group discussion
topic:
Loathed Titles >
Jonathan Livingston Seagull and The Little Prince
I've always loathed boths of these books... a lot!! And people just keep on quoting from them and saying they changed their lives. Mine too, for the worse!! I can't stand the gull or the prince. I sort of liked a few other books by Richard Bach, weird as they were, and even some by Saint.Ex but these two just make me grrrrr and hisssss. Am I alone in my dislike?
Both of these books are charming in the sense that they take topics that those of us who are adults and have some brains and have thought about life and philosophy might understand and be able to discuss, and put them in language children might understand. With varying degrees of success.
The Little Prince is not really meant to teach adults anything, it's a children's book that is also aimed at adults, in that it is meant to remind adults of what it was like to be a child and find wonder in everything, and not even know what it would be to develop some cynicism. I like it for that reason (though anyone whose life it changed either read it at eight or had done absolutely no thinking about philosophical topics yet in their adulthood...).
Jonathan Livingston Seagull...well, though I imagine it's meant for kids, it doesn't really appeal to kids (or at least it didn't to me). The irony is that if you don't know anything about the relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism, it's a boring story about a bird, and if you do understand the relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism, then it's extremely remedial, and patronizing, and still a boring story about a bird. But I do remember reading it in my early 20's and being astounded that I finally understood what it was about.
I read The Little Prince first in English, then twice for 3rd and 4th year French Class in high school. I suppose the situation colored my reaction to it, it wasn't my choice to read it, especially the second time it was assigned. I remember getting really irritated with St. Exupery's idealization of children, his preachiness, and his obvious contempt for women seen in the relationship the Prince has with the demanding, high maintenance rose.
Of course, as I was only 17, my childhood was still fairly recent. I knew good and well that children are not endowed with the wisdom and insight of the Little Prince. Although I suppose the average kid would think it's really cool to have your own planet.
My memory of The Little Prince was from 3rd year French. A friend who wasn't doing as well in the class called me after finally finishing the book. He demanded to know if "the little bastard" was really dead at the end so that he could rejoice in the prince's demise if he had, in fact, read it correctly.
