September 22 2009
Where in space did Antoine Jean-Baptise Marie Roger de Saint-Exupery plucked the story of the Little Prince? Basically, the little prince is an allegory and a memoir. His philosophical visage is clearly shown here. The simplicity of The Little Prince gave it a more profound dimension. It would not be intriguing if Saint-Exupery simply enumerated what he wanted to say right? He tickled the mind with simple questions like: “Look at the sky. Ask your selves: has the sheep eaten the flower. Yes or no? And you will see how everything changes...” (p.107) I believe that simple questions can give rise to complex answers.
I used the book The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. It was translated to German, no just kidding, English by Irene Testot-Ferry this a Hertfordshire Wordsworth Editions Limited, 1995; 109 pages, Paperback 135 Php, ISBN 978-1-85326-158-9 version which I purchased at the country’s leading bookstore, National Bookstore.
The Little Prince’s plot is about a marooned aviator caused by some engine failure and the “little chap” the Little Prince which had some fair adventures regarding other planets; he came from another planet by the way. The “little chap” as what the aviator called him, well come to think of it; the narrator was addressed as “pilot” is he a he or a she? Anyway, I will stick with calling the narrator as aviator since this work is a memoir of a guy. The “little chap” was quite an interesting fellow; he often questioned things and had a refreshing outlook on life. The “little chap’s” adventures on the earth consisted with his meeting of the fox which told him the value of taming something and being responsible for it. The fox also made the “little chap” realize that his rose, is one and only and that he is responsible for it. The Little Prince’s tamed fox told him a secret which is “what is essential is invisible to the eye” (p.82). The story ended with the Little Prince’s death.
The time which the Little Prince’s story was set is “six years ago” the reference time is not said, so it is just like saying once upon a time but with a little twist. The events that happened were arranged in an interesting manner, the Little Prince’s story unfolded while he was talking with the aviator. It was kind of a flashback setting. The Little Prince often sunk at reveries. Come to think of it, one would not think about the past if it were not significant. The past is a space which time stands still, it can never be altered or tampered with, and it can only be remembered. However one can play with that memory but the truth that it already happened cannot be dilapidated.
Time, space and speed are relative ideas.
In this certain space, a certain event happens. That certain event is in motion, that movement can be slow or fast, but it is moving. That movement can be put into a halt by a certain something. The reason for the motion to slow down or to completely stop is the accident. The accident is forever in the realm of the future, I believe that one cannot create an accident, in this sense. If an accident is created, it is no longer an accident. “perhaps we can reverse things and directly invent the accident in order to determine the nature of the renowned “substance” of the implicitly discovered of certain supposedly accidental catastrophes.” (Virilio: p.212) In the story of the Little Prince, what would this imply? The aviator should break his engine so that he would land in the Sahara Desert and meet the Little Prince? Hmmm, since accidents are in the future, I think it is better to leave them there. If everything is an anticipated accident, there is no fun!
The Alpha Incident
Chapter two tells about the story of a pilot, an aviator which crash landed on the Sahara desert. It was said that the aviator lived alone, not until this day. The aviator is worried about the engine which broke down. While the aviator was thinking about the supply of drinking water and how to repair the damaged engine an unexpected character came along. A “Little chap” as what the aviator called him told him to draw a sheep. The aviator was perplexed of course, out of nowhere, a kid came a long and asks a stranger to draw him a sheep? He explained that he cannot do this, because of the early discouragement he received from the grown-ups during his growing years.
In this chapter, the little prince and the aviator realized their similarity, in terms of the elephant inside the boa perception. Instead of drawing him a sheep, the aviator instead drew a box, the Little Prince said that this was what he wanted, a sleeping sheep inside a box. At this point the aviator’s fascination to with the little prince grew.
This chapter is short in a sense but essential because this is where the accident of falling down from the sky is exhibited. The aviator’s plane broke down, this accident lead to his discovery of the “chap” or rather, because of this, the Little Prince found him. The Little Prince came from the sky, but it was not stated how. An accident can be a form of reminder. If the aviator did not have this kind of accident, he will not meet the Little Prince and he will still have no friend. This is became a moment for the aviator to reflect on what he has been doing with his life. The Little Prince shared with him profound lessons much elaborated in succeeding chapters.
Omega Incident
Death is the ultimate accident that one cannot escape
This is more of a concluding chapter. This is where the Little Prince, ugh, died? Death is not the world but he left the earth, that’s something for sure. The aviator saw the boy talking to a snake; the Little Prince is asking the snake if its poison is potent, and if its effect would take place immediately. The aviator rushed for the boy and as he attempts to pull his revolver out, the noise he was making while running distracted the snake and slithered away.
By this time, the aviator fixed his engine. And he was ready to go home, wherever that is. This time was the Little Prince’s anniversary on earth. He should get going. He wants to go back to his planet, wherever that is. The Little Prince journey back to his planet is not as easy as fixing an aeroplane or an engine. He was saying that his body is heavy, and that he cannot take it with him. This made the aviator sad. The Little Prince told him that he should not be sad, for it’s just a shell that will be left behind. And that every time he looks up the sky, he will still hear the laughter of the pixie prince.
The aviator saw the Little Prince from a distance, while a glittery sparkle on his ankle; he fell down slowly on the sand. The snake bit him, and thus his shell was left on earth and the insides went to, umm, his planet. Truly the Little Prince is an intriguing read. For me this part exhibited the inevitable accident, which is death. In real life, Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s body was never found after his plane disappeared. Well his plane was found by the way, May of 2000.
The snake bite is kind of an anticipated accident. The Little Prince and the snake arranged that the meeting. Well, if this is the case, accidents can be arranged. The time taken to die is quite fast. The arrangement for the killing is longer. The Little Prince’s movement was put to a halt (dropped dead) but still, his spirit continued on and went to his planet (probably).
Space in this sense becomes infinite. The Little Prince roamed the earth and his planet, and the other planets among the stars. The Little Prince is cosmic and is not bounded by earthly chains. (body)
Dying is inevitable
♫Well, what’s wrong with a little destruction?♫ (Fallen by Franz Ferdinand)
According to Marquis de Sade. Destruction, hence, like creation, is one of Nature's mandates. So this is my take on what accident might befall on the Le Petit Prince:
The Little Prince went back to his planet, as expected, the rose started to wipe off her tears as soon as the Little Prince sat his foot on the planet. “Why did you come back? Did you forget something?” asked the ever so conceited rose. The Little Prince answered “I have come back, for I have neglected the most important responsibility that I ever had.” “That is?” butted the rose. “You” said the Little Prince. The rose’s blush was not noticeable for she was already red.
The Little Prince laid the aviator’s drawing and it came to life, the box, the sheep and the muzzle. “The muzzle has no strap!” uttered the Little Prince. The rose said “Oh what is that? Is that, trash?” The sheep muttered “beeeeeetcccccch” It sounded like a curse word but I do not know what the sheep said. The Little Prince laughed his ass out.
Every day the Little Prince still continued with his duties, he cleaned the 3 volcanoes including the inactive one. He covers the rose with her glass dome at night. He feeds his sheep with grass. It is fortunate that the sheep does not have an appetite for roses. The Little Prince enjoyed the rose’s and sheep’s company.
An accident occurred, since there was a sheep in the planet, he littered like any animal would do, the sheep took a pee beside the rose, this made the rose so upset, her petals started to fall. The Little Prince was alarmed “What is happening to you?” said the Little Prince in a concerned and mournful tone. “That fluffy beast took a piss on me!” said the rose, “so dreadful stench” she scornfully added. The yet added, “it is ok, for me to go this way, this is far noble death for me, after what you have said, there are many roses on earth” The Little Prince started to cry, “I should not have brought the sheep with me”. The rose said, “No, regrets my prince, I am to die happy with the knowledge of knowing that there are a hundred thousand other roses, but I am the one who has tamed you, I am your rose and you are my prince. This is a happy death, I am ephemeral, it is good that that fluffy beast will cater to you on my behalf”
The Little Prince cried and cried while the rose is losing her breath, colour and life. The sheep sang in a mournful tone, “beeeeeeee,baaaaaaaa,yeeeeee”.
The Little Prince closed her dome once more, but this time, he will never open it again. The Prince wondered. Which is better? Not coming back and not to see his beloved rose die? Or to come back and contribute to the death of his beloved rose? His rose would die anyway, so what is the difference? This is a question that plagued the Little Prince’s mind while looking at the sunset.
CONCLUSION
Accidents in relation with time, speed and space
An accident which can alter something’s course can happen infinite times. There are no dead ends for an accident. Once accomplished, the tendency for it to strike again is not lessened. Primal accident implies that accidents are bound and will happen because it is a subliminal and “primal” part of something. The alpha and omega accidents are not final in this sense. The omega can be an alpha once more. There is no assurance that the omega is indeed the omega. Just like the little prince’s flower, it is ephemeral. While one is alive, there will be no final omega accident.
In this given space that we are living in, there are infinite accidents to be encountered. Only time can tell when we will encounter these said accidents. The speed on which we will find the accident or rather the speed wherein the accident will find us varies would and will forever vary.
There is no science of the accident.
Aristotle (Virilio: p.211)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
P. Virilio The Primal Accident Chapter 14
