The little prince visits six asteroids. On each he meets a grown-up: a king, a vain man, a drunkard, a businessman, a lamplighter, and a geographer. Each encounter shows how adults can become trapped in roles that have nothing to do with meaning or love.
The king commands everything but has no one to command; the vain man wants only to be admired; the drunkard drinks to forget the shame of drinking. The prince finds them odd. They are alone on their asteroids, absorbed in themselves.
"Grown-ups are certainly very odd." â The Little Prince
The businessman counts stars he believes he ownsâhe is "busy with matters of consequence." The lamplighter is the only one the prince admires: his work has meaning (lighting and extinguishing the lamp), and he is faithful to it even though his planet now turns every minute.
Matters of "consequence" for grown-ups are often emptyâowning, counting, ruling. The lamplighter matters because he serves something beyond himself. The prince is drawn to purpose and devotion.
The geographer records mountains and seas but never leaves his desk; he relies on explorers. He advises the prince to visit Earth. So the little prince comes to our planetâand there he will meet the fox and learn what "taming" means.