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Craig Alviar 3/15/10 5:55 P.M. Little Prince Essay

2. In the allegory novel the Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery the author establishes many sharp contrasts between the perspectives that grown ups and children have of the world. These differences range from the way they talk to the way they act everyday in society. The differences described in the Little Prince include; materialism, reliability, inability to change and statistics. Each of these differences are displayed in the novel the Little Prince and are shown through many different characters.

One character the business man was obsessed with statistics especially with the counting of stars. Stars are countless and may have an infinite amount through space. The business man was also very possessive using the quote to describe the stars as his own, " then they belong to me, because I was the first person to think of it." This quote reveals the business man's stubbornness and feelings of false success. I agree with the authors thoughts of how adults act through the business man's mannerisms. Many "grown ups" rely on stocks which are overall statistics on companies progress to make their money, and when their company does well they are entitled to feel success when they haven't done anything to make the stocks succeed. Showing an example of false success. Children however don't rely on statistics other than grades and sports averages, but they also experience false success. For instance, if a students favorite football team wins a game they never say "look they won a game." They say "we won another game," even though in no circumstance did they contribute to the win.

The next character in the allegory the Little Prince that gives a meaning is the lamp lighter. The reason I've chosen the Lamp Lighter is because of his reliability to do his job at whatever the cost and how annoying it is. Which applies the quote," I follow a terrible profession," which describes his depression about his job. I revere the lamp lighter because although the system for doing his job changes the way he executes this profession does not. The lesson here is to try to learn new things but to not forget the old ways. Applying this to the lamp lighter is to adapt to the new procedures (changing the way he does his job) but not to forget his responsibilities. Applying this to civilization to adults and children is the same as evolution to grow as time passes and things change but not to forget what made society good.

Ultimately, I agree with Antoine Exupery that adults and children do view the world from different perspectives. These views come from completely different people with different personalities, responsibilities and lives. Some have a family and money who need to be blunt and have a "short answer" personality to just get by. Others have life given to them on a platter always getting the easy way out and the ability to succeed with the least effort causing them to act outgoing as the Little Prince did.

Craig-- I think you've missed the point of the adults and children as shown in the novel. You seem to have put the ideas from two of the essay choices together--one is the analysis of two characters and the other is the difference between adults and children. The second is not seen through the examples you gave. It has to do with imagination and creativity. You don't have one strong focus. Your points of support truly don't support what you need. Sorry--I feel this does not really show what the novel is stating--it's just a mix of different viewpoints.