61 sentences from The Little Prince

  

61 phrases from The Little Prince

 

Specialist in arts, literature, and cultural history

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry tells the story of a young man from another planet who travels through the universe in search of answers. He has moved children, youth, and adults thanks to his current reflections on human relationships.

With this in mind, let's take a look at famous quotes from The Little Prince and what they mean. To facilitate your reading, we have classified the phrases by theme: friendship, love, wisdom, life, adults and children, and humanity.

about friendship

1. "If you tame me, we will need each other."

What does "domesticate" mean?

"It's too forgotten a thing," said the fox. It means “to create ties”.

"Create bonds?" "Yes," said the fox. To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy similar to a hundred thousand little boys. And I don't need you. And you don't need me either. I am nothing more to you than a fox similar to a hundred thousand foxes. But if you tame me, we will need each other. You will be for me unique in the world. I shall be unique to you in the world.

In this work, the word "domesticate" is the fundamental key. "To tame" is the translation of the French apprivoiser, which in that language has a more specific meaning: it means to become familiar with each other. Thus, in this dialogue with the little prince, the fox describes a mutual relationship in which each party opens up to the other and takes time to build a true friendship. By bonding, and by becoming familiar with each other, we come to see our friends as unique beings.

2. "If you want a friend, tame me!"

The little prince looks for a friend among men, but before him, he only has the fox, willing to be his friend. What he has to do is take time to bond with her. This is how friendship is made.

3. «When you have tamed me (...) The golden wheat will be a memory of you».

For me what is useless. Wheat fields remind me of nothing. It is very sad! But you have golden hair. When you have tamed me, it will be wonderful! The golden wheat will be a memory of you. And I love the sound of the wind in the wheat...

When we make a friendship, what used to mean nothing to us becomes a symbol that brings back the memory of a true friend. Thus, the world is filled with meaning.

4. "If you come, for example, at four in the afternoon, I will start to be happy from three."

If you come, for example, at four in the afternoon, I will start to be happy from three. The later the hour, the happier I will feel. At four I will feel agitated and restless; I will discover the price of happiness! But if you come at any time, I will never know what time to prepare my heart...

Within friendship, the process of agreeing to and celebrating certain rituals is essential to prepare the heart. Uncertainty and chance do not help to form firm ties. It is necessary to reserve time for the agreed rituals.

5. «He was only a fox like a hundred thousand others. But I made him my friend and now he is unique in the world ».

A good friend is capable of finding the particularity or uniqueness of one person among a thousand. It doesn't matter how much you look like the rest of the world. A dear person, a good friend, is always a unique being.

6. "It's sad to forget a friend. Not everyone has had a friend.

With this phrase, the narrator implies the luck that represents for the human being to be able to make a friend and keep him present in the memory. Friendship is outlined as the meaning of human relations.

7. "It's good to have had a friend, even if we're going to die."

The misfortunes of life do not matter if we have a friend. Even if we know that things will not turn out as we wish, even if we have to die, having a friend is a gift of life.

8. "If you let yourself be tamed, you risk crying a little."

Bonding and becoming familiar exposes us to others and makes us vulnerable, but that loses importance compared to the richness of friendship.

9. "You and only you will have stars that know how to laugh!"

When you look at the sky, at night, as I will live in one of them [the stars], as I will laugh in one of them, it will be for you as if all the stars were laughing. You and only you will have stars that know how to laugh!

Complicity is always built between two friends, and we are reminded of this by the little prince, who is preparing to say goodbye to his friend on Earth and return to his planet. In the name of his friendship, the stars become for the aviator in the story a reason to smile, remembering his friend the little prince.

10. "And when you've been comforted (there's always comfort) you'll be glad you met me."

Faced with the loss of a friend, over time we have to find comfort in his memory, in the signs that symbolize his presence in the world, and that filled our lives with meaning. For this reason, despite the sadness of mourning the separation, we must always laugh again at the memory of the friend who has left and we must be grateful for having found him.

About love

11. "If someone loves a flower (...) it's enough to make them happy when they look at the stars."

If someone loves a flower of which there is only one specimen among the millions and millions of stars, it is enough for him to be happy when he looks at the stars. It is said: "My flower is there, somewhere..."

To love is not to possess. To love, even in the distance, is to rejoice in the existence of the other in our lives. Therefore, we can feel happy knowing that our loved one lives somewhere.

12. "I should have judged her by her actions and not her words."

I should have judged her by her actions and not her words. She perfumed me and illuminated me. I should never have run away! I should have guessed her tenderness, behind her poor cunning. Flowers are so contradictory!

The little prince realizes that he was wrong to judge his beloved rose by the foolish words she said and not by the good she lavished through her actions. He understands that love is an act of maturity.

13. "I was too young to know how to love her."

The little prince makes us aware that there is a difference between loving and knowing how to love. Sometimes we need to mature to understand that loving is not just a matter of feelings, but a committed decision. It implies acceptance of the other, solidarity, and mutual care. Love and wisdom have to walk hand in hand.

14. "My flower is ephemeral (...) And I have left it totally alone in my house!".

At one point, the little prince remembers that his rose "has only four thorns to defend itself against the world!" There he understands how vulnerable she is, and that he was wrong to abandon her. Only when we realize that life is vulnerable and ephemeral, do we understand the importance of loving and being present, caring for others when they need it, and cultivating human relationships.

15. "You are forever responsible for what you have tamed."

Love is also a responsibility. When we establish a relationship with someone, we are responsible for it. Therefore, we should not treat people as things that satisfy our momentary desires, but we should take care of them, that is, take care of their hearts.

16. "The time you wasted on your rose makes your rose so important."

Relationships gain importance by the time we dedicate to them because it is time that builds them. Time is the only good that does not return in any way. When we give our time, we give ourselves. That's why the relationships we cultivate are special.

17. “I have been foolish. I apologize. Try to be happy."

Those who love are capable of recognizing their mistakes and asking for forgiveness. Her love also allows him to wish for the good of the other, even while parting.

wisdom

18. "The essential is invisible to the eye."

This is one of the most famous phrases that the fox says to the little prince, and it turns out to be a great truth. We judge others by appearances, but only when we listen and attend with our hearts can we see the essence of things.

19. “The eyes are blind. It is necessary to search with the heart”.

This phrase is another formulation of the same principle. It invites us to put more trust in our hearts, that is, in our ability to listen to others than in what our eyes capture. These are always misleading because they only reveal our own point of view to us.

20. "Never in his life had he given up on a question, once he had asked it."

Wisdom is a path that begins with a question that tirelessly seeks an answer. For this reason, the wise man does not abandon the question, because it makes him walk and learn.

21. "If you manage to judge yourself well, you are a true sage."

It is much more difficult to judge yourself than to judge others. If you manage to judge yourself well, you are a true sage.

Knowing yourself is one of the most difficult tasks to face. Therefore, it is easier to see the errors in others than to see your own. For our personal growth, it is important to be able to recognize ourselves as we are and learn to live with our weaknesses.

22. «It is necessary to demand from each one what each one can do...».

If I order a general to transform into a seabird and if the general doesn't comply, it won't be the general's fault. It will be my fault. (...) We must demand of each one what each one can do...

The king of one of the planets that the little prince visits make us see that the good exercise of leadership begins by demanding from people what they are capable of giving, and not making whimsical requests based on their own fantasies. What What separates the good leader from the bad leader, the responsible authority from the authoritarian.

23. "Authority rests, first of all, on reason."

Authority rests, first of all, on reason. If you order your people to throw themselves into the sea, they will make a revolution. I have the right to demand obedience because my orders are reasonable.

Indeed, a person's authority is legitimate when it is based on common sense and common sense. Whoever coordinates, orders, or governs outside of reason exposes himself to chaos and causes serious harm to others.

24. "The word is a source of misunderstandings."

Sometimes words can lead to misunderstandings. Therefore, it is important not only to listen to what another has to say but also to recognize the quality of his actions.

25. "When the mystery is too impressive it is not possible to disobey." Storyteller.

When we witness an experience that involves a deep spiritual mystery, our hearts surrender without further explanation. The mystery surrounds us because it makes us perceive that we are facing something significant and important.

26. "Only things that are tamed are known...".

The only way to truly know someone or truly know something is by relating and establishing ties of familiarity with what we claim to understand.

About life

27. "Straight, always ahead of one, you can not go very far ...".

Life is not straight. It has winding paths that take us from one place to another. The journey teaches us to stop from time to time.

28. "If I had fifty-three minutes to spend, I would walk very gently towards a fountain."

"Why are you selling that?" said the little prince.

"It is a great economy of time," said the merchant. Experts have made calculations. Fifty-three minutes are saved per week.

—And what do you do with those fifty-three minutes?

—You do what you want...

"I, the little prince said to himself, if I had fifty-three minutes to spend, I would walk very gently towards a fountain..."

Dialogue between the merchant and the little prince.

Dialogue between the merchant and the little prince

In today's world, full of goods and technologies, the human being looks for anything that allows him to save time, but he does not use that time for himself but continues to be a slave to production in the name of utility. On the other hand, this phrase from the little prince proposes something simple: the time that is left over is to dedicate to what seems useless, but which fills our lives with peace and beauty.

29. "When one is truly sad, sunsets are nice...".

Sometimes there is no consolation for sadness except in the contemplation of beauty and, in particular, the beauty of the sunsets, which transmit peace and stillness and remind us that the next day the sun will rise again.

30. "The country of tears is so mysterious...!"

What causes a person to cry is a mystery, and for those who console him, it is necessary to understand and respect that mystery. Tears don't always want to be comforted nor do they always require advice. Sometimes they just need to sprout freely to clean the inner house.

31. "I have to put up with two or three caterpillars if I want to meet butterflies."

To achieve what we want, sometimes it may be necessary to put up with things that we don't like. The promise of the reward keeps hope high.

32. "When you want to be clever, it happens that you lie a little."

Ingenuity requires imagination. In a fictional account, the reality is altered to some degree to produce a witty and believable story. But it is not about lying, but about communicating deeper truths through literary images and symbols.

33. "I wonder if the stars are lit so that everyone can find their own one day."

Nostalgia moves us and makes us look to the sky in search of answers. We all look for something that belongs to us or that we need in the celestial vault. That is the intuition of the little prince.

34. «The rites are necessary (...). It is what makes one day different from other days; one hour, of the other hours».

Sometimes we don't value rituals, but they are necessary because they celebrate life and give meaning to the most important moments we face. The rite builds memory and ties between us.

35. "No one is ever happy where they are."

Frequently, human being does not value their own luck. We are dissatisfied. We tend to want what is out of our reach, even if we have a lot, even if our luck is good.

36. "The vain hear nothing but praise."

Conceited people do not listen to any advice and are offended by any suggestion. Therefore, they are only able to take praise into account. In this way, they become easy prey for the deception of flatterers.

37. "Good! I admire you, but what is it for you?"

Vanity procures the admiration of all, but this admiration is useless, so the desire is vain. Mere admiration for the vain does not help him to grow, but rather confirms him in his position.

38. The seeds are invisible. They sleep in the secret of the earth until one of them thinks of waking up...

The seeds are invisible. They sleep in the secret of the earth until it occurs to one of them to wake up... Then it stretches out and, timidly at first, grows towards the sun a charming harmless sapling. If it is a radish or rosebush blade, it can be left to grow as it likes.

The little prince teaches us that life makes its way humbly. A tiny and apparently insignificant thing like a seed, which also grows hidden in the earth, sprouts overcoming the adversities of the terrain and the climate. It's a miracle. When that seed is good, that is, it bears healthy or harmless fruit, it must be allowed to grow freely.

39. "(...) if it is a bad plant, the plant must be uprooted immediately."

Sometimes, as we grow and prosper, so do negative feelings or dangerous situations that we must put an end to too quickly. If not, the evil that lives in us can put an end to what we have cultivated with so much love and patience. It is necessary to know how to recognize when a weed has sprouted within us.

40. «It is a very nice occupation. It's really useful because it's cute."

The little prince refers here to the occupation of the lamplighter, who "when he puts out the lantern, puts the flower or the star to sleep." With this image, he reminds us that the utility of beauty is one of the most important aspects of the little prince, and beauty is in getting out of ourselves and doing something for others. The beauty is in the simple, in every day, in what is done for the common good. The grace of this beauty is truly useful for human relationships.

41. “[The lamplighter] is the only one I don't find ridiculous. Perhaps because he deals with something foreign to himself ».

Among all the people the little prince met through the places he visited, the lamplighter stood out, because he was the only one who was not self-centered, looking towards himself. He was the only one who had a service, who was capable of taking care of something other than himself. How about us? Do we know how to take care of others or do we only attend to our own needs?

42. «Sometimes there is no problem in leaving work for a little later; but in the case of baobabs, the delay is always fatal.'

Some things require our immediate attention, under penalty of further complicating things. Therefore, we must always be alert and vigilant.

43. "You are of no use to the stars."

"I own the stars because no one before me ever dreamed of owning them (...)

" "I," said [the little prince], "have a flower that I water every day." I own three volcanoes that I sweep every week. Well, I also sweep the one that is extinguished. You never know. It is useful for my volcanoes and it is useful for the flower that I possess them. But you are not useful to the stars...

This dialogue between the businessman and the little prince represents that there are greedy people, who want to own everything and everything seems to be a reason for economic gain. However, people who look at the world in this way are useless because they are incapable of reciprocating the gifts they receive. They only accumulate for the pleasure of possessing.

44. «What beautifies the desert is that it hides a well anywhere...».

Although an experience or a person may seem arid and difficult to use, the conviction that it hides a source of living water within encourages our hope and makes the experience or person something beautiful. Every person is beautiful because they hide a source of life somewhere.

It may interest you:

• The Little Prince book.

• The essential is invisible to the eyes.

About adults and children

45. “No one believed her because of her dress. Big people are like that."

Very often, adults judge others by their outward appearance.

46. ​​"When you talk [to adults] about a new friend, they never question you about the essentials."

When you talk [to adults] about a new friend, they never question you about the essentials. They never say to you: “How is the timbre of his voice? What are the games he prefers? Does he collect butterflies? Instead, they ask you: “How old is he? How many brothers does she have? How much does it weigh? How much does your father earn? Only then do they think they know him.

Adults worry too much about material things and do not value the spiritual wealth of people.

47. "Children should be very lenient with big people."

Given the limitations of adults who have lost faith and imagination, it is up to children to be understanding and patient with them.

48. "Only children know what they are looking for."

Children know how to recognize what they need, and they don't get lost along the way with material things.

49. "We who understand life, make fun of numbers."

Adults who keep the heart of a child are capable of passing by the world of figures and material goods to see with their hearts.

50. "Older people (...) always imagine that they take up a lot of space."

Men take up very little space on Earth... Older people will surely not believe them, because they always imagine that they take up a lot of space.

Adults are incredulous and, furthermore, they consider themselves too important to be small in the face of creation and nature.

51. “All great people have been children before. But few remember it.

Each and every adult human being has gone through childhood, a time in which their mind was capable of believing in the impossible. But as they grow older, life's worries choke their thinking, and they often lose their faith and imagination.

52. "Big people never understand anything on their own and it's tiring for children to always have to give them explanations."

When adults have disconnected from their childish selves, they have a hard time understanding children. in turn, it is difficult for them to have to translate their ideas into a language that adults understand.

about humanity

The businessman.

53. «Men no longer have time to know anything (...)».

Men no longer have time to know anything. They buy things made by merchants. But since there are no merchants of friends, men no longer have friends.

The race against time that human beings have undertaken prevents them from knowing anything or anyone in depth. It prevents them from having real friends, and it prevents them from bonding.

54. “He is not a man; He is a mushroom! ».

I know of a planet where there is a Crimson Lord. He has never breathed in a flower. He has never looked at a star. He has never loved anyone. He has done nothing but addition and subtraction. And all day he repeats like you: “I am a serious man! I am a serious man!" He swells with pride. But he is not a man; He is a mushroom!

A person who has not loved because they remain attached to spiritual goods or the numerical calculation of wealth cannot be called a human being in all its fullness, since they have lost what is essential: the relationship. That is why the little prince uses this harsh expression: He is a mushroom!

55. "With men you are also alone."

Even though human relationships are what matter, many times we can feel alone in the company of others. If people do not dedicate time to us because they get carried away by the frenzy of modern life, if people do not communicate, then loneliness is present, even amid crowds.

56. “Men lock themselves in the rapids but don't know what they're looking for. Then they toss and turn."

The humans seem confused. They don't know which is the right direction to take, and that's why they deviate trying to get nowhere fast.

57. «In your land men grow five thousand roses in the same garden... And they do not find what they are looking for...».

In your land men grow five thousand roses in the same garden... And they do not find what they are looking for (...) And yet, what they are looking for could be found in a single rose or in a little water...

Even when human beings have everything, many times they are not able to find what they need because they don't even know how to look for it. They look for it in quantities, in great works, but few look for it in simple things.

58. «The wind carries them [men]. They have no roots. It bothers them a lot not to have them."

Human beings in the modern era have a hard time putting down roots, and this is the cause of deep pain.

59. “And men have no imagination. They repeat what they are told."

Human beings, particularly when they become adults, abandon the games of the imagination, and often tend to be a little critical of things. They prefer to conform to the opinions of the majority and repeat and repeat their slogans.

60. "To the vain all other men are admirers."

Vain people do not see others as their equals. They judge themselves as superior and are only able to see their usefulness in others, in this case, that of reinforcing their self-esteem.

61. «[The little prince] did not know that for kings the world is very simplified. All men are subjects."

Just as for the vain all people are admirers, for a king all human beings are subjects. They do not know how to relate to others humanly, ut from the imposed social role.

See also:

• Short novels to read in one day.

• 21st Century Fantasy Movies.