Review: The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
"The value of Self-Discovery in a Modern World."
The Little Prince is a fascinating and genuine tale of solitude, companionship, despair, and love. The prince is a young child from a small planet (an asteroid), who explores the universe from planet to planet in search of wisdom. He realizes the unpredictable character of adults on his adventure. "Every adult was once a child... but only a handful remember it."
The plot is around how adults are only interested in figures or trivial matters in life, which the Little Prince cannot comprehend. Because they are preoccupied with attaining wealth and power, most adults miss out on the basic joys in life, such as friendship, love, and the world's beauty. They are duped into believing that numbers or money are significant, but their lives are meaningless. Adults are painted unfavorable by the Little Prince, who portrays them as utterly narrow-minded. On the other hand, children gain wisdom by open-mindedness and curiosity to examine the things surrounding them and within themselves.
The central message of 'The Little Prince' is one of my favorites.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly: what is essential is invisible to the eye," the fox tells the tiny Prince, expressing the fable's central premise.
It teaches the reader that to comprehend something properly, one must go under the surface, something most people fail to do since they are just interested in the face value of things, as shown at the story's beginning. This is a vital message for any youngster or adult to comprehend, and the book eloquently illustrates it.
The story is written simply, with no rhythm or rhyme, but the reader is kept engaged by the story's imagination and maturity. Along with the author's use of pictures to assist the reader in visualizing some subjects that may be unknown. Isn't it true that not everyone knows what 'Baobabs' are?
Overall, I would suggest 'The Little Prince' to all youngsters above eight, although younger readers may struggle to understand some of the language or the central concept. They may also find the book too serious, lacking in any sense of fun or comedy, while older readers will enjoy the great message included in this timeless tale.