SaNaya White
Ms. Walker
Pre-AP English ll – 7th
November 8th, 2019
Unimportance to Importance
In Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince, the story is told from the perspective of the protagonist, “The Aviator” talking about his life as a young boy that comes across challenges causing him to grow up and mature as an adult, leading him to meet The Little Prince. In Mark Osborne’s film adaptation of Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince, the protagonist is a young girl who lives a mature lifestyle and meets the Little Prince through her neighbor, the Aviator. In the film and in the book, the protagonists both perceive the Little Prince as a child and character of unimportance in the beginning, but by the end of their journies, the protagonists find the Little Prince as an extremely important part of their lives.
Near the beginning of the story, the Aviator in Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince portrays his perception of being distinct and having a different thought process of that of the Little Prince’s. The Aviator writes, “He thought, perhaps, that I was like himself. But I, alas, do not know how to see sheep through the walls of boxes. Perhaps I am a little like the grown-ups. I have had to grow old (Saint-Exupery 30).” The Aviator comes to a realization that maybe he is different from the Little Prince. There is a possibility that society has caused him to mature and develop into his ideal image of a “grown-up”.
At the end of their experience, in the original allegory, the Aviator and the Little Prince’s connection evolves into a friendship of much importance. The Aviator writes, “I had let my tools drop from my hands. Of what moment now is my hammer, my bolt, or thirst, or death? On one star, one planet, my planet, the Earth, there was a little prince to be comforted. I took him in my arms, and rocked him” (Saint-Exupery 33). This friendship between the two characters allows the Aviator to become selfless as he puts the needs of the Little Prince before his own. When the Aviator notices how upset the Little Prince is, he immediately drops everything in his hands to hold and comfort him. The Aviator says that his hammer and bolt are of less importance than the Little Prince’s grief, but then he says that his grief is also more important than his own death and thirst. This portrays how deep of a connection the Aviator has with the Little Prince and how much he truly cares for him.
Similar to that of the Aviator, the protagonist (the Little Girl) in Mark Osborne’s film adaptation of Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince, also finds it difficult to understand who the Little Prince is at the beginning of the film. When the Aviator initially introduces the Little Prince to the Little Girl, she doubts the Little Prince’s existence and finds the story unrealistic. The Little Girl says, “I took basic astronomy and there was no mention of life, or children, on any other planets. Unless it’s true that he came from a star. But that’s unlikely” (Osborne). The Little Girl has many questions after reading the story of the Little Prince written by the Aviator. She uses the knowledge that she has from what she has learned in life to attempt to support and comprehend the Little Prince. The Little Prince is viewed as a character of unimportance, no more than a fictional character in an unrealistic story according to the real world.
Conversely, near the closing of Osborne’s film, the Little Girl’s perspective on the Little Prince transforms into an idea of her having to rely on him. After returning home from the hospital, the Little Girl runs to her room and notices the figurines of the Little Prince behind one of her snow globes. To the figurine of the Little Prince, the Little Girl says that the Aviator needs him and that she will find him, before leaving through the window and boarding the Aviator’s plane to set off on her journey (Osborne). The Little Girl develops an idea of how she can save the Aviator and it consists of finding the Little Prince. It is portrayed that to the Little Girl, the Little Prince becomes extremely important as she cares so much for her friend, the Aviator, and becomes hopeful that finding the Little Prince will be the solution to her problem.
Throughout Saint-Exupery’s, The Little Prince, and Mark Osborne’s film adaptation, the perspectives of the protagonists on the Little Prince evolve as they become more acquainted with him. In both versions of the Little Prince the main protagonists, the Aviator and the Little Girl, both view the Little Prince as a unique character not fully believing in his existence. The more time spent with him or spent learning about him, the more they grow to believe in him and develop strong connections with him that portray his importance.
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