On Growing Up and Staying a Child

There are very few books that resonate equally with children and adults. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is one such gem. The book was originally written in French and has since been translated into various languages. The story showcases the stark difference between the perception of a child and an adult, and how "all grown ups were once children but only a few of them remember it." The Little Prince embodies the purity of a child's thought process in comparison to the rationalised and calculated viewpoints of adults.

An essential feature of the writing is symbolism. Each character of the story is symbolic, including the inanimate objects. For instance, the symbolism of the Fox. The Fox expresses one of the central themes of the story. His advice to the Little Prince is quoted widely: "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye"

Books like The Little Prince compel the readers to take a pause in their busy lives to think about the most important things like life goals, love and responsibility; and to contemplate that "no one is ever satisfied with where he is." No wonder the book is still widely read and loved by people of all ages.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and Katherine Woods. The Little Prince. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1943.