that this tiny, little Prince comes from a small, nameless planet, a very tiny planet the size of a small house. This planet has three volcanoes, a few plants and weeds, and a little flower. The little Prince likes the little flower and tends to it, but gradually tires of its vanity. He then decides to explore the universe, find new people and places. Thus begins his journey in search of what is important in life. His travels take him to 6 asteroids, and in each he comes across a single, vain and stupid adult inhabitant. These meetings make him believe that the adult world is weird. The little Prince then comes to the Earth. Here, he meets the fox. It is the fox who teaches the Prince some valuable lessons about friendship and love. It is after listening to the fox that the Prince realizes the value of his relationship with the flower. At this point in the story the prince and the narrator meet. The prince recounts the experiences of his journey and his desire to return home. A friendship develops between the two, and the story unfolds. Essentially a children’s book, the The Little Prince is used by the author to make observations about the adult world. The pilot in the story resembles the author, who himself had crashed over the Sahara desert and had a miraculous escape. The little Prince stands for the open-mindedness we find in children. He is a brave, fearless, truthful, curious, and imaginative boy, constantly seeking answers to his questions. Some of the thoughts expressed by the author instruct, some impart morals, others merely throw light on man and his characteristics. The author talks about love, friendship, and life in this symbolic tale, The Little Prince. Voted the best book of the 20th Century in France, The Little Prince has been translated into 250 dialects and languages. About Antoine de Saint-Exupery Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900-1944) was a French author, poet and aviator. Other books written by him include Flight to Arras, Letter to a Hostage, and Wind, Sand and Stars. Born in France, Antoine de Saint-Exupery became a pilot at 26. A pioneering aviator, he flew in World War II, and also the Spanish Civil War. His first popular novel, Night Flight, drew from his experiences as a mail pilot and the director of an airline. Most of his other works are also based on his own experiences, personal and professional. He won several of the highest French literary awards, and also the US National Book Award. In 1944, he disappeared over the Mediterranean while flying a reconnaissance mission.