La Siesta (after Millet) - Vincent Van Gogh (1890)
It is common knowledge, among the people who know me well, that The Little Prince holds a very special place in my heart (see this post). I read it regularly, and every time something new and different strikes me. The Little Prince is a treasure chest of truths about life, the human experience, friendship and love. Let me share briefly some thoughts I've had about the book lately.
The people in my world are constantly moving, both literally and figuratively. Moving away, moving back, moving farther, moving closer. Perhaps it's because of this day and age, or perhaps it's an eagerness to see, taste, and experience more and more, to push the limits of the known and attain the sea of possibilities that lies beyond, deep inside of us.
I, too, am always moving. On the one hand, it's a beautiful thing to see the world, to stretch your horizons, to step out of your comfort zone, to learn and grow beyond what you could have ever imagined. On the other hand, it sometimes becomes exhausting and burdensome to feel uprooted and have to start anew, in all areas of life, all the time.
One particular area where moving can hurt the most is friendship. Movement fosters creating new relationships because of (1) an increased exposure to new people, and (2) the necessity to make new relationships to 'survive' in society. From a sea of unfamiliar faces, some eventually emerge that have meaning. From an abstract mess of colour and texture emerge figures which our brain can recognise and make associations with.
You're given a geographic location, and a limited amount of time, and relationships happen. You find kindred spirits, invest your time and mind in them, and clothe your heart with shared moments and memories. It's a delightful phenomenon, to see the foreign become familiar, to tame that which was wild.
Oh, but when you leave your friends, or when your friends leave you, your heart is stripped of its clothes, laid bare again. Cold, vulnerable, and alone. What has been given can't be returned, and it feels like sweet, sweet theft. It sometimes feels like the pain of losing someone you're attached to, and having to start all over again, outweighs the benefits of having developed that friendship. What good is it to create something valuable, only to see it go away?
In the midst of moving, moving again, and moving one more time over the past few months, I genuinely asked myself that question. And in the midst of my reflections, I remembered my favourite passage in the Little Prince, the long dialogue between the fox and the Little Prince.
When they first meet, the fox asks the little prince to become his friend:
"My life is very monotonous," the fox said. "I hunt chickens; men hunt me. All the chickens are just alike, and all the men are just alike. And, in consequence, I am a little bored. But if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow. And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat...
The fox then explains that relationships require investment and energy--the fox and the little prince cannot be friends right away, but must 'tame' each other.
So the little prince tamed the fox. And when the hour of his departure drew near-- "Ah," said the fox, "I shall cry." "It is your own fault," said the little prince. "I never wished you any sort of harm; but you wanted me to tame you . . ." "Yes, that is so," said the fox. "But now you are going to cry!" said the little prince. "Yes, that is so," said the fox. "Then it has done you no good at all!" "It has done me good," said the fox, "because of the colour of the wheat fields."
I was very inspired by this--the pain is worthwhile, because the gain is that that which was meaningless, is now meaningful. Even when people you have invested yourself in are physically removed from you, tokens from your shared experience are permanent and everywhere in your daily, tangible life. There is now beauty, savour and substance in what was bland, ordinary and hollow. And it has done you good.
John Steinbeck's East of Eden is perhaps the lengthiest work of literature based on the story of Cain and Abel. Though its 601 pages are intimidating at first, they contain powerful truths and reflections.
Summary (although you really should read the book for yourself)
"Set in the rich farmland of California's Salinas Valley, this sprawling and and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families--the Trasks and the Hamiltons--whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel." (description found in my copy)
East of Eden takes place over a long period of time. It details two sets of Father-Son and Brother-Brother relationships which reflect the Biblical narrative of Cain and Abel. John Steinbeck, though very subtle in many ways, leaves nothing to interpretation as to who is who: Cyrus Trask begets Adam and Charles Trask, while Adam Trask in turn begets Aron and Caleb Trask.
Most of the novel focuses on Adam Trask and his relationship with Cathy Ames, a wicked woman who finds pleasure in manipulating and crushing those who stand in her way, with no other seeming purpose than her own ambitions. "The trouble is that since we cannot know what she wanted, we will never know whether or not she got it," writes Steinbeck.
Caleb, dark and withdrawn, is devoured by jealousy of his brother Aaron, who is loved by all and whose academic success is praised by their father Adam, while Caleb's business endeavours are utterly rejected. In his anger, Caleb takes his revenge, which results in Aron dying.
The Biblical Reference
Here is the story of Cain and Abel as quoted in the novel (this is important):
Adam started to speak and Samuel looked up at him and he was silent and covered his eyes with his hand. Samuel read, " 'And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord has respect unto Abel and to his offering. But unto Cain and to his offering he has not respect.' " (...) " 'And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, "Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him."" 'And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him' "
From the reading of this passage follows a discussion between Adam Trask, Samuel Hamilton and Lee (Adam's cook and housekeeper - Cathy did not stay with him long) on the meaning of the story and questions as to why Cain's offering was rejected. Though the discussion does not resolve at the time, Lee later recalls ''the story bit deeply into me and and I went into it word for word (...) the more I thought about the story, the more profound it became to me."
"Timshel," The Hebrew Word That Changes Everything
It is by comparing two English translation that Lee makes his discovery:
(...) they were fairly close. There was only one place that bothered me. The King James version says this--it is when Jehovah has asked Cain why he is angry. Jehovah says, 'If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." It was the 'thou shalt' that struck me, because it was a promise that Cain would conquer sin. (...)Then I got a copy of the American Standard Bible. It was very new then. And it was different in this passage. It says, 'Do thou rule over him.' Now this is very different. This is not a promise, it is an order. And I begun to stew about it. I wondered what the original word of the original writer has been that these very different translations could be made."
Lee then applied himself to studying Hebrew and discussed the issue with Chinese sages, who also took on the study of Hebrew and engaged a learn rabbi. After two years of these studies, the sages found the answer they were looking for. As Lee recalls :
This was the gold from our mining: 'Thou mayest.' 'Thou mayest rule over sin.' (...)The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin (...). The King James translation makes a promise in 'Thou shalt,' meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel--"Thou mayest'--that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. (...) For if 'Thou mayest'--it is also true that 'Thou mayest not.' (...)(...) for in his weakness and his filth and in his murder of his brother he has still the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win. (...)
'Timshel' And The Moral Struggle Between Good and Evil
In East of Eden, the idea of choice between good and evil is a prominent theme.
Cathy Ames, who has followed an evil path since her youth, is confronted to it when her son Aron expresses his disgust at her lifestyle. She feels remorse for the first time. When confronted to this reality and the possibility of a choice, however, she commits suicide rather than abandoning her ways.
When his father Adam refuses his gift, Cal Trask is also faced with a choice: he can either forgive his father or he can jealousy consume him and seek revenge on his brother Aron. This time, Cal chooses evil, just like Cain in the biblical narrative: He exposes Aron to a disturbing family secret which prompts Aron to enroll in the army, where he eventually dies in battle.
However, the novel does not end there. Upon fully realising the evil he has committed, and though he is guilty of one of the most repulsive crimes, Cal repents and seeks forgiveness. His life is then at a crossroads: Cal cannot change the past, but he can still choose to live the right way.
DISCLAIMER: East of Eden Is Not Theology...
The purpose of literature is to deepen our understanding of human nature and the human condition. This is the perspective from which I read East of Eden. It is not a perfectly accurate retelling of the story of Cain and Abel compared to the biblical narrative, as it focuses on man's abilities for overcoming evil rather than God's grace. I have even read somewhere that the hebrew word 'timshel' as employed in the Cain and Abel narrative is better translated in the imperative, and that God's words to Cain must be understood as :''You are planning to sin, and it is ready to overtake you. But you, Cain, are commanded to conquer it instead.'' In my opinion, however, and even from the perspective that 'timshel' is a command, Steinbeck's premise in East of Eden stands: Cain has free will in the face of a choice between good or evil. He is free to make his own decision, though the objectively right and moral one is that of good.
Picture from the 1955 ''East of Eden'' movie featuring James Dean. It's an awful movie, don't watch it.
I thought it would be amusing to put together the first and last sentence of books and see what happens, so I randomly selected 10 titles from The Guardian's Top 100 books of all time. The result is rather interesting: Alternative thoughts, anecdotes and statements emerged from the novel's main story....
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain)
You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter. I been there before. Anna Karenina (Leo Tolstoy) ALL happy families resemble one another; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. But my whole life, every moment of my life, independently of whatever may happen to me, will be, not meaningless as before, but full of the deep meaning which I shall have the power to impress upon it." The Trial (Kafka) Someone must have been telling lies about Josef K., he knew he had done nothing wrong but, one morning, he was arrested. "Like a dog!" he said, it was as if the shame of it should outlive him. Dead Souls (Gogol) To the door of an inn in the provincial town of N. there drew up a smart britchka—a light spring-carriage of the sort affected by bachelors, retired lieutenant-colonels, staff-captains, land-owners possessed of about a hundred souls, and, in short, all persons who rank as gentlemen of the intermediate category. I invite those men to remember the duty which confronts us, whatsoever our respective stations; I invite them to observe more closely their duty, and to keep more constantly in mind their obligations of holding true to their country, in that before us the future looms dark, and that we can scarcely...." [Here the manuscript of the original comes abruptly to an end.] Gulliver's Travels (Jonathan Swift) My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire: I was the third of five sons. I dwell the longer upon this subject from the desire I have to make the society of an English Yahoo by any means not insupportable; and therefore I here entreat those who have any tincture of this absurd vice, that they will not presume to come in my sight. Hunger (Knut Hamsuné) I was lying awake in my attic and I heard a clock below strike six. Out in the fjord I dragged myself up once, wet with fever and exhaustion, and gazed landwards, and bade farewell for the present to the town--to Christiania, where the windows gleamed so brightly in all the homes. Love In The Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love. ''Forever,'' he said. Middlemarch (George Eliot) Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs. Remembrance of Things Past: Swann's Way (Marcel Proust) For a long time I used to go to bed early. But scarcely had daylight itself–and no longer the gleam from a last, dying ember on a brass curtain-rod, which I had mistaken for daylight–traced across the darkness, as with a stroke of chalk across a blackboard, its first white correcting ray, when the window, with its curtains, would leave the frame of the doorway, in which I had erroneously placed it, while, to make room for it, the writing-table, which my memory had clumsily fixed where the window ought to be, would hurry off at full speed, thrusting before it the mantelpiece, and sweeping aside the wall of the passage; the well of the courtyard would be enthroned on the spot where, a moment earlier, my dressing-room had lain, and the dwelling-place which I had built up for myself in the darkness would have gone to join all those other dwellings of which I had caught glimpses from the whirlpool of awakening; put to flight by that pale sign traced above my window-curtains by the uplifted forefinger of day. To The Lighthouse (Virginia Woolf)
"Yes, of course, if it's fine tomorrow," said Mrs. Ramsay. Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision.
Recently, a friend of mine asked me to make a list of books I would recommend, and I received that request as a compliment, considering that Alex J. (my friend) has great taste in literature (and music, cinema, art et caetera).
So I made an attempt at listing some of the books that touched me, amazed me, upset me and changed me the most. Not all those books are novels, some are written more in the form of an essay.
This exercice brought up the question, ''Why does one enjoy literature''? I believe there is no universal answer to that question, although I believe I have found a partial, or at least satisfactory, answer for myself. When I was in college, one of my English literature teachers told me that he read books for the purpose of ''deepening his understanding of human nature.'' I subscribe to his opinion and believe that literature should not simply be viewed as ''entertainment,'' but also as a means of acquiring a deeper understanding of ourselves, the people around us and the world we live in.
However, since I named this post ''A Reading List,'' and not ''An Essay On Literature, Human Nature And The Universe,'' I will put an end to my reflections and proceed to give the promised list:
FRENCH LITERATURE
Victor Hugo (1802-1885)
1. Notre-Dame de Paris If you have seen the Disney Movie ''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,'' please forget all about it, because it is by no means a faithful rendition of the book. Notre-Dame is an ode to Middle Ages Paris in the form of many seemingly isolated stories that ultimately converge in the same direction. It is a story of outcasts, of virtue and corruption.
2. The Last Day of a Condemned Man This is either a very short novel or a very long short story. It is the diary of a man awaiting the execution of his death sentence and reflecting on life, death and himself. The reader never finds out about the condemned man's identity, social status or crime, but only the thoughts of a man in the face of his own imminent death.
Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850)
3. Eugénie Grandet This is the book that really sparked my interest for French literature when I was in primary school. It is a depiction of life in rural France in the 19th century, and the story of a greedy father whose relationships with his wife and daughter are totally controlled by his avarice. Includes a love story, the reason/passion contradiction and the consequences of evil behaviour.
4. Le Père Goriot This novel made a strong impression on me by the feeling of indignation it inspires to the reader. Goriot's love for his daughters is blind to the point that he excuses and pardons their cruelty towards him. It is an illustration of ungratefulness at it filthiest and the tragedy of unrequited love.
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
5. Pensées Pensées is a posthumous collection of Pascal's religious and philisophical writings. It is a series of numbered paragraphs elaborating on various and sometimes random subjects (from interpretation in art to the importance of Cleopatras' nose to an exposition of biblical prophecies fulfilled by Jesus Christ). Contains religious theories that greatly influenced modern thought, such as Pascal's Wager.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944)
6. The Little Prince It would be incredibly hard for me to choose what is my favourite book, but if I had to, it would probably be this one (see this blog post). The Little Prince is often wrongly seen as a children's book, whereas it deals with some of the deepest and most delicate questions of life. The Little Prince is a beautifully written book about relationships, true friendship, the simplicity of life and the nature of human attachment.
Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870)
7. The Count of Monte-Cristo Be prepared for a two-volume epic about an unjust trial, ambitious treachery, imprisonment and an unbelievable jailbreak. Follow the protagonist in his reflections about love and hatred, revenge and forgiveness. Also be prepared for your mind to be blown at the end of the book when all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place and you figure out the meaning of everything.
ENGLISH LITERATURE
Charles Dickens (1812-1870)
8. A Christmas Carol A classic I can never get tired of. I read it every year as 'preparation' for Christmas, and it moves me every time. This short book deals with one's mistakes in life, the consequences of one's actions and the possibility of changing one's ways.
George Orwell (1903-1950)
9. Animal Farm This book was inspired by the Russian Revolution and the early years of the Soviet Union. Indeed, it shows the disorder resulting from the disappearance of authority (the farmer) within a society of animals. Starting with laudable ideals, the animal government gradually shifts to an unjust regime leading to cruelty and chaos. Makes the reader reflect on justice, totalitarianism and democracy.
C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)
10. Mere Christianity Lewis, who taught at Cambridge and Oxford and was one of the finest thinkers of his time, gave a series of talks on BBC radio about Christian faith during the Second World War. He builds his argument on morality, or the laws of nature (thorougly analysed and discussed by Enlightenment philosophers), in explaining the Christian faith. This book, or collection of talks, is an essay based on inferential reasoning, and exposing the essence of Christianity.
Joseph Conrad (1857-1924)
11. Heart of Darkness One of the gems that I had to read in college. Conrad's writing style is unique and impressive considering that English was not his first language. Tells a story of colonialism, imperialism, racism and views on civilization and "savagery.'' The movie Apocalypse Now was inspired by this novel.
John Locke (1632-1904)
12. Second Treatise of Government I read this political/philosophical essay when I was young and again while writing a thesis on the influence of Englishtenment philosophy on the Declaration of Independence, and was impressed by the quality of Locke's reflections. His views on government, the state, the individual, liberty and private property have had a tremenduous impact on Western thought, especially American philosophy and the Declaration of Independence.
AMERICAN LITERATURE
Harper Lee (1926- )
13. To Kill A Mockingbird The Pulitzer-prize winning TKM is a classic of American literature. It deals with racism and racial inequality in Southern U.S. shortly after the Great Depression. It contrasts the ugliness of racism with the beauty of the quest for justice and the recognition of human dignity and worth. Timeless and inspiring.
John Steinbeck (1902-1968)
14. Of Mice and Men A tragic book dealing with the powerlessness that can come from intellectual and economic limitations, among others. Also emphasises the importance and role of dreams and aspirations, and explores the theme of fate.
Jerry Spinelli (1941- )
15. Milkweed I found this book on the floor somewhere and that's how I came to read it. It is the story of an orphan living in the Warsaw ghetto during the Second World War, and struggling to find an identity. The narrator gives an innocent and naive outlook on the horrors of war, the Holocaust and the Nazis.
Mark Twain (1835-1920)
16. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer This book is hard to describe or summarise. It is the story of a young boy growing up in Mississippi and an account of his adventures and mishaps.
RUSSIAN LITERATURE
Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881)
17. The Idiot It is is a long novel centered on a mysterious prince who leaves no one indifferent. Some think he is a genius, some think he is an idiot, and the reader doesn't really know (until the end). The Prince is a strange man, remote from society and asexual. Although he seems fundamentally good, he is influenced by the corrupt world he lives in. The Idiot can be a tedious read at times, since most of the book consists of dialogues that sometimes seem unrelated to the central plot (also unclear at times). However, the last 200 pages, where all the story and enigma unfold, are worth the other 700.
18. The Brothers Karamazov This is such a complex and profound novel that it seems unfair and unworty of me to attempt to summarise in a couple of sentences. Its plot develops very slowly and through a series of dialogues, monologues and essays on various themes such as human nature, free will, virtue and vice, asceticism and pleasure. The reader follows the story of Fyodor Karamazov's sons, their actions and reflections. An imposing philosophical work dealing with some of the themes that concern human beings most, and a novel you just can't put down.
Although my list is not exhaustive, I recognise that it is short. The reason for this is that I am still in the process of expanding my knowledge of literature. I can think of so many classics that I have never read.
All are invited to share their literary discoveries with me, and although my time is limited, I will try my best to read most of them!
Have you ever read The Little Prince? Maybe you were forced to read it in your French immersion class in High School. Maybe you've heard of it and recognize the iconic blonde child on the picture above, but have never read the book for yourself.
I think you should read The Little Prince. Everyone should read it. It is short, not very expensive, has a lot of illustrations and can move you in unexpected and incredible ways. Wikipedia tells me it is the most read and translated book of the French language, and one of the best-selling books ever published.
I will start by giving a little summary of the book with some key quotations, after which I will briefly discuss some of the key concepts and ideas.
Many people think of The Little Prince as children's literature, but it really is a book for adults.
This novella rests on the premise that adults, or ''grown ups'' are blind to the most important things in life, and are often more concerned about material, pecuniary things.
Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for
children to be always and forever explaining things to them.
I have lived
a great deal among grown-ups. I have seen them intimately, close at hand. And
that hasn’t much improved my opinion of them. Grown-ups love figures.
When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask you any
questions about essential matters. They never say to you, “What does his voice
sound like? What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?” Instead,
they demand: “How old is he? How many brothers has he? How much does he weigh?
How much money does his father make?” Only from these figures do they think they
have learned anything about him
The narrator is a pilot, and the story takes place in the Sahara. While in the desert, the narrator meets the little prince, a strange child who says he is from another planet. As he talk about his ''asteroid,'' we learn that it is very small; it has three volcanoes and one rose.
The Rose
The little prince invests a lot of time in his rose, providing for her every need and every whim. In addition to being ungrateful for everything he does for her, the rose blames him whenever she can.
Eventually, the little prince gets hurt, and leaves his planet.
"I ought not to have listened to her," he confided to me one day. "One never
ought to listen to the flowers. One should simply look at them and breathe their
fragrance. Mine perfumed all my planet. But I did not know how to take pleasure
in all her grace. This tale of claws, which disturbed me so much, should only
have filled my heart with tenderness and pity."
And he continued his confidences:
"The fact is that I did not know how to understand anything! I ought to have
judged by deeds and not by words. She cast her fragrance and her radiance over
me. I ought never to have run away from her... I ought to have guessed all the
affection that lay behind her poor little stratagems. Flowers are so
inconsistent! But I was too young to know how to love her..."
After visiting a number of planets and asteroids, the little prince comes to Earth to find what he is looking for. He tells the pilot about some of his experiences and findings.
As he travels the Earth searching for men, the little prince makes two significant acquaintances.
First, he comes across a rose garden. The little prince is shocked: he thought there was but one rose in the whole universe! When he finds out there are many beautiful, identical roses, he is disenchanted.
I thought that I was rich, with a flower that was unique in all the world; and all I had was a common rose. A common rose, and three volcanoes that come up to my knees-- and one of them perhaps extinct forever... that doesn't make me a very great prince... And he lay down in the grass and cried.
The Fox
After he leaves the flowers, the little prince is approached by a fox. The young boy wants to play with the fox, but the fox replies that he must be tamed in order to give the little prince his trust. Then the fox goes on talking about what taming means:
To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world..."
Time goes by and every day, the fox comes a little closer to the little prince. The fox explains that in order for a relationship to be established, one needs rites and regularity. Eventually, the fox and the little prince tame each other; they love and need each other. Every day they look forward to the moment they will see each other again.
With that in mind, the little prince goes back to the garden of roses, but with a very different perspective:
"You are not at all like my rose," he said. "As yet you are nothing. No one has tamed you, and you have tamed no one. You are like my fox when I first knew him. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world." "You are beautiful, but you are empty," he went on. "One could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you-- the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars [...]; because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or ever sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose.
The little prince then returns to the fox, one last time before he has to leave. Parting is heart-wrenching. As a last gift to the little prince, the fox reveals a secret:
"Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. [...] It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important. [...] "Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose..."
The little prince then continues his journey.
Those are really nice quotes but what's the point?
Many doctoral theses have probably already been written on the little prince and his relationship with the rose and the fox, so I will not try to reinvent the wheel.
What I love about this story is that is interesting and complex on so many levels.
It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important... I remember how in Economics we were taught that things only have the value that we give them. Gold, for instance. Its price is ever-changing and fluctuates with the market. If gold was not pleasing to the eye or if it was not a key component of a number of products and machines, would it still be so valuable? Probably not.
This logic works as far as things are concerned, but what about people and relationships? Do people only have the value that we give them? Sadly, this is what many people seem to think, but I do believe that people have intrinsic value that finds its origin in their human nature.
I do think that many relationships are important to us because of all the time and energy we invested in them. Do you have a friend that you have known forever and have shared many important moments with? Have you spent so much time together that you can hardly imagine life without them?
When I think of the people close to me, this definitely rings true. All the time you have spent together and all the things that have happened cannot just be erased. These people will always be a part of you, somehow.
If you tame me, we shall need each other... I find interesting the idea of taming in The Little Prince. At first, the fox and the little prince are indifferent to each other (''you are like my fox when I knew him. He was just a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes''). Trust seldom comes instantly. The fox needed time to trust the prince, and the prince needed time to trust the fox. As they invested more and more in each other, the relationship developed. As he got to know him better, the little prince came to appreciate the fox individually: he was not longer like any other fox. He was his fox, he knew him and was known by him. (''I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world).
You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed... I wondered for a long time what this meant and how I should interpret it. We do not often think of relationships in terms of ''responsibility'' or ''obligations.'' Hanging out with friends seems like an easy and effortless thing to do. What does it mean to be responsible for what we have tamed?
I think this is connected to what I wrote about how people become a part of you and you become a part of them. From the moment you are a part of someone, you have a responsibility. Once you are a part of someone, you cannot separate yourself from them without causing harm. You have great power to either bless them or damage them. With great power comes great responsibility. In the same way, we become responsible for what we have tamed.
If I could have it back, all the time that we wasted, I'd only waste it again I would love to waste it again Waste it again and again and again
Most people today have never heard of George Herbert, a 17th century English Priest and prolific metaphysical poet. His most famous collection of poems, The Temple, was published posthumously.
Herbert's The Collar has been one of my favourite poems for a long time. I appreciate how genuine and honest it is about spirituality.
The Collar is the story of a man who has been faithful to God throughout his life but now doubts. He is counting the cost and is questioning whether he should persevere. Progressively, he starts trying to convince himself to let go of everything he has always believed in. For a moment, he is tired to seek God's face, to seek moral righteousness and justice.
I Struck the board, and cry’d, No more. I will abroad. What? shall I ever sigh and pine?My lines and life are free; free as the rode, Loose as the winde, as large as store. Shall I be still in suit? Have I no harvest but a thorn To let me bloud, and not restoreWhat I have lost with cordiall fruit? Sure there was wine Before my sighs did drie it: there was corn Before my tears did drown it. Is the yeare onely lost to me? Have I no bayes to crown it?No flowers, no garlands gay? all blasted? All wasted? Not so, my heart: but there is fruit, And thou hast hands. Recover all thy sigh-blown ageOn double pleasures: leave thy cold disputeOf what is fit, and not. Forsake thy cage, Thy rope of sands,Which pettie thoughts have made, and made to thee Good cable, to enforce and draw, And be thy law, While thou didst wink and wouldst not see. Away; take heed: I will abroad.Call in thy deaths head there: tie up thy fears. He that forbears To suit and serve his need, Deserves his load.But as I rav’d and grew more fierce and wilde At every word, Me thoughts I heard one calling, Childe: And I reply’d, My Lord.
The last two lines get me every time. As the author grows fierce and wild, God whispers and reveals himself to the author again. He has been there all along!
Doubt gives way to certitude, and the relationship is restored.
First of all, I have to make this clear: Ihave not pre-arranged those six books on my bedside table in order to write a blog post. In fact, I had no clue what to write about this week. I turned around, I saw my bedside table, and I got the idea to write this article! Also, I took an amateur photograph of each of the books, because I think amateur shots are cool. Also, I'm not the best photographer in the world.
Charles Dickens - David Copperfield
I know... I haven't read it yet... It just seems so lengthy and intimidating! I love Dickens but he scares me with his dictionary-long novels. ''A Christmas Carol'' is short and much more accessible!!! But I can't wait to rediscover David Copperfield. I think I read an abridged, translated version of it (not the good stuff) when I was a kid, but I can't remember ever reading the original.
Blaise Pascal - Les Provinciales (Provincial Letters)
This (very old) book was given to me by my late grandfather, who had the largest and nicest personal library I've ever seen (besides that of Thomas Jefferson at the Library of Congress). To be honest, I have no idea what this book is about, but I do love Blaise Pascal's writings. Pascal was an outstanding scientific, philosopher, author, genius, etc., etc. My favourite of his quotes (and don't ask me why) : ''Cleopatra's nose, had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed.''
Countess of Ségur - Après la pluie, le beau temps (After the rain comes the sun)
It's a shame that the Countess of Ségur is relatively unknown in the English-Speaking world. I read almost all of her books when I was a child. Sophie de Ségur was a 19th century French author of Russian origin. She wrote dozens of books with strong moral values and life principles to her grandchildren. I've read Après la pluie, le beau temps a number of times, and I love it every time. It's about the lives of Georges and Geneviève, two cousins. George is the bad boy, and Geneviève is the good girl. Believe me, you have to read the book!!!
Peter Leithart - Fyodor Dostoevsky
This book is a biography of one of the greatest writers of all time, Dostoevsky (also translated Dostoyevsky). Ok, to be really honest, I started reading Crime and Punishment last summer, and 150 pages in, I still wasn't hooked. But I'll try again this summer, I hate to half-read books. Here's what the back of this book says: ''To absorb Dostoevsky's remarkable life in these pages is to encounter a man who not only examined the quest for God, the problem of evil, and the suffering of innocents in his writing but also drew inspiration from his own deep Christian faith in giving voice to the common people of his nation... and ultimately the world.''
Rick James - Jesus Without Religion This book is an informal summary of Jesus' life, what he said and what the Bible says about him. The back of the book expresses well what the book is about:
Rick James begins by clearing his throat. Free of creeds, quarrels and specialized theologies, he speaks of Jesus. No dogma, no politics, no moral at the end.
Jesus. What he said. What he did. And what, exactly, was the point.
I've read the first chapter and it's refreshingly unconventional. I still can't give my opinion on the book as a whole, but I agree that we need to be reminded of the basics when it comes to Jesus and Christianity. Although James' book might be helpful, if we want first-hand information on Jesus and God and what this is all about, we should go to the Bibledirectly.
Chrétien de Troyes - Lancelot ou le Chevalier de la Charette (Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart)
As I was wandering and dreaming in the bookstores of Paris last summer, I wanted to buy typical, even stereotypical French books. I thought nothing could be more French than medieval French, and so I bought Lancelot, a very long poem written in the 12th century. It's about Middle Ages stuff. And some love story between Lancelot and Guinevere. Lancelot was one of the Knights of the Round Table (King Arthur and friends).
So that's what I told myself I would read this summer. What will you read this summer? I might have used the word ''book'' a lot, but you'll agree that this word doesn't have many synonyms.
