Why are the little prince's phrases memorable?

In this literary work that transcends eras, cultures and generations, we find phrases that have become important contemplations on humanity. Throughout the narrative, the character's thoughts and his interactions with other beings result in ponderings on love, pride and the way we value what really matters in life.

The Little Prince is the most adult, philosophical and beautiful children's book that ever existed, being translated into virtually every language. The phrases contained in the dialogues have become famous and, as simple as they may be, they carry teachings that still remain in the subconscious of those who read this book.

Follow along with us all about this literary work and how it continues to impact generations and cultures.

A little about the book "The Little Prince

This is the most translated French work in history. This in itself is a very relevant fact, since we have in the French culture great literary exponents, and France is the cradle of numerous currents of philosophical thoughts.

The scope and versatility of this book is monumental, as it has been translated into over 220 languages and dialects since its first edition.

See below the origin of the book "The Little Prince", as well as the plot of the story. We will also analyze whether this work can be considered a children's book.

What is the origin of the book "The Little Prince"?

When talking about the origin of the book "The Little Prince", or "Le Petit Prince" in French, we must first of all talk about the life of the author, the aviator, illustrator and writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who was born in France in the year 1900.

Interested in the arts since childhood, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry eventually became an airline pilot and was later drafted into the Second World War.

During one of his pre-war flights, his plane crashed in the Sahara desert and the detailed account of this incident resulted in the book "Terre des hommes" (1939), the work that inspired "The Little Prince" (1943).

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry died a year after writing "The Little Prince" in an air crash off the southern coast of France on a war mission, not having then seen the success of his work.

What is the plot of the book "The Little Prince"?

Autobiographical in nature, "The Little Prince" begins with a childhood story in which the author, at the age of 6, draws a picture of a boa constrictor swallowing an elephant. In the story, he tells how the adults could not see what he had drawn and interpreted the figure only as a hat. At this point in the book, there is a reflection on how we lose our sensitivity as we becomeadults.

The narrative continues describing the moments after the plane crash in the Sahara desert, where he wakes up and is confronted with a figure of a boy with blond hair and a yellow scarf.

The boy asks him to draw a sheep, and then Antonie shows him the drawing he made as a child and, to his surprise, the mysterious figure of the boy can see the boa constrictor swallowing an elephant.

The little prince explains to Antoine why he needs a drawing of a ram. This is because on the small asteroid planet where he lives (called B-612) there is a tree called baobab, which are plants that grow a lot, becoming a concern for the little prince, because they could take over the whole planet. This way the ram would eat the baobab, ending with the occupation of theplanet.

On this small planet the little prince tells that there are 3 volcanoes, and that only one of them is active. He also tells that his only company was a talking rose, and that to pass the time he liked to admire the stars and the sunset.

Throughout the narrative, the author hears the stories of the peculiar boy with blond hair and his adventures, how he left the small planet for pride of the rose and the reports of his visits to other planets. Interesting characters appear during the narrative, such as the fox, with incredible dialogues and full of reflections.

"The Little Prince" is a children's book?

We can say that "The Little Prince" is a multi-genre book, being suitable for an audience of all ages. Despite being full of illustrations and not being a big book or difficult to read, "The Little Prince" surprises by the simple way it approaches existential themes.

Those who read the book for the first time in adulthood are frightened and delighted, because it allows us to make deep reflections that, many times, we simply do not realize during the course of life. In addition, this work rescues pure feelings of innocence that every human carries within, but which is lost over time.

This work is widely used pedagogically by schools around the world, including being included in lists of essential books for early childhood education. The teachings therein help the formation of the individual on issues closely related to character, judgments and how to take life valuing the little things like looking at the stars and watch the sunset.

20 sentences interpreted from the book "The Little Prince

To choose only 20 relevant sentences from the book "The Little Prince" is no easy task, because it is, as a whole, made up of beautiful lessons in sentence form.

Below we will interpret 20 of these phrases that deal with themes such as the responsibility of our actions, loneliness, judgement towards people and feelings such as hate and love.

We will also see striking sentences from the work that refer to vanity, love, feelings of loss and togetherness.

You become eternally responsible for what you captive

This phrase invites us to reflect on how everything that happens to us in life is a direct result of our actions, especially in relation to other people.

The phrase is said by the fox (one of the characters in the book) to the little prince, referring that he has captivated the rose, becoming responsible for it.

We have in this passage of the book a great teaching about emotional responsibility as to what to captivate in people, whether for the good side of love and affection or for the bad side of conflicts and enmities. What we awaken in others is of our entire responsibility, whether it is a good feeling or a bad feeling.

People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges

We find in this sentence a reflection on selfishness, ego and loneliness. All of us at some point in life seek our own good at the expense of the community that surrounds us, whether in the social or family sphere.

By building walls surrounding us instead of bridges connecting us, we become lonely and alone. As obvious as the phrase may sound, life ends up forcing us to build walls instead of bridges. If this small but meaningful phrase were followed to the letter, we would certainly have a much better world.

We run the risk of crying a little when we let ourselves be captivated

This passage from the book deals with the danger that exists when we give ourselves away emotionally. It is human nature to become captivated at some point in life, which creates expectations and, consequently, frustrations.

The "cry" used in the phrase comes from the disappointments that delivery inevitably brings. We are complex beings and each one is a universe apart. Therefore, the "risk of crying" is always present in our lives, since, being human beings, attitudes that disappoint are almost always certain to happen.

It's a lot harder to judge yourself than it is to judge others

This sentence refers to the ease we have in judging people and situations, but not ourselves. No matter how hard we try to avoid this kind of behavior, we end up projecting on people what bothers us internally. After all, it is much more comfortable and easier to see the defect of others than our own.

This excerpt from the book is like a reminder for a reflection on judgments. It is good to always remember and repeat this phrase as if it were a kind of mantra. Judgment, whatever form it takes, is unfair and destroys relationships and reputations.

All great people were children once, but few remember it

"The Little Prince" is a book that rescues us the purity and innocence of childhood, and this phrase refers to just that. All of us were once a child, but maturing makes us forget that, seeing childhood only as a distant phase in the past.

It is a message to never forget that we will always have a child inside us and that as we grow up and become adults, we cannot stop appreciating the little things in life.

The book enchants several generations exactly for remaking this link between child and adult that the merciless "Mr. Time" insists on breaking.

It is necessary to demand from each one, what each one can give

Relating to someone, whether under family, professional or affective aspects, involves dealing with expectations. This phrase from the book reminds us that we cannot demand or charge so much what we expect from people.

The demonstrations of feelings and affection should be natural, that is, we should receive and accept from people what they can and want to offer us, so that, in the same way, we can also offer and be accepted by those we love.

When you walk straight ahead you can't go very far

Here we see a reflection on the diversity and variety of choices and paths that life offers us. How many times have we asked ourselves where life would have taken us if we had taken different paths?

The book reminds us in this passage that trying new directions, new airs and paths can take us much further in terms of plans and experiences.

I need to support two or three larvae if I want to meet the butterflies

This passage talks about how we should face bad situations and bad times with resignation and faith, for then better times will come.

It also refers to how we go through times when we are emotionally shaken, but eventually a transformation for good occurs, just as maggots become butterflies.

It's crazy to hate all the roses because one stuck you

This phrase is a clear message that we have no right to hate everything and everyone because of some negative situation we have been through.

Human beings have a tendency to overvalue the offenses they suffer, and use them as a parameter for future interpersonal relationships. We should face these situations only as isolated cases, and not as an excuse to generalize people.

One can only see well with the heart, the essential is invisible to the eye

In this excerpt from the work there is a reflection on status and image. It tells us that what matters in life is really in the form of intangible things like feelings, emotions and experiences, and not in material things, status or appearances.

It is part of human nature to have ambition for the attainment of riches and material goods, but what really matters are things that transcend matter.

If you cry for missing the sun, tears will prevent you from seeing the stars

Many times we tend to withdraw and isolate ourselves when we go through some bad or traumatic experience. This phrase from the book tells us that sufferings can prevent us from living the good side of life.

We must understand that these things are part of life, but that they cannot be factors that prevent us from actually experiencing the good things that happen to us.

Love is the only thing that grows as you share it

Here we have a truly beautiful passage from the book. In it is contained a teaching that love in truth should be universal and always shared and spread.

To keep only for yourself the love that you have inside you, in a certain way, prevents it from growing, remaining and becoming stronger.

True love begins there where nothing else is expected in return

Many times we confuse love with affective neediness, and we look for it in people from whom we expect reciprocity of feelings.

In this phrase there is the wisdom that, in truth, love asks nothing in return, and is truly born when this conception comes to be fully understood and put into practice.

I won't tell you your reasons for loving me, for they don't exist. The reason for love is love

In this passage of the work we are reminded and affirmed that there are no reasons or motives to love. Love itself is unpretentious and, when true, simply happens without waiting, planning or seeking.

It is one of the phrases among many others that show the purity and sincerity that true love has, transcending barriers, intentions and expectations.

To see clearly, simply change the direction of your gaze

It is common for all of us to focus on things that are not so important in our lives. This often leads us to misunderstand or not see situations clearly.

The phrase shows us that we should have different views about the same thing, whether it's someone or some event or situation. This will make us have another point of view, which will help us to have a clearer understanding about everything.

It was the time you devoted to your rose that made it so important

The understanding of this phrase refers to the importance we give to what we dedicate ourselves to. The more we dedicate ourselves to some person or something, the more it becomes important in our lives.

This passage from the book makes us reflect, on the other hand, on how we can fool ourselves and judge someone important in our lives just by the fact that we are so devoted to them.

For the vain, other men are always admirers

This phrase says a lot about how people with inflated ego behave in front of others. Those who think they are beautiful and have a tendency to worry about this aspect usually feel admired by everyone around them.

It is a clear reflection that we should be careful that our ego does not go to our heads, making us arrogant and superficial. After all, we should be admired not for our appearance, but for our character.

Love does not consist in looking at the other, but in looking together in the same direction

Many relationships fall apart because one person is in dissonance with the other. This phrase makes a reference to the fact that love is stronger if the one you love follows the same direction.

It can also be understood as the importance of working together. The collective, when aligned and having the same goals, will surely do a better job than the individual.

Only the invisible ways of love set men free

This phrase is quite significant and gives us a dimension of the liberation that the power of love carries. It is worth mentioning the context of the World War the world was going through when the work was written, which gives an even greater significance to the phrase.

The liberation that love brings to men makes reference to peace and care in relation to nature and neighbor. It is only through love that humanity will find evolution.

Those who pass by us do not go alone, they do not leave us alone. They leave a little of themselves and take a little of us

We end with this beautiful and very meaningful phrase from "The Little Prince". It brings us the sense that, in our lives, the interaction with other individuals enriches us and makes our experience of life rich and ennobling.

When living with people, whether individually or in society as a whole, we leave our impressions, our worldviews, our flaws and our qualities. In the same way, we are influenced by our surroundings and by whoever passes through our lives, whether in a negative or positive way.

Can the phrases of the little prince help me in everyday life?

Light and quick to read, "The Little Prince" has become one of the great icons of world literature. It covers all age groups and has become popular all over the world, being a reference of children's literature, even though adults and elderly people appreciate it perhaps even more enthusiastically than children and teenagers.

The great lesson of this book is precisely this relationship between childhood and adulthood, and that is why the work becomes so instigating for all age groups. It would be a kind of journey where adults rediscover their inner child and remember how the small and simple things in life were lost over the years.

Filled with reflections on love, pride, friendship and life in general in the form of striking phrases, "The Little Prince" can be a great relief and practically a therapy for everyday life.

This work still remains among the 100 most read in history for its deep and philosophical relevance. If you are looking for a book that will transform your life or your view on the world in general, for sure "The Little Prince" is the most suitable book.