Megan+Flynn-+Little+Prince+Essay

In the novel, __The Little Prince__, there is an obvious contrast between the views of the world by adults and children. The author displays this contrast in many places throughout the novel. For example, in the very first chapter, the author draws what appears, to the ordinary person, to be a black hat. Every time that he would ask someone what the illustration looked to them to be, they would say "That is a hat." The authors point is that adults don't have the imagination like that of a child. Children see things that adults dont look deep enough to find. And by extremely simple observation, adults come the the assumtion that something nothing more than simple, is just that, simple. But to children, simple does not exist. An example of this is when the author first meets the Little Prince. The first words that the Litle Prince says is "If you please--draw me a sheep!" As many attempts as the author makes, the only one that satisfies the Little Prince's need is the one that is most eccentric; The box. The author draws the Little Prince a box and says, "This is only his box. The sheep you asked for is inside." He says that he see's a light break over the face of his young judge. The box is exactly what the Little Prince wants. This shows the contrast of the way adults see things and children see things. There were many failed attempts to draw a sheep, but the one that flourished was the one that one would not expect to appeal to minds eye. But the view of the world of the younger age group is more imaginative than the older age group.

After he illustrates the elephant inside of the boa constrictor, the author states, "The grown-ups' response, this time, was to advise me to lay aside my drawings of boa-constrictors, whether from the inside or outside, and devote myself instead to geography, history, arithmetic and grammer." I feel that this passage shows very evidently the way that adults look at things. Instead of drawing, the adults wanted him to pursue a different interest, ones that are known to be more meaningful or evocative. But children see the fun in things, rather than the importance. Taking something plain and morphing it into something extrodinary, is no predicament for children, even if it means they have to feign or pretend something is what it is not. A horde of children, if not most, have imaginations bigger than the universe itself. But adults have a more serious and staid way of looking at life.

I agree with the authors point throughout the novel. Children and adults do have a different perspectives on life and how exactly to live it. And as we become adults, our way of looking at life changes. It is a part of growing up, and everyone must experience it at one point in time. As an adult, you take on the responsibilities of paying bills, providing for your children, work and many other things that need to be taken care of. Kids are always looking for the fun in things, but adults seem to have a different stance. A stance that puts academics before fun, organization before fun and health before fun. I agree with these ways but maybe if more of us found a way to incorporate fun into our everyday lives, adults would see things identical to the way children do.

Megan--Sad, isn't it?? It's more fun and exciting to be a kid! You make your point with the drawings, but I think there are also other contrasts that could be made. The thinking of each of the men on the asteroids is very "adult-like". What are their matters of consequence as opposed to a child's? The switchman's quote about the children knowing what they're looking for and enjoying the ride is a key point also. Adding one of these would make the point stronger. Good use of quotes.