Understanding Capitalist Concepts In "The Little Prince": A Marxist Critique 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Justine T. Bacharpa, Silver 
The Department of Education, Davao City National High School 
English For Academic and Professional Purposes 
Maria Carmen C. Miranda 
I.	Introduction. 
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's "The Little Prince" is well regarded for its fascinating plot and insightful observations on human nature. Beneath its superficial beauty is a serious case of adult fixations like power, vanity, and materialism, which are sometimes overlooked by readers captivated by its amusing components. In a series of allegorical chapters, notably in Chapters 10 through 15, the novel exposes typical societal norms through meetings with people such as a king infatuated with authority and a businessman consumed by ownership (Lipinski, 2010). By emphasizing these connections, Saint-Exupéry effectively challenges society's emphasis on hierarchical power and material prosperity, encouraging readers to reevaluate what genuinely contributes to satisfying one's humanity. 
 
II.	Body 
A.	Summary 
In “The Little Prince,” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the little prince encounters a variety of fascinating characters on his travels, each of whom represents a different adult fascination. He first encounters a monarch who takes great pleasure in issuing arbitrary orders, exposing the ridiculousness of having power for the only purpose of validation. The journey continues with a tippler who drinks to forget his shame and a conceited man who is always looking for attention, both of whom highlight the futility of both escapism and vanity. A businessman absorbed with counting stars shows the capitalist devotion on possession and the supplementary loneliness.  
 
The little prince also encounters a lamplighter who strictly sticks to obsolete orders, showing the folly of blind obedience and labor separated from meaning. Finally, he talks with a geographer who denies momentary beauty, stressing the documentation of only perpetual features. Through these interactions, Saint-Exupéry defies social conventions that emphasise strength, material wealth, and permanence, encouraging readers to reconsider these ambitions towards relationships and an appreciation of the short-lasting aspects of life. (Fromm, 2004; Arendt, 2013)
 
B.	Analysis/Interpretations 
Allegorical experiences are used in “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry to give a harsh criticism of the ideology of capitalism and how it affects interpersonal relationships and human values. Through the journeys of the little prince, Saint-Exupéry illustrates the foolishness inherent in society frameworks that favor material prosperity and hierarchical power.  His major purpose is to challenge these notions by exposing the separation they produce, asking readers to rethink the true usefulness of such activities.  
 
Every planet the little prince visits demonstrates a different facet of capitalism. Society and an alienation it causes. The merchant personifies the materialism of capitalism. And measurable possession, obsessively asserting stars as his own. This obsession draws attention to the Marxist notion of commodification, which holds that things are valued according to commercial value as opposed to inherent human significance (Fromm, 2004).  By concentrating with numerical accumulation, the businessman’s existence becomes a hollow symbol of capitalism’s fixation on ownership over genuine human connection.  
The novel also addresses hierarchy and power dynamics through the characters of the king and the geographer. The arbitrary power of the king is akin to the mindless persistence of supremacy in capitalist organizations, when power is maintained for its own sake instead of any logical objective. (Arendt, 2013) Similarly, the distance the geographer took from Experienced knowledge investigates how intellectual endeavors, akin to business ventures, can grow distant from the abundance of life experienced.  His preference for documenting just what is permanent indicates a gap that matches society's abstract accumulation at the cost of personal fulfillment.  
 
Moreover, the concept of alienation is underlined rather strongly by characters like the lamplighter, who mindlessly follows instructions without thinking through them.  This illustrates the Marxist notion of labor alienation—that is, the stripping of personal value from work when it is reduced to mere obedience ( Marx, 1977).  On the other hand, the bond the little prince has with his special rose emphasizes the richness of human ties that stand in sharp contrast to capitalism ideas of purchase and possession, therefore reflecting uncommodified love.  
 
Through these clearly rendered anecdotes, Saint-Exupéry illustrates the values of a capitalist society that often favor material success over authentic ties.  The book inspires readers to find purpose and joy in the ephemeral and personal, promoting a return to authentic ideals frequently hidden by capitalist measures of value and success.  
 
 
C. Evaluation/Response 
A profound analysis of societal values is provided in “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who exhorts readers to place a higher emphasis on interpersonal relationships than the foolish pursuit of wealth and power. The story really resonates with me personally because it challenges the frequently unquestioned acceptance of power and wealth as markers of success. Characters that profoundly emphasize the insufficiency of such aspirations include the monarch, who rules solely for the purpose of ruling, and the businessman, who is consumed with ownership. These pictures align with my personal beliefs that real fulfilment comes from relationships and genuineness rather than impersonal accomplishments. This is reflected in the tiny prince’s relationship with his rose, which shows how the transient can have enormous beauty despite its sensitivity and impermanence.  
 
Although the story does a good job of conveying its ideas, several parts, like the Given lamplighter’s strict adherence to instructions, a more thorough examination of fundamental reasons for adding intricacy. Still, “The Little Prince” enthrals its audience. Audience with its inventive plot and deep intellectual content, going above and beyond the amusement to investigate global human concerns. The “Who cares?” test is passed by appealing to the age-old anxiety of finding meaning in the fleeting moments of existence. In spite of Despite certain oversimplifications, the book offers a convincing critique of social norms. Encouraging readers to reflect and reorder their priorities in light of fundamental, as opposed to material, principles.
 
 
III. 	Conclusion 
“The Little Prince” challenges conventional wisdom by offering a fresh perspective. Our connection to material possessions and authority.  Through its funny and perceptive tale, Saint Exupéry reveals the frequently neglected repercussions of prioritizing material prosperity and hierarchical power—feelings of separation and isolation within society.  By accompanying the little prince on his enlightening journey, we're urged to reconsider what actually contributes to human fulfillment: the richness of relationships and the appreciation of life's transitory joys.  This book does more than just narrate stories; it offers an insightful analysis of socioeconomic dynamics, encouraging readers to consider and even change the principles that guide our life. By Combining its philosophical and imaginative elements, “The Little Prince” does a good job of questions modern norms and encourages a return to more fulfilling human relationships.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
References 
Arendt, H. (2013). The human condition. University of Chicago Press. 
Fromm, E. (2004). Marx's concept of man. Bloomsbury Academic. 
Lipinski, A. (2010). Saint-Exupery, Antoine de. The Little Prince. School Library Journal, 
56(11), 146+. 
Marx, K. (1977). The economic and philosophic manuscripts of 1844. Oxford University Press. 
Musto, M. (2015). The ‘Young Marx’Myth in interpretations of the economic–philosophic manuscripts of 1844. Critique, 43(2), 233-260.