Word Count: 1766
Having read the article The Gift Of Imagination this one quote best describes imagination
in us. “Almost all children have vivid imaginations. A few retain them. But somewhere
in the process of growing up, most people reject it or learn to conceal it or deny that they
have it, even though they use it every day.” Silver Donald Cameron. As we grow up we
loose our imagination and form ourselves to the “norm” of society. In the novel The
Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint Exupery imagination is evident throughout the entire
novel with the “grown up” and “child”. The building blocks in the novel are:
imagination, life of Antoine, novel, movie comparison, childlike and grownup
characteristics, heady stuff and the secret found on page 87.
Antoine de Saint Exupery is a French man born in Lyon, France in the year 1900. Being
born into a poor aristocratic family, he became a pilot and worked as a mail carrier.
Antoine had none to very little of a social life. He traveled to Canada and New York in
1942 with his wife Consuela. Antoine never considered himself a writer, he saw himself
as a pilot. While working as a pilot Antoine crashed in the Sahara desert. Most often in
coffee shops Antoine would doodle on the napkins drawing cartoons. Antoine’s friend
would keep all of his drawings. Consuela bought him a doll along with Antoine’s
drawings “The Little Prince” was written. While working for the French government in
1944, Antoine’s plane was shot down while flying in German territory taking pictures.
The wreckage has never been found.
After reading and watching the work The Little Prince, one should notice some
similarities and differences between the two. The main characters remain the same
personality, setting is in the Sahara desert, and the storyline and other aspects remain
consistent. The general plot with the little prince moving from one country to another
meeting new people is the same in both. During the Princes journey he meets the
following characters in both works: the pilot, the businessman, the geographer, the snake,
and the fox. Another similarity between the two is that we see pictures drawn and the
same pictures are shown in the movie.
The Hollywood version and the novel differ. Visually, and vocally are the two different
aspects. During the time of thirst in the movie the pilot and the little prince find an oasis
while there was an ordinary well in the book. The characters of the railroad switchman,
the tippler and the general were not included in the film while it was in the book. The
sunset is mentioned forty four times in the book while it wasn’t even touched upon in the
film version. Although having met the businessman in both versions, there was no
mention to “matters of consequence” in the film. The Hollywood version and the novel
have different content and visual effect.
Throughout the novel we see many childlike characteristics with the plot and characters.
There are many words to describe children: adventurous, imaginative, loving, innocent,
and creative of course there are many more words than just those five. These five words
are the ones best illustrate “childlike”. Qualities the author tries to show are:
Adventurous: “So then the seventh planet was the Earth” (Page 67) This quote is more of
a general quote that shows how the Little Prince travelled from planet to planet. He
wasn’t afraid and liked to travel. Imaginative: “ Be my friends. I am all alone,” he said.
“I am all alone – all alone,” answered the echo. “What a queer planet!” he thought.
(Page76) This quote shows how the little prince thinks that someone is asking the same
questions that he is, not knowing it is his echo. Children are also Loving: “If some one
loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the million and millions of
stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars.”(Page 29) The little prince
has one flower for which he cares for and lives for. Children love and cherish objects
also. Innocence can be seen throughout the novel. This is relevant to children due to
their lack of knowledge, resulting in them asking many questions. “Why are you selling
those?” asked the little prince. (Page 91) The little prince is curious and wants more
information. As with all children, a characteristic of being young is to be Creative:
“That is exactly the way I wanted it! Do you think that this sheep will have to have a
great deal of grass?” “Why?” “Because where I live everything is very small . . .” (Page
10) These five words are how I feel children can be best described with examples from
the novel.
Throughout the novel we see many grownup characteristics with the plot and characters.
There are many words to describe grownups and their actions. Five words that can
describe grownups are: Responsible, Stereotypical, Logical, Boring, and Narrow-minded.
There are many more words than just those five. These five words are the ones I feel that
best illustrate “grownups”. Those five words are illustrated in the novel; some examples
are as follows:
Responsible: “Good morning. Why have you just put out your lamp?” “Those are the
orders,” replied the lamplighter. “Good morning.” “What are the orders?” “The orders
are that I put out my lamp. Good evening.” And he lighted his lamp again. “But why
have you just lighted it again?” “Those are the orders,” replied the lamplighter. (Page59)
This quote occurs on one of the Princes many trips. He meets a man that lives on this
planet who is responsible for turning the light on and off everyday. A day on his planet
lasts one minute. There is no one there to check up on him to see if he turns the lamp on
or off, yet he is responsible and feels it is his duty to do it. Next is Stereotypical: “I am
drinking,” replied the tippler. ... “So that I may forget,” replied the tippler… “Forget that
I am ashamed,” the tippler confessed, hanging his head. (Page 50) The stereotype with
that quote is most people drink, smoke, eat or do some other action when in times of pain.
The tippler was ashamed of drinking and in return drank because of his problem.
Logical: “Three and two make five. Five and seven make twelve. Twelve and three
make fifteen… Then that makes five hundred and one million, six hundred twenty two
thousand, seven hundred thirty one.” (Page 52) This shows how grownups get too
involved with there work. Similarly, Boring is another word that many grownups fit the
description of: “Eh? Are you still there? Five hundred and one million – I cant stop … I
have so much to do! I am concerned with the matters of consequence.” This man has no
intentions of doing anything besides his work. (Page 53) Many grownups also fit the
term of narrow-minded also: “I showed my masterpiece to the grownups, and asked them
whether the drawing frightened them. But they answered: “Frighten? Why should any
one be afraid by a hat?” My drawing was not a picture of a hat. It was a picture of a boa
constrictor digesting an elephant. (Page 4) Grownups also overlook the little details that
children pay strict attention to. The drawing was of a snake digesting an elephant. A
grownup knows what it should look like and there for says it looks like a hat
The novel can be looked at three distinct levels, purely childish, fairy tale, and children’s
book, read as a story with a message and what the author is really trying to say (parallels
between novel and authors life) The novel is written in simple English, it is an easy read.
Anyone can understand what is being written. You can also read the novel as a book
with a beginning a middle and an end. At the end there is a distinct message that is part
of the novel. The similarities between the novel and Antoine are: Both Antoine and the
pilot are French nationality, both have the same interest/occupation of being a pilot, in
real life and in the novel he crashes in the Sahara desert, The drawings are all from his
real life drawings, the main character of the little prince is shaped from the doll Antoine’s
wife gave him. These are different ways in looking at the novel.
In addition to being a child’s book, the little prince has an underlying message that
applies to society. The secret in the book can be found on Pg 87, the snake is speaking
to the little prince, “Goodbye,” said the fox. “And now here is my secret, a very simple
secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the
eye.” This shows how people take many things for granted and we do not appreciate
what we have. We are selfish people that always want more and more. Sometimes we
don’t see the world as it really is. Sometimes we need to actually experience it to see
what is going on. We have to start to think about reality and all of the others out their in
our world which are dieing of hunger and thirst. That is why it is only with the heart that
one can see rightly. We become this way with the influence of the media. It shapes us,
the way we act and think.
After having read The Little Prince, The building blocks of: imagination, life of Antoine,
novel, movie comparison, childlike and grownup characteristics, heady stuff and the
secret found on page 87 are clearly illustrated. The role of society shapes or moulds our
creativeness. The book shows us how we loose many qualities as we become more
mature and realize what is true and what is not. A prime example is Santa Claus.
Keywords:
word count having read article gift imagination this quote best describes imagination
almost children have vivid imaginations retain them somewhere process growing most
people reject learn conceal deny that they have even though they every silver donald
cameron grow loose imagination form ourselves norm society novel little prince antoine
saint exupery evident throughout entire novel with grown child building blocks novel life
antoine movie comparison childlike grownup characteristics heady stuff secret found
page antoine saint exupery french born lyon france year being born into poor aristocratic
family became pilot worked mail carrier none very little social life traveled canada york
with wife consuela never considered himself writer himself pilot while working pilot
crashed sahara desert most often coffee shops would doodle napkins drawing cartoons
friend would keep drawings consuela bought doll along with drawings little prince
written while working french government plane shot down while flying german territory
taking pictures wreckage never been found after reading watching work prince should
notice some similarities differences between main characters remain same personality
setting sahara desert storyline other aspects remain consistent general plot moving from
country another meeting people same both during princes journey meets following
characters both works businessman geographer snake another similarity between that
pictures drawn same pictures shown movie hollywood version differ visually vocally
different aspects during time thirst movie find oasis there ordinary well book characters
railroad switchman tippler general were included film book sunset mentioned forty four
times book wasn even touched upon film version although having businessman both
versions there mention matters consequence film hollywood version have different
content visual effect throughout many childlike characteristics plot there many words
describe children adventurous imaginative loving innocent creative course many more
words than just those five these five words ones best illustrate childlike qualities author
tries show adventurous then seventh planet earth page this quote more general quote that
shows travelled from planet planet wasn afraid liked travel imaginative friends alone said
alone alone answered echo what queer thought page this shows thinks someone asking
questions knowing echo children also loving some loves flower which just single
blossom grows million millions stars enough make happy just look stars flower which
cares lives love cherish objects also innocence seen throughout relevant their lack
knowledge resulting them asking questions selling those asked curious wants more
information characteristic being young creative exactly wanted think sheep will great
deal grass because where live everything very small these five feel best described
examples from grownup characteristics plot describe grownups their actions describe
grownups responsible stereotypical logical boring narrow minded than those these ones
feel illustrate grownups illustrated some examples follows responsible good morning
your lamp orders replied lamplighter good morning what orders orders lamp good
evening lighted lamp again lighted again replied lamplighter occurs princes trips meets
lives responsible turning light everyday lasts minute check turns feels duty next
stereotypical drinking replied tippler forget tippler forget ashamed confessed hanging
head stereotype most people drink smoke other action when times pain ashamed drinking
return drank because problem logical three make seven make twelve twelve three fifteen
then makes hundred million hundred twenty thousand seven hundred thirty shows
involved work similarly boring another word description still million cant stop much
concerned matters consequence intentions doing anything besides work also term narrow
minded showed masterpiece asked them whether drawing frightened they answered
frighten should afraid drawing picture picture constrictor digesting elephant overlook
details strict attention snake digesting elephant grownup knows what should look like
says looks like looked three distinct levels purely childish fairy tale read story message
author really trying parallels between authors life written simple english easy read anyone
understand being written beginning middle distinct message part similarities french
nationality interest occupation real crashes sahara desert drawings real main character
shaped doll wife gave different ways looking addition child underlying message applies
society secret found snake speaking goodbye said here secret very simple only heart
rightly essential invisible take things granted appreciate selfish always want sometimes
world really sometimes need actually experience going start think about reality others
their world which dieing hunger thirst only heart rightly become influence media shapes
think after having building blocks comparison heady stuff clearly illustrated role society
shapes moulds creativeness loose qualities become mature realize true prime example
santa claus
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