PLE

“The little prince”

Chapters 1-6

Phrases that I think are interesting

• “Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.”

• “Then I would never talk to that person about boa constrictors, or primeval forests, or stars. I would bring myself down to his level. I would talk to him about bridge, and golf, and politics, and neckties. And the grown-up would be greatly pleased to have met such a sensible man.”

• “And I saw a most extraordinary small person, who stood there examining me with great seriousness.”

• “When a mystery is too overpowering, one dare not disobey.”

• I had thus learned a second fact of great importance: this was that the planet the little prince came from was scarcely any larger than a house!

• When an astronomer discovers one of these he does not give it a name, but only a number.

• If I have told you these details about the asteroid, and made a note of its number for you, it is on account of the grown-ups and their ways. When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask you any questions about essential matters. They never say to you, "What does his voice sound like? What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?" Instead, they demand: "How old is he? How many brothers has he? How much does he weigh? How much money does his father make?" Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him.

• Just so, you might say to them: "The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming, that he laughed, and that he was looking for a sheep. If anybody wants a sheep, that is a proof that he exists." And what good would it do to tell them that? They would shrug their shoulders, and treat you like a child. But if you said to them: "The planet he came from is Asteroid B-612," then they would be convinced, and leave you in peace from their questions.

• To forget a friend is sad. Not everyone has had a friend. And if I forget him, I may become like the grown-ups who are no longer interested in anything but figures . . .

• But seeds are invisible. They sleep deep in the heart of the earth's darkness, until someone among them is seized with the desire to awaken.

• "When you've finished your own toilet in the morning, then it is time to attend to the toilet of your planet, just so, with the greatest care. You must see to it that you pull up regularly all the baobabs, at the very first moment when they can be distinguished from the rosebushes which they resemble so closely in their earliest youth. It is very tedious work.

• Just so. Everybody knows that when it is noon in the United States the sun is setting over France.

• If you could fly to France in one minute, you could go straight into the sunset, right from noon. Unfortunately, France is too far away for that. But on your tiny planet, my little prince, all you need do is move your chair a few steps. You can see the day end and the twilight falling whenever you like . . ."

 

 

Chapters 7-14

The little prince was talking about lots of things, first he was talking about his flower, and then he was talking to his flower. His flower was a little vexed with him because of its vanity. The flower felt that the little prince was forgetting its presence.

        Then the little prince talked to the writer about some trip he made before, where he knew lots of people; he knew a king of some planet, that thought he could rule the world. the king tried to convince the little prince to live there (in his planet).

        In the second planet that, little prince went, he met a conceited man that thought, everyone in the world must worship him.

        At the third place that little prince went, he found a tippler that showed him his disappointing story.

        At the fourth planet, the little prince met a bussinesman who thought that he own the stars, because he count them. He was obsesed with stars. And he was sure about his job.

         In the fifth planet, little prince, met a lamplighter who loves sleep, but can't because of his job. His planet was so small, so he couldn't fall asleep. Little prince thought that this man could be his friend, but the planet was to small to live with him there.

 

 

Chapters 15 - 21

 

At sixth planet the little prince met a geographer who doesn’t know anything about his planet. The geographer thought that he was so much important to be exploring.

            The geographer thought that the little prince was an explorer and asked him about his planet, to write about it but the planet of the little prince wasn’t interesting. Finally the geographer recommended to the little to visit the Earth.

            Then the little prince went to the Earth. He was very surprised, because there was lots of geographers, businessmen, tipplers, conceited men, etc. He had never seen that before, everything was bigger than all he knows.

            In the Earth the little prince first met the desert where he talked with a snake that told him interesting things. The snake only talks to him in riddle. The little prince couldn’t understand very well what does the snake told him.

            Little prince met too, a flower who doesn’t know anything about the Earth and humans. After that little prince was very disappointed because he didn’t find men, he couldn’t make friends. The little prince was crying for his disappointing finding, but when everything seems wrong he heard a voice that comes from a fox, this fox taught things to the little prince that he had never imagined. The fox really wanted to be domesticated by the little prince and it got it.

 

 

Chapters 22-27

 

When little prince came to the Earth, everything to him were weird.  After he met the fox, he met too a switchman who talked him all about his job, the little prince thought something interesting about it, he thought that people maybe never is satisfied where they are, because of it they always are traveling.

            Then the little prince started to talk with a merchant who sell pills that had been invented to quench thirst, it was very functional for those who don’t have time to drink water, or the merchant thought it.

            Finally everything changed because the little prince knew that he have to go back to his planet because he has to take care of his flower. Little prince told to the author that he (author) must come back at next day to celebrate the anniversary of the arrival by the little prince on the Earth. When the author came back at the place where little prince was one they before, he heard something strange, the little prince was talking with a snake. The snake bit him and then he died, but before it the little prince and the author pact that when they look at the stars they must remember each other.

 

            “Wait for a time, exactly under the star. Then, if a little man appears who laughs, who has golden hair and who refuses to answer questions, you will know who he is. If this should happen, please comfort me. Send me word that he has come back.” 

                                                           -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

 

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. (1943). The Little Prince. Francia: Reynal & Hitchcock