La Consolacion College

Villa Maria Subd. Deparo, Novaliches, Kalookan

City II

Home Reading Report

In
English IV
“The Little Prince”
By Antoine de Saint - Exupẻry

Submitted By:
Anthony von Ludwig A. Dimson

Submitted to:
Mrs. Segunda M. Babiera

Date:
January 18, 2007
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction 3
II. Main Characters 4
III. Other Characters 5
IV. Plot Summary 6
V. Impressions 6
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I. Introduction

With outmost and due respect to Mrs. Segunda M. Babiera, I would like to
introduce, in completion of our English IV requirements, this home reading book
report.
This book report has been a challenge to me. (Please forget the fact that I already
know the book.) A challenge to present the story in a manner other people hasn’t
experienced yet. I want the reader to think deeper upon the words cast by the author,
to let them sink into their minds with meaning. I want them to see how I saw it. I
want them to feel how I felt. Just like the author, my main goal here is to tell of my
experiences during my encounter the prince. He is real.
The copy of the book I have is rather old and small. The cover, illustrated with a
blonde boy dressed in green with a red bow tie standing on a small planet, is already
turning yellow. The front and the back are divided into two leaving some pages torn
apart. On the upper portion of the book there lie two holes punched through. The
book has already taken its toll. Given a chance to speak, it may be clamoring for a
replacement but, no, never would I replace it for it has become a part of me. It has
contributed to what I am now.
It is my first copy of the book. Don’t blame me for its state because that’s how I
got it when I was twelve. I tried to salvage it but to no effect. Yes, I didn’t buy it. My
sister found it on a church then gave it to me but, hey, in a church? That is also why I
like this book. It is heaven-sent. I never think that my sister finding this on a church is
a coincidence. It is planned by God himself.
The title is ‘The Little Prince.’ It was written and illustrated by Antoine de Saint-
Exupẻry, a French poet and aviator, whole name was Antoine Marie Roger de Saint-
Exupẻry. The book was first published in 1943 and has become one of the classic
children’s literatures of the 20th century. Just after a year of the publication, Antoine
was shot down on a mission over France. His plane disappeared; some believed it was
an accident or maybe suicide for he always felt isolated and pessimistic about the
future. But for me, he has come at last with the little Prince.
For those whose still hadn’t read the book, I dedicate it to them.
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II. Main Characters

The Little Prince

The Little Prince represents simplicity and wisdom of a child. His constant
searching had led him to different places, meeting grown-ups who are just
concerned with matters of consequence. He always asks but never answers one.
On his stay here on Earth he became acquainted with the fox who taught him the
most important thing in life that is love and appreciation. He also happened to
meet the pilot, who is the narrator, to whom did he tell of his adventures.

The Pilot
He was forced to land on the hot Sahara Desert when his airplane broke down. In
the desert he came to meet the Prince who asked him for a sheep. Instead of a
sheep he gave him an illustration of an elephant inside a boa to which the Prince
understood that surprised the Pilot since everyone who sees the drawing think it is
a hat. He was once artist but grown-ups didn’t approve of his hobby as an artist,
so he decided to leave his dreams of becoming a painter. As days pass, he became
fond of the Prince. He also became one of those who are ‘tamed’ to the Prince’s
naivety.

Rose
This creature was the only one the Prince could converse to in his planet. The rose
was very arrogant but was forced to admit that she care for the Prince when he
sought to leave.

Fox
The fox is the wisest character in the story, besides the Prince. He taught the
Prince how to ‘tame’ and what was ‘taming’ all about. The Prince tamed him and
he cried when the Prince left, so the Prince became worried about him but he
reassured the Prince that it is okay because he has given a meaning to his life – he
now has someone to live for. He also told the Prince that the time spent caring for
something defines how important it is to the person. At this, the Prince now
knows why the rose has been very important to him.

Snake
Became a major character since he was the Prince’s aid in returning to his planet.
The snake was the first creature the Prince met during his descent to Earth. The
Prince mistakenly stated that the Snake was a funny animal since he was no
thicker than a finger. The snake always speaks in riddles which, according to him,
he answers himself. He is the first one to know that the Prince came from a star.
He also noticed that the Prince is weaker on Earth than in his own planet.
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III. Other Characters

King
The king is the first person met by the Prince on his journey. His planet was very
small that his robe fills every space of it. According to him, he is the absolute
monarch of everything. He offered the Prince the place of being his Minister of
Justice and that the Prince could judge himself or the rat he must condemn to
death but must be pardoned for it is the only rat they have. The Prince found the
monarch to be ridiculous so he left.

Conceited Man
The conceited man is the person next met by the Prince after the king. With a clap
he raises his hat and bows a salute for some time this seems to entertain the Prince
but he grew tired of the monotonous action of the man. The man doesn’t hear
anything but praises so the Prince left the man’s planet.

Tippler
This must be the funniest person met by the Prince since he drinks wine in order
to forget that he is ashamed of drinking.

Businessman
One the grown-ups who are just concerned with ‘matters of consequences.’ The
businessman convicts that he owns the stars. When asked by the prince how such
thing happened, he told him that he was the first person to count the stars and lock
it in a vault. Altogether, he was very rude to the Prince because he was distracted
from his counting.

Lamplighter
This man, according to the Prince, follows a terrible profession. Days on the
lamplighter’s planet lasts only a minute so he must light the lamp and turn it off
immediately. He always wants to sleep but cannot because he is faithful to his job.
The Prince pitied him very much but cannot stay in his planet because it will not
be adequate for the two of them.

Geographer
The Prince thought that this man will be better than the others but to his dismay.
He thought that the geographer could tell him the physical features of the
geographer’s planet but said that he hasn’t got any explorers on his planet and that
he was too important to go loafing around. He is also the one who told the Prince
about ephemeral things just like his rose back home.

Three-Petal Flower
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The three-petal flower is the first plant on Earth he had asked to know the
whereabouts of men.

Railway Switchman
Had a brief talk with the Prince about how lucky children are because they know
what they are looking for.

Merchants
He is the person who is selling pills that can reduce the thirst of a person. When
asked by the Prince why do they need to reduce their thirst, he answered that it
would save a person at least fifty three minutes every week. The Prince answered
that if he would be given fifty three minutes he would take a walk towards a
spring of fresh water.

IV. Plot Summary

“If you please—draw me a sheep!”

The story started on a Saharan Desert, a boy asking a stranded pilot for a sheep.
Then there started a new adventure never like those of before. How could the pilot
draw if he had stopped drawing at an early age? But he must draw for he will.
This book is one of a kind, a parable for all ages and generations. It is pure
simplicity yet it captures an intense feeling, a page-turner.
What will now the pilot do? What else, but to succumb to fate for it will bring him
peace of mind. There with that unexpected meeting he found a friend.
As days passed, memories from the adventures of the boy came out though little
by little. His encounter with a king who thought he ruled over everything, the
conceited man, the tippler, the businessman who owns the stars, the faithful
lamplighter, the geographer who hasn’t got any explorers, his rose, the fox, the snake,
the railway switchman, the merchant, all of them full of differing attitudes and views
on life. Only a few of them know the real meaning of it. Few knew the meaning of
love. Few knew it.
As the descent of the Prince here on Earth drew near, time, for the two, is
shrinking. What else could they share to each other? What else don’t they know?
What the pilot doesn’t know that after his meeting with the Prince, he will be forever
changed.
The story ended meaningfully but left questions. The Prince died of the snake bite
of which he needed to go back to his planet. He looked dead but isn’t. Is it really a
planet from which he came from or heaven? Only God knows.

V. Impressions

The first time I saw the book I was perplexed at how the boy living on a little
planet become a prince. What else would I think of? I was barely a teen before I got
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my hand on it. I read it, I gave it a chance. And, lo! What a piece of art. This is an
eye-opener. Is that how grown-ups perceive the world? Would I be just like them? Is
schooling turning me into just like the grown-ups? I had many questions, just like the
little prince I am naïve to my surroundings. At an early age, I became aware that I
will become just like them, for if it turns out that I’m different people will treat me
like there’s something wrong in me. Just like the pilot has said, grown-ups are just
interested in matters of consequences. We need to lower ourselves to reach their
level; in order for us to understand each other.
This book is full of wisdom. I know that not only me are aware of that fact. This
is a classic. The characters represent the people in our environment. We are the pilot.
Each and every one of us is the leader in our own lives. The little prince is God. He
has come down to Earth because He wants us to learn that by being simple we can
achieve eternal happiness. It is just now that I’ve realized who the characters really
are in my life.