Have you ever pondered about the deep mysteries life veils within the innocence of a child’s perspective? Welcome to the enchanting universe of The Little Prince, a timeless allegorical tale by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
This classic tale chronicles the cosmic adventures of a youthful prince from a distant asteroid, shedding light on profound themes of love, companionship, and the often baffling conduct of grown-ups.
Join us as we unravel the layers of human existence in this mesmerizing story that continues to touch hearts and provoke thoughts across generations, even more than seventy years after its first publication.
Background and Author
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was born on June 29, 1900, in Lyon, France. He was an aviator by profession but is more widely known as a writer. He first flew a plane at the age of 12, and this early fascination with flight inspired much of his writing.
Saint-Exupéry began publishing his writing in the late 1920s and gained recognition for works such as “Night Flight” (Vol de nuit) and “Wind, Sand and Stars” (Terre des hommes). He is most famous, however, for “The Little Prince.”
Le Petit Prince
Le Petit Prince, published in 1943, is a novella that has become one of the most translated and best-selling books in the world.
This philosophical tale, written in a simple and engaging style, tells the story of a young prince who travels from his small asteroid to Earth, encountering various inhabitants and learning valuable life lessons along the way.
The book has been translated into over 300 languages and dialects and has sold millions of copies worldwide.
World War II
Throughout World War II, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry nobly served as a pilot in the French Air Force. However, in 1940, the relentless tide of Nazi forces overcame the French army, compelling Saint-Exupéry to seek refuge in the United States.
It was within the confines of this foreign land that the gem of literature, “Le Petit Prince,” was meticulously crafted and subsequently published.
French Air Force
Despite the success of Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry felt a strong sense of duty and decided to return to Europe in 1943 to rejoin the French Air Force.
During a reconnaissance mission in 1944, his plane disappeared over the Mediterranean Sea, and his fate remained unknown for many years. In 2000, a French diver discovered the wreckage of his plane, providing closure to the mystery surrounding his disappearance.
Story Overview
The story is narrated by a pilot stranded in the Sahara Desert, who is trying to repair his crashed airplane. He is visited by a small boy named the Little Prince, who comes from asteroid B-612. The asteroid is so small that it only has room for the Little Prince, his red rose, and three volcanoes.
The Little Prince has left his asteroid and his beloved rose in a quest for knowledge. He has visited six different planets, each inhabited by a single, absurd adult: a king, a vain man, a drunkard, a businessman, a lamplighter, and a geographer.
Each of these characters symbolizes different aspects of adult folly or narrow-mindedness. The prince’s experiences on these planets are meant to critique the strangeness and irrationality of adult behaviors from the innocent perspective of a child.
When he arrives on Earth, the Little Prince meets a fox who teaches him that:
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
The fox also explains that the process of taming, or establishing connections, endows a person or thing with uniqueness and special importance.
The Little Prince realizes that his rose, which he’d thought was just like any other rose, is actually unique and special to him because she is his rose, whom he has cared for and tamed.
The narrator and the Little Prince spend eight days in the desert, during which they share their stories and bond with each other. The Little Prince tells the narrator that he plans to return to his asteroid because he misses his rose, and that the narrator will only hear his body fall as if he were dying, but he will not truly be dead.
The story ends with the Little Prince disappearing, and the narrator left alone in the desert. He concludes by urging his readers to look at the stars and wonder if the Little Prince has returned to his asteroid. The novel ends on an ambiguous note, inviting readers to believe that the Little Prince’s journey continues in the stars.
Setting
The Little Prince utilizes a range of different settings to express its unique narrative. These settings are instrumental in driving the plot, as well as reinforcing the novella’s themes.
The two primary settings are the Sahara Desert and various celestial bodies, including the Little Prince’s own asteroid, B-612, and the other planets he visits.
The Sahara Desert
This is where the aviator-narrator crash-lands his plane, a place characterized by its isolation, emptiness, and harsh conditions. Here, he encounters the Little Prince, and it is in this desolate environment where most of their conversations and interactions occur.
The Sahara Desert symbolizes loneliness and introspection and serves as a backdrop against which the colorful tales of the Little Prince stand out. The Sahara also helps to highlight the stark differences between the adult and child perspectives, a recurring theme in the book.
Asteroid B-612
This is the home of the Little Prince. The asteroid is described as being scarcely bigger than a house, emphasizing the Little Prince’s isolation. On the asteroid, the Little Prince tends to a unique and demanding rose, which he loves deeply. This location helps explore themes of love, responsibility, and the challenges and beauty of personal relationships.
The Six Planets
During his journey, the Little Prince visits several other planets, each inhabited by a single individual, such as the king, the vain man, the drunkard, the businessman, the lamplighter, and the geographer. These encounters provide a satirical critique of various aspects of adult society.
Each planet embodies a different aspect of the human condition or societal critique, emphasizing the book’s theme of the absurdities of the adult world and the loss of childlike wonder and innocence.
Earth
The Little Prince also visits Earth where he encounters different animals and learns important life lessons, such as the value of friendship from a fox. Earth, as a setting, is significant as it provides an opportunity for the Little Prince to broaden his perspective and deepen his understanding of relationships and life’s mysteries.
The Rose Garden
After landing on Earth, the Little Prince comes across a garden full of roses. This encounter is significant as he had believed that his rose, back on asteroid B-612, was unique in all the universe. The realization that there are many roses challenges his understanding of uniqueness and significance, leading him to a crisis.
The Railways Switchman’s and the Salesclerk’s Places
On Earth, the Little Prince encounters a switchman and observes the people rushing about on trains. The switchman explains that the adults are constantly chasing after something but they know not what.
This scenario underscores Saint-Exupéry’s critique of adult’s misplaced values and their constant busyness, which prevents them from appreciating the true essentials of life.
Characters and Encounters
The Little Prince introduces a collection of interesting characters, each offering unique insights and perspectives. Below are the key characters and the encounters that the Little Prince has with them:
The Narrator
The tale revolves around the Narrator, a pilot who crash lands in the Sahara Desert. Isolated, his only company is the sand and sun until he meets the Little Prince, a traveler from tiny Asteroid B-612. A bond develops between them, fostered by the desert’s harsh conditions and shared wisdom.
The Narrator, not just a listener but also a participant in the Prince’s journeys, learns about humanity and begins questioning his life assumptions.
The Little Prince
The Little Prince, the focal point of our narrative, is a young boy hailing from the tiny realm of Asteroid B-612. Despite being seemingly alone on his small celestial home, he is far from lonely, always filled with wonder and curiosity. His childlike innocence colors his perspective of the universe, granting him a unique lens through which he views and interacts with the world.
On his journey away from Asteroid B-612, he ventures from planet to planet, each home to a singular inhabitant. These encounters introduce the Little Prince to a myriad of characters, all vastly different from one another.
The Little Prince listens to their stories, their woes, and their joys, silently collecting pieces of wisdom from each conversation. These interactions provoke deep introspection, and through this, he begins to understand the absurdities of adult perspectives and the simplicity of essential truths.
The Rose
The Rose is an enchanting yet complex character that resides on Asteroid B-612, the home planet of the Little Prince. With her crimson petals and intoxicating scent, she is the embodiment of unparalleled beauty. However, her stunning appearance is paired with a vanity that often leads her to demand the Little Prince’s constant attention and care.
The relationship between the Little Prince and the Rose is both tender and tumultuous, mirroring the complexities often found in love. The Rose, despite her vanity and haughty demeanor, is prone to vulnerabilities.
She frets over her delicate petals, worries about the encroaching baobab trees, and is often overcome by her solitude. The Little Prince, captivated by her beauty and moved by her fears, tends to her needs with unwavering dedication.
However, the Rose’s constant demands and her seeming ungratefulness lead the Little Prince to question the worth of their relationship. This emotional turmoil is what ultimately propels him to embark on his journey across the stars, seeking understanding and companionship elsewhere.
The Fox
The Fox is an emblem of wisdom and loneliness that the Little Prince encounters during his interplanetary journey. With his sharp eyes gleaming with intelligence and his fur radiant as the setting sun, the Fox presents a stark contrast to the solitary wilderness surrounding him. Despite his physical allure, he is plagued by a profound sense of loneliness, having lived alone without companionship.
When the Fox and the Little Prince cross paths, their interaction unfolds into an illuminating dialogue about the nature of relationships. The Fox introduces the Little Prince to the concept of ‘taming,’ explaining that to tame is to establish ties, to create a mutual understanding and connection between two beings.
According to the Fox, it’s this unique bond that turns ordinary encounters into something extraordinary and meaningful.
Through the interaction with the Fox, the Little Prince learns that it’s the time and effort invested in someone that makes them special. The Fox’s longing for companionship and his wisdom about taming make a lasting impact on the Prince, who realizes the depth of his connection with his Rose back on Asteroid B-612.
The Prince understands that he has ‘tamed’ his Rose through his care and attention, and this realization allows him to appreciate the true value of his relationship with her.
The Snake
The Snake, an elusive creature shrouded in mystery and foreboding, slithers its way into the narrative of the Little Prince’s journey. Distinguished by its hypnotic gaze and articulate speech, the Snake embodies a sense of danger, its mere presence sending a ripple of dark implications through the story.
As the Little Prince interacts with it, the Snake’s true nature unfurls, drawing the narrative towards its poignant climax and resolution.
When the Little Prince first encounters the Snake in the Sahara desert, he is immediately captivated by the creature’s enigmatic charm and striking frankness. The Snake, however, introduces a dangerous proposition. It speaks of its deadly bite that can return anyone back to the land from which they came, hinting at a euphemistic representation of death.
Throughout the story, the Snake’s cryptic words echo ominously, tempting the Little Prince with the idea of returning to his beloved Rose on his asteroid quicker.
This idea carries a profound undertone: the suggestion of taking one’s life to escape the hardships of existence. This dark temptation underlines the Snake’s pivotal role in the narrative.
The King
The King, a character encountered by the Little Prince on his journey through the cosmos, is a ruler fixated on notions of control and authority. Enthroned on his lonely planet, he appears absurd, commanding an invisible army and maintaining dominion over a realm that is virtually devoid of subjects.
His character is a metaphorical mirror reflecting the farcical nature of unchecked authority and power dynamics.
When the Little Prince lands on his planet, the King is eager to exert his control and authority, absurdly claiming that he rules the entire universe. He operates under the belief that a monarch must command obedience, but his orders are whimsical and baseless, always given to things that are certain to follow through naturally, such as ordering the sun to set when it is about to do so anyway.
In an attempt to retain the Little Prince on his planet, the King offers him the position of a minister, specifically, a Minister of Justice. But the offer is comically meaningless, given the absence of any other inhabitants on the planet.
This action further underscores the King’s obsession with maintaining the appearance of control and authority, even when it serves no practical purpose.
The Vain Man
The Vain Man, one of the unique characters the Little Prince encounters, resides alone on his own tiny planet. Obsessed with admiration and applause, he represents the epitome of vanity and the insatiable human desire for validation.
His character serves as a mirror reflecting a facet of human nature often taken to absurd lengths — the need for recognition and approval from others.
When the Little Prince lands on his planet, the Vain Man immediately assumes that the Prince is an admirer come to applaud him. His life revolves around this singular need for validation, so much so that he is oblivious to the presence of anyone who is not there to admire him. His self-obsession blinds him to the real purpose of the Prince’s visit, emphasizing the absurdity of his existence.
The Vain Man craves applause for his accomplishments, yet these achievements are, in reality, rather superficial. He prides himself on being rich, but his wealth is of no use since there’s no one else on his planet. He claims to be a handsome fellow admired by all, but he is alone. His accolades are empty, his titles meaningless, given there’s no one else to recognize or benefit from them.
The Little Prince, with his innocent questions and keen observations, exposes the folly of the Vain Man’s existence. He is bewildered by the Vain Man’s need for constant admiration and baffled by the idea that such hollow recognition could bring anyone joy. This interaction highlights the absurdity of vanity and the emptiness of priding oneself on superficial achievements.
The Drunkard
The Drunkard, another character the Little Prince stumbles upon in his interplanetary travels, is a deeply tragic figure. He exists in isolation on his own planet, entrapped in a perpetual cycle of self-destruction.
With a perpetually downcast gaze and a bottle always within reach, the Drunkard embodies the grim reality of those who resort to harmful behaviors as a means to escape their sorrows.
When the Little Prince encounters the Drunkard, he finds him drowning his sorrows in drink. In response to the Little Prince’s curious inquiries, the Drunkard reveals a disheartening circular logic — he drinks to forget that he is ashamed, and he is ashamed because he drinks.
This destructive loop of addiction illustrates the painful struggle many individuals face when attempting to escape their problems, only to find themselves further ensnared.
The Drunkard’s self-destructive behavior provides a raw commentary on the nature of addiction and its devastating impacts. His narrative exposes the tragic paradox where the very act intended as an escape only deepens the misery, shame, and isolation that drive the need for escape in the first place.
The Businessman
The Businessman, a character who the Little Prince encounters on one of the planets he visits, is a personification of excessive materialism and ownership obsession. His life revolves around the ceaseless task of counting and claiming ownership of the stars.
Immersed in ledgers and calculations, he represents an all-consuming preoccupation with material wealth, providing a stark contrast to the Little Prince’s simple and emotionally rich life.
When the Little Prince arrives on his planet, the Businessman barely spares a moment to acknowledge him, absorbed as he is in his counting. He explains that he owns the stars and spends his days counting them in order to increase his wealth.
His justification for this ownership is simply because he was the first person to think of it. The Businessman’s perspective on ownership demonstrates an absurd understanding of value, reducing celestial wonders to mere commodities.
His interaction with the Little Prince lays bare the stark emptiness of his existence. Despite claiming ownership of the stars, the Businessman derives no joy or wonder from them. He doesn’t have time to admire their beauty or ponder their mysteries.
The stars, to him, are not sources of delight but assets in his balance sheet. This singular focus on material possessions blinds him to the meaningful connections and experiences that make life truly rich.
The Lamplighter
The Lamplighter, one of the many unique characters the Little Prince meets during his voyage, is a hardworking individual residing on a tiny planet. His primary duty is to light the solitary street lamp at dusk and extinguish it at dawn.
Despite the repetitive nature of his task, the Lamplighter carries out his responsibility with unwavering dedication, symbolizing the dignity and value of purposeful work.
When the Little Prince comes across the Lamplighter’s planet, he observes the man caught in a seemingly futile cycle, lighting and putting out the lamp continuously due to the planet’s rapid rotation. The Little Prince is initially perplexed by this incessant task. But, as he comes to understand the Lamplighter’s commitment to his duty, he gains a deep respect for the man.
The Lamplighter, unlike the other adults the Little Prince encounters, is not consumed by futile endeavors or self-serving motives. Instead, he finds purpose in his work, however repetitive and apparently meaningless it may seem to others. He values his role in maintaining order and bringing light to his tiny planet, and this commitment offers him a sense of purpose and identity.
His dedication makes a profound impression on the Little Prince, who recognizes the importance of deriving meaning from one’s work. He notes that the Lamplighter is the only adult he’s met whose work might have some value because his actions contribute to someone else’s well-being — the light benefits travelers who might pass by the planet.
The Geographer
The Geographer, another character met by the Little Prince during his cosmic journey, inhabits a planet much larger than the others visited. He holds a respected position, meticulously cataloguing the rivers, mountains, deserts, and towns of various planets, yet ironically, he himself never sets foot outside his study to explore these places.
His character provides a valuable lesson on the importance of personal experiences and the richness of knowledge derived from firsthand encounters.
The Geographer, like a symbol of armchair exploration, relies on the accounts of explorers to record the details of different locations in his grand books. He prides himself on his extensive knowledge, but this knowledge is secondhand and detached.
Despite the impressive list of features he has documented, he lacks the firsthand understanding that comes from personally experiencing these places. This paradox points to a major flaw in his approach to learning and understanding the world.
The Railway Switchman
The Railway Switchman, a character encountered by the Little Prince during his earthly journey, has a seemingly mundane job of controlling the railway switches and managing the comings and goings of trains.
His job offers him a unique perspective on human nature, particularly the restlessness that leads people to travel aimlessly in search of happiness and fulfillment.
The Switchman sees the rush of humans back and forth on the trains, and he observes their ceaseless quest for something always beyond their reach. When questioned by the Little Prince, the Switchman explains how people continuously chase after one thing or another, never truly satisfied with what they have or where they are.
This perpetual motion reflects the human tendency to believe that happiness or fulfillment lies somewhere else, somewhere far away from their present circumstances.
In his conversation with the Little Prince, the Switchman also shares his observations about the adults on the trains — how they rush from one place to another, often forgetting the original purpose of their journey. They seem to be in a constant state of discontent, always seeking but never finding, always moving but never arriving.
Themes
The Little Prince is a beautifully nuanced and deeply philosophical tale with a number of recurring themes that are central to the narrative. Here are some of the key themes:
The Nature of Childhood and Innocence
The character of the Little Prince symbolizes the purity, sincerity, and curiosity of childhood. He views the world with untarnished eyes and isn’t afraid to question things that don’t make sense, a trait often suppressed in adults. He appreciates beauty and truth in ways adults struggle to, epitomized by his deep love for his flawed rose.
The book uses his perspective to critique adult behaviors, suggesting that societal norms and expectations often lead adults to lose their innate ability to value simplicity and authenticity.
Love and Relationships
In The Little Prince, love and relationships significantly shape the narrative. The Little Prince’s bond with his rose, despite her flaws, illustrates unconditional love and the responsibility that comes with it.
His encounter with the fox teaches him the importance of investing time and effort in relationships. His friendship with the aviator underscores the power of shared wisdom and mutual growth in genuine friendships.
These relationships in the story portray love as a transformative force that impacts understanding of the world and the value of emotional connections.
Adults and Grown-ups
The Little Prince offers a profound critique of adulthood through the character interactions and the differing perceptions of the world between adults and the Little Prince. The adults are portrayed as being limited in their worldview, primarily due to their immersion in materialism, power, and egotistical pursuits.
These adults are portrayed as being disconnected from their emotions and the world around them. They are caught in their routines, obsessions, or vanity, which blinds them to the more essential aspects of life such as relationships, beauty, or understanding the world beyond the superficial. They are depicted as lacking the ability to see with their hearts, to perceive what is truly essential.
Imagination and Perception
The Little Prince begins with the aviator narrator expressing frustration at adults misinterpreting his childhood drawing, showcasing adults’ lack of imagination and their failure to comprehend the depth of children’s thoughts. This establishes a key theme: the perceptual disconnect between adults and children.
As the story unfolds, the Little Prince encounters adults who, absorbed in their narrow obsessions, fail to see beyond their immediate circumstances. This exploration of perception emphasizes the importance of looking beyond the tangible to truly understand the world.
Loneliness and Isolation
Loneliness and isolation are central themes in The Little Prince. The prince, along with several characters he meets, are depicted in states of solitude due to various circumstances or preoccupations.
However, through his journey, the Little Prince learns the importance of forming connections to combat loneliness. Particularly, his interaction with the fox enlightens him about “taming” or forming unique, meaningful bonds through emotional investment.
This understanding culminates in the realization that physical separation doesn’t break emotional connections, as evidenced by his bond with his rose. The story underscores that emotional connections with others are essential to overcome loneliness and enrich our lives.
Responsibility
The theme of responsibility in The Little Prince is crucial and is showcased through the Little Prince’s relationship with his rose and his interaction with the fox. His care for the demanding yet vulnerable rose symbolizes the responsibility one has towards those they love.
The fox introduces the concept of “taming,” which involves forming a bond of mutual dependency and understanding, implying lifelong commitment and responsibility. This wisdom impacts the aviator, who realizes his own bond and responsibility towards the Little Prince.
The story emphasizes that love and connection come with enduring responsibility, reminding readers of the duties inherent in our relationships.
Authenticity
Authenticity is a vital theme in The Little Prince, embodied in the prince’s curiosity and emotional transparency. Despite the complexity of the adult world, the prince stays true to his childlike nature.
His relationship with the rose, who initially hides her feelings behind pretense, highlights the importance of honesty and openness in emotional expression.
Conversely, the adults he encounters, consumed by their roles and material obsessions, depict a lack of authenticity. The aviator, who rediscovers emotional connection and joy through his friendship with the prince, underscores the significance of authenticity in leading a fulfilling life.
Existentialism and the Meaning of Life
The Little Prince explores existentialist themes, questioning the purpose of life, the pursuit of material possessions, and the inevitability of death. The Little Prince’s encounters with characters like the businessman and the king reveal the emptiness of a life focused on wealth or power.
Instead, the prince learns that life’s essence lies in the relationships and emotional bonds one forms, as shown in his interactions with his rose, the fox, and the aviator.
The book also contemplates death, illustrated by the prince’s acceptance of his potential encounter with the snake and his symbolic departure from Earth.
Symbolism and Imagery
The Little Prince is filled with profound and enchanting symbols and imagery. Here are some key ones:
The Rose
In the story, the rose is a symbol of love and beauty, but it also represents complexity and contradiction. The Little Prince loves the rose, yet he also finds it problematic and confusing because of its vain and demanding nature. The rose may reflect the author’s views on love and relationships — they are beautiful and valuable, yet they can also be demanding and full of contradictions.
The Baobabs
The baobabs that the Little Prince must constantly weed out from his planet symbolize negative elements in our life, such as hatred, laziness, or ignorance. If left unchecked, like the baobabs, these aspects can grow so large and overwhelming that they consume us. The Baobabs also highlight the importance of responsibility and vigilance in maintaining our personal “worlds.”
The Little Prince’s Planet
The Little Prince’s planet (asteroid B-612) can be seen as a symbol of his own mind and life. The constant care it requires, its simplicity, its isolation, and its smallness compared to the universe, all represent facets of human existence and our subjective experiences.
The Snake
The snake symbolizes knowledge, wisdom, and the dual nature of life and death. It provides the Little Prince with the knowledge of how he can return to his asteroid and rose. However, the means to achieve this is by experiencing a mortal bite from the snake itself.
The Fox
The fox represents wisdom, friendship, and the concept of “taming.” Through the fox, the Little Prince learns the importance of forming connections and relationships — making someone special and unique through the process of “taming.”
The Deserts and the Stars
Deserts in the story symbolize loneliness, desolation, and hardships in life. Yet, they also have a positive aspect, as the narrator notes, “What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.” Stars, on the other hand, are a symbol of hope, guidance, and the souls of the departed ones. They give consolation to the prince, and they also guide the narrator.
The Lamplighter
The lamplighter symbolizes dedication and sense of duty. Despite the absurdity of his task, the lamplighter never fails in his obligations. This may suggest the pointlessness of certain societal rules or duties, yet it also highlights the importance of dedication and commitment.
Impact and Adaptations
Translations and Sequels
The Little Prince has been translated into more than 300 languages and dialects. Notably, translations by Ysatis de Saint-Simone, André Prévot, and others have contributed to its global dissemination.
The story has inspired numerous sequels, with one of the most famous being “Le retour du jeune prince” by Jean-Pierre Davidts, which recounts the prince’s return journey to the Asteroid B-612.
Reviews and Legacy
Critical reviews and assessments of the story vary, but it remains widely popular among readers across generations. It is often considered a literary work with profound philosophical insights.
Study guides like Sparknotes have explored its themes, and readers have connected with the characters, symbolism, and narrative style.
The Little Prince has had a significant impact on popular culture, inspiring videos, movies, and television adaptations. The story also served as the basis for a Broadway musical called “The Tale of the Rose,” composed by Neighbor, illustrating the enduring influence of the book on various art forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is The Little Prince considered a classic?
The Little Prince is considered a classic because it transcends the constraints of a typical children’s book, offering profound and idealistic observations about life and human nature.
Its timeless themes of love, loneliness, and the pursuit of understanding make it relevant and cherished across all age groups and cultures.
Is The Little Prince a true story?
The Little Prince is a work of fiction, not a true story. However, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry incorporated elements from his own life into the book.
For instance, his experience as an aviator and his experiences of being stranded in the Sahara Desert are mirrored in the story.
Is there any specific target audience for The Little Prince?
While The Little Prince is often classified as a children’s book, its universal themes and philosophical insights make it appealing to readers of all ages.
It speaks to the child in every adult, making it a timeless classic that transcends age and cultural boundaries.
Conclusion
The Little Prince remains an enduring literary treasure, a testament to the enduring power of innocence and love. Its simplicity belies a philosophical depth, inviting readers of all ages into an interstellar journey that explores the complexities of human nature.
Each encounter the Little Prince has illuminates life’s paradoxes, painting a compelling picture of our shared human experience.
Despite its seemingly childlike exterior, The Little Prince is a profound allegory that resonates with everyone, stirring reflection about the invisible ties that bind us, the impermanence of life, and the beauty of viewing the world with a childlike wonder.