What philosophy is there in the book Le Petit Prince

asks Faulmarc

A. First published in French in 1943 and translated into English as The Little Prince the same year, Le Petit Prince was an instant success and has remained enduringly popular. Although written as a children's fable, it was really for adults, the essential message being that that the best things in life are the simplest pleasures and that real wealth lies in giving to others, rather than in material gain. The upshot is that that everyone is looking for those people to whom they can relate completely and that respect for and kindness towards your fellow man is the only way to progress.

Q. What is the story
A. A plane crashes in the desert and the pilot has only seven days' water supply. One night an extra-terrestrial being - the Little Prince - appears to the pilot, and he knows where to find water. So they set off, and on their journey they engage in the dialogue which is the meat of the book. They discuss the other inhabitants of the Little Prince's home asteroid and how some people have a purpose in life while others lack any meaning to their existence. The Little Prince has a tale of his own, one of lost love. The object of his desire, a flower, who he thought was the only possible love for him, had betrayed him. It was only when, after much emotional pain, he came across a whole field of flowers that he realised that the world is full of potential for love.

Q. Why has it proved so popular
A. The tale is a parable about tolerance and respect for others, as well as encouraging a sense of self-worth. Written during the Second World War, it came from the pen of a man of high ideals and principles, who had become depressed by the extremes of cruelty and suffering that he witnessed during the occupation of France and its aftermath. But the directness of the message has warmed the hearts of adults and children alike through its mixture of pathos and optimism, not to forget the celebrated illustrations that accompany the text.

Q. Who wrote it
A. The author was Antoine-Marie-Roger de Saint Exupry (1900-1944), a French aristocrat, who, in addition to being a writer, was a pilot and adventurer of exceptional daring. His written works glorify a life of dangerous exploits, even if it means certain death, as the highest expression of human endeavour. The Second World War curbed some of his optimism, however, and in his later work shows a growing sadness at the state of the world. True to his ideals, he died when his plane was shot down during a reconnaissance mission over the Mediterranean in 1943.

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By Simon Smith