NCantonLibrary Chat discussion

It's already April, and this is a short one, so I'm guessing some folks might be ready to start talking about this.

Reminder--If you don't already have a copy of this, it is available from Hoopla!
https://www.hoopladigital.com/

If you need help using Hoopla, just let me know.

Shelia

Just started it, and the illustrations are cute and are making me smile.

Selena wrote: "Just started it, and the illustrations are cute and are making me smile."
Honestly, I feel like this is the book we all need right now.

North Canton wrote: "Honestly, I feel like this is the book we all need right now."

It definitely is.

This is so cute! It's everything I was led to believe, only even better. I just started the audiobook today, because I've been having some eye issues (I'll be fine, btw, so no worries), but I cannot wait to hear what people think. There's so much good stuff in here (and I'm only half way) about what really matters in life.

I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone thinks as well. :)

I get the feeling that this is a book I would not have appreciated as much when I was a kid. It's super cute and sweet.

My only complaint is that the copy I got from Hoopla is pretty terrible on the writing. It's like no one sat down and edited the translation. So many grammar mistakes TT_TT

Selena wrote: "I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone thinks as well. :)

I get the feeling that this is a book I would not have appreciated as much when I was a kid. It's super cute and sweet.

My only com..."
Ugh! That's so disappointing there were mistakes in your copy, but at the end of the day, it's worth it to read this little charmer!

I snagged some questions off Book Rags. Feel free to take a stab at any, all, or something completely different. :)

What is the relevance of the pilot's early drawings and what do they say about him?

Why does the little prince feel the need to leave his planet? What does he hope to find? Does he find it?

What does the prince learn from the fox? How can those lessons be applied to life, in general?

What does the pilot learn from the prince? How does the pilot change as a result of his encounter with the prince?

What does The Little Prince teach us about friendship and love?

The prince learns many things from the flowers he meets, and the animals. But with the exception of the pilot, the grown-ups the prince meets show him only what to avoid. Discuss the significance of that, and how you think the pilot is different from the other grown-ups.

North Canton wrote: "What is the relevance of the pilot's early drawings and what do they say about him?

What does the prince learn from the fox? How can those lessons be applied to life, in general?"

The importance of the pilot's early drawings say to me that he respects the child he once was, rather than forgetting a child's view of the world. It's that quality that enables him to take the little prince seriously and on his own terms.

I really enjoyed the storyline with the fox. The prince learns about the beauty of specific relationships from the fox. Yes, there are countless potential friendships in the world, but they only begin to count once developed and once there is genuine love and connection established. I loved the idea of friendship reminders (a color, a time of day) bringing joy even without the friend's presence.

This makes me feel like a bit of a wet blanket, but I did not quite love it as much as you guys did. :) I thought it was pleasant, but I did wonder why it is quite so famous.

I noticed that it was originally published in 1943. Did others find it to have direct correlations to World War Two? I felt like I was reading into every little thing based on the publication date.

Courtney wrote: "This makes me feel like a bit of a wet blanket, but I did not quite love it as much as you guys did. :)"

In my case, I just really needed something relaxing and fun. I think it was more of a "right thing at the right time" for me. Under other circumstances, I might not have liked it as much.

I was really liking it right up until the end, and then it kind of lost me. For me, the early poking fun at adults and the childlike whimsy of stuff like the elephant in the snake made me smile. The ending had me scratching my head.

Courtney wrote: "I noticed that it was originally published in 1943. Did others find it to have direct correlations to World War Two?"

I didn't realize that's when it was published. That's a really good question and I'd love to hear other people answer it. :)

*raises hand* I can answer a little something about the time of publication.

I'll have to look up if the author specifically intended the WWII parallels, but I would guess that yes, it was intentional. Saint-Exupéry was a pilot during the war, and is presumed to have died when he plane went down over the Mediterranean in 1944.

Also, Courtney, I love your answer about the fox!

In my case, I just really needed something relaxing and fun. I think it was more of a "right thing at the right time" for me.

Selena, that definitely makes sense! I should say, that while not enthralled, I certainly kept reading - and at a time when my reading motivation is very hit or miss! (Fortunately, getting through even that tiny tome has set the ball rolling again, and I've been reading more. Yay!)

Shelia, thanks for the author info! That is an intriguing tidbit to consider when looking at the book. It rather reminds me of the semi-autobiographical elements in East of Eden; it's almost as if Saint-Exupéry were imagining a potential event playing out in his own life with his own disposition. I wonder if he really was fascinated by the drawing of boa constrictors as a child... :)

Here's some more author bio. It is said that he did not have the happiest marriage, and the rose was his wife.

Did you know Saint-Exupéry wrote The Little Prince while living in the US where he and his wife moved after France fell to Germany in 1940?

Another interesting fact--Saint-Exupéry did once crash land in the Sahara Desert, like the pilot in the story,

North Canton wrote: "Here's some more author bio. It is said that he did not have the happiest marriage, and the rose was his wife."

Shelia, thank you for the insightful author facts! With that background to the rose, I find that portion of the story even more lovely, as it points to faithfulness and finding contentment in your own circumstances rather than endlessly chasing elation elsewhere.