Keep the Childlike Innocence
I.Introduction
The Little Prince first published in 1943, is a novella and the most famous work of the French aristocrat, writer, poet and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry(1900–1944).The novella is both the most read and most translated book in the French language, and was voted the best book of the 20th century in France.Translated into more than 250 languages and dialects, and it has become one of the best-selling books ever published.Saint-Exupéry, a laureate of several of France\'s highest literary awards and a reserve military pilot at the start of the Second World War, wrote and illustrated the manuscript while exiled in the United States after the Fall of France.He had travelled there on a personal miion to persuade its government to quickly enter the war against Nazi Germany.In the midst of personal upheavals and failing health he produced almost half of the writings he would be remembered for, including a tender tale of loneline, friendship, love and lo, in the form of a young prince fallen to Earth.An earlier memoir by the author recounted his aviation experiences in the Sahara and he is thought to have drawn on those same experiences for use as plot elements in The Little Prince.II.A Summary of The Little Prince
The Little Prince tells a story like that: A pilot crashes in the Sahara Desert.A thousand miles from any habitation, while attempting to fix his plane, he meets a strangely dreed little boy who seems to have come from nowhere, and who demands that he draw a sheep.\"When a mystery is too overpowering, one dare not disobey,\" so the pilot attempts to draw a sheep.Gradually the little prince reveals his story.He comes from a small asteroid, where he lives alone until a rose grows there.But the rose is demanding, and he is confused by his feelings about her.Eventually he decides to leave, and journey to other planets in search of knowledge.After meeting many confusing adults, he eventually lands on Earth, where he befriends a snake and a fox.The fox helps him to understand the rose, and the snake offers to help him return to his planet -- but at a price.From my point of view, The Little Prince is not simply a fairy tale, but a philosophical novel.The author reveals the absurdity of the civilized world through the eyes of the little prince, who has a pure heart and a true world.
III.My Views on The Little Prince
The use of the symbols makes the story full of meanings and more vivid.Firstly, the setting is in the Desert of Sahara.As for me, desert is pure land in some way, not yet the invasion of the modern civilization.Only in such a place, can love, responsibility and the human nature be revealed fully.Secondly, the first creature the little prince encountered was the snake.In the west, the snake represents mystery and power.In the story, the snake is “more powerful than the finger of a king” and has the prophet for everything.The snake thought the prince was “innocent and true” while “this earth made of granite”, so finally it sent the little prince back to his planet.What the snake said tell the darkne and evil of the human, the little prince is not suitable to live in such a place.Thirdly, the choice of the fox is also meaningful.In people’s eyes, the fox is always filled with wisdom.In the story, the fox is just like a philosopher, giving the prince advice and inspiring him to understand the meaning of love, the responsibilities for his rose, and the difference between “alike” and “unique”.The fox told the little prince his secret: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is eential is invisible to the eye”, but “the men have forgotten this truth”.The words satires the ignorance of human beings who do not even know the true eence of love and friendship.Meanwhile, it reminds us that we should be responsible for our love, to be true.In the story, it describes the people such as the king, the conceited man, the tippler, the busineman and so on.They represent all manner of man in the earth with their own symbolic meanings.The story is made up of philosophical sentences, from which we can gain a good deal of enlightenment.I will take some as examples.In chapter 17, the snake told the prince “It is also lonely among men”.As for me, nowadays people is becoming busy and ambitious, they no longer have time to care about others, even their friends just for pursuing their own goals.We can see the alienation between them.It reminds me of the masterpiece Moby Dick written by Herman Melville.Because of the alienation between man and man, they can not unite together, which lead to a tragedy in the end.In chapter 10, the king said:”You shall judge yourself that is the most difficult thing of all.It is much more difficult to judge oneself than to judge others.If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, then you are indeed a man of true wisdom”.I can not agree it more.As Plato said:”know yourself”, which is a important principle for us to live.It is of great importance to know who we are, what we have done and for what.Only if we can truly know ourselves, can we make the right choice, not blind for seeking for something meaningle.As the lamplighter said, “It is impoible for a man to be faithful and lazy at the same time.” This sentence illustrates the old saying” You can’t have your cake and eat it too”, things are always like that, admittedly, human is greedy sometimes.
The Little Prince almost covers all aspects of life, including friendship, love, responsibilities, freedom and so on.It can be said as a guidance for a better life, better society.We’d better be childish in our deep heart and soul.
