#103: Lessons from The Little Prince
I’ve often heard readers say they slow down as they near the end of a book, burdened by the weight of what’s been read compared to what remains. Maybe you’ve felt this, maybe not. For me, though, the saddest part of finishing a book isn’t reading the final lines—it’s the days, weeks, or months later when the book’s world, characters, and lessons begin to fade from the forefront of my mind. For a time, the story melds with my own imagination, but as soon as the right cover meets the left, the countdown begins before my mind drifts to another writer or the routines of daily life take over.
Reader, at some point last summer, a friend of mine texted me: “Did you ever read The Little Prince?” Being a classic, I of course knew the book, but I honestly never took the plunge. It’s also a bit long for either of my kids to enjoy right now. After I replied “no,” my friend’s response prompted me to order a copy immediately: “You should. It’s special—an adult book disguised as a children’s story.” And, Reader, he was completely right! Over the course of three or four nights, I read each word by book light and carefully obsessed over each corresponding illustration.
Antione de Saint-Exupery, an interesting man in his own right, wrote and published this, his most famous work, in 1943 while in exile in the United States. Originally published in his native French, The Little Prince tells the story of its titular character coming into to contact with a stranded pilot lost in the deserts of Africa. Through their conversations, we learn of the little prince’s origin, philosophy, and perspectives on life.
Now, as time passes, I can feel the prince slipping from my imagination. So here, in this post, I want to collect the lessons he taught me—insights as relevant today as they were in 1943. Reader, I hope these five lessons imparted on the unnamed pilot give you something to reflect on as well. They are something I continually need to hear.
Lessons from The Little Prince
Lesson 1: The Importance of Seeing Beyond the Surface.
Throughout the story, the Little Prince mentions a rose who he left back on his home planet. After traveling to Earth, the prince found that his rose was not the only one. In fact, there were many more identical in appearance. However, he eventually expresses the uniqueness of his rose to the narrator, “Here is my secret It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.” It’s his love for his rose that makes her unique. Reader, in a world of billions, isn’t it our emotions and connections that make people special in our lives?
Lesson 2: The Value of Human Connections
My absolute favorite parts of the story involve the fox character, who teaches the prince about forming bonds: "You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." The fox, tameless before their interactions, begins to rely on the little prince’s presence and companionship. Though “tamed” may have dated connotations, the message is timeless: relationships carry responsibility and leave lasting marks on our lives. Reader, we owe it to those we care for, and who care for us, to honor that bond.
Lesson 3: The Contrast Between Children’s and Adults’ Perspectives
The Little Prince is a child, and we, the adults, fill the shoes of the unnamed narrator. "Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves,” the prince explains, “and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them." As adults, we often lose our sense of wonder, trapped in practicality and routine. Watching my children transform a cardboard box into endless possibilities reminds me to reconnect with imagination and curiosity. “All grown-ups were once children,” the prince says, “but only few of them remember it.”
Lesson 4: Critique of Materialism and Narrow-mindedness
The adult world presented in The Little Prince is one of facts, vanity, and possessions. All the adults the prince meets on his journey to Earth show these traits. The Businessman spends his days counting the stars, claiming them as his own, and the Geographer refuses to record anything the hasn’t seen with his own eyes. The narrator, too, falls prey to this, eventually expressing, “The little prince, who asked me so many questions, never seemed to hear the ones that I asked him. It was from words dropped by chance that, little, by little, everything was revealed to me.” Reader, what we prioritize and how we communicate reveal our true values.
Lesson 5: The Search for Meaning and Purpose
While not present in the translation I read, a quote attributed to Saint-Exupery is often considered to capture the book’s overall spirit: "If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood or assign tasks, but teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." The little prince often grapples with questions and ideas that are much, much bigger than himself, never really focusing on the mundaneness of life. He’s motivated by a sense of purpose, wonder, and belief in the world and the people he’s invested in. Reader, I cannot think of a better lesson left to ponder as the book comes to a close, especially for adults. We live day-to-day, task-to-task, and when we focus solely on that, it becomes difficult to see our overall purpose. This view is simply too zoomed in.
Through his journey the Little Prince shows us that meaning and purpose are not found in power, possessions, nor arbitrary rules, but in love, friendship, and keeping a sense of wonder and belief in our world.
Reader, by reflecting on these lessons, I’ve allowed the prince to stay with me a little longer. He won’t linger forever though, just as Saint-Exupéry’s final illustration implies. But the truths the prince share here are timeless, and they’ll remain with me long after he’s left. It’s this writer’s hope that you take this journey one day, too, and experience the little prince’s wisdom for yourself.
Thanks for reading.