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The Little Prince (2016) movie poster

Characters & Themes

The Little Prince (2016) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 108 min · English
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Directed by
Mark Osborne

A young girl's life changes when she befriends her eccentric neighbor, who introduces her to a wondrous world beyond imagination. Together, they embark on a magical journey with the Little Prince, encountering fantastical characters and breathtaking landscapes. Through their adventures, she rediscovers the wonder of childhood and learns valuable lessons about love, loss, and the importance of seeing with her heart.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (2)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (2)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 The book behind the movie
  7. 7 Movie threads
  8. 8 Every angle
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2 main characters · contains spoilers

The Little Prince Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of The Little Prince (2016), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • The Little Prince

    The Little Prince is a curious and innocent boy from asteroid B 612 who seeks to understand love and relationships. His adventures teach him valuable lessons about companionship, responsibility, and the complexities of adulthood. Though he appears naive, he possesses a profound wisdom that challenges adult perspectives.

    • 👦 Childlike Wonder
    • 💫 Explorer
  • The Narrator

    The Narrator is a down-to-earth aircraft pilot whose life is transformed by his encounter with the Little Prince. Initially consumed by adult concerns, he learns to see the world through a child's eyes, rediscovering wonder and the significance of relationships. His journey reflects the rediscovery of lost innocence.

    • ✈️ Pilot
    • 🌍 Reflective

Last updated: December 24, 2024 at 10:02

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Setting

Where and When Does The Little Prince Take Place?

The setting of The Little Prince (2016): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

The story transcends a specific time period, presenting timeless themes of childhood innocence and adult disillusionment. It contrasts the perspectives of children and adults, highlighting a universal message rather than a confined historical context. This allows the narrative to resonate across generations, making it a classic contemplation of perception and understanding.

Location

Sahara Desert, Asteroid B 612, Various Planets

The movie takes place primarily in the vast Sahara Desert, a remote and arid region known for its extreme conditions and isolation. The narrative also explores Asteroid B 612, a small celestial body that serves as the home of the little prince, featuring peculiar terrains and delicate flora. Additionally, the prince's travels introduce various other planets, each inhabited by solitary adults, reflecting different philosophies of life.

  • 🏜️ Desert
  • 🌌 Outer Space

Last updated: December 24, 2024 at 10:02

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2 major themes

The Little Prince Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is The Little Prince (2016) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Innocence

    Innocence plays a crucial role in 'The Little Prince', as it juxtaposes the pure worldview of the young prince against the practicality and rigidity of the adult characters. The story illustrates the importance of retaining childlike wonder and the value of seeing beyond surface appearances. Through the interactions between the prince and the narrator, the film emphasizes the significance of love, imagination, and genuine connections.

  • Love

    Love is a central theme, exemplified in the prince's relationship with his rose. It explores the complexities of caring for another and the misunderstandings that can arise from affection. The prince learns that true love involves responsibility and seeing beyond superficial attributes, which is encapsulated in the lesson taught by the fox about taming. This theme encourages viewers to understand and appreciate the importance of bonds formed through time and dedication.

Last updated: December 24, 2024 at 10:02

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Character & theme questions

The Little Prince Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about The Little Prince (2016): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

What are the main locations in the story?

The story primarily takes place in the vast Sahara Desert, where the pilot narrator crashes and survives. It also explores Asteroid B 612, a small celestial body that serves as the Little Prince's home, and various other planets he visits during his travels, each inhabited by solitary adults representing different philosophies of life.

  • sahara desert
  • asteroid b 612
  • setting
  • planets
Q2

When is the story set?

The story is not anchored to any specific time period. It presents timeless themes of childhood innocence and adult disillusionment, deliberately transcending historical context to deliver a universal message that can resonate across generations.

  • time period
  • timeless
  • era
Q3

What are the central themes explored?

The movie explores two interconnected themes: innocence and love. Innocence juxtaposes the pure worldview of the young prince against the practicality of adults, emphasizing the importance of childlike wonder and seeing beyond surface appearances. Love is exemplified through the prince's relationship with his rose, teaching that true love involves responsibility and seeing beyond superficial attributes.

  • innocence
  • love
  • themes
  • childhood
Q4

Who is the Little Prince character?

The Little Prince is a curious and innocent boy from asteroid B 612 who embarks on a journey to understand love and relationships. Though he appears naive, he possesses profound wisdom that challenges adult perspectives, serving as a symbol of childhood wonder and emotional insight.

  • little prince
  • character
  • protagonist
Q5

Who is the narrator in the story?

The narrator is a down-to-earth aircraft pilot who crashes in the Sahara Desert. His life transforms when he encounters the Little Prince, as he learns to see the world through a child's eyes again, rediscovering wonder and the significance of genuine human connections.

  • narrator
  • pilot
  • aviator
Q6

What does the theme of innocence represent?

Innocence represents the pure, unfiltered perspective of childhood that sees beyond practical adult logic. The story uses the contrast between the prince's worldview and the rigid thinking of adult characters to illustrate how losing childlike wonder leads to disillusionment, and how retaining that innocence is essential for finding meaning and joy.

  • innocence
  • childhood wonder
  • adult perspectives
Q7

What does the theme of love mean in the movie?

Love is portrayed through the Little Prince's bond with his rose, which teaches him about the complexities of caring for another person. The prince learns that love involves responsibility, patience, and seeing beyond superficial flaws. The fox's lesson about 'taming', creating meaningful bonds through time and dedication, further emphasizes that love grows from intentional connection rather than surface attraction.

  • love
  • rose
  • fox
  • taming
  • relationships
Q8

Why does the story take place in the Sahara Desert?

The Sahara Desert serves as a powerful setting that mirrors isolation and survival, stripping away modern distractions to create a space where profound human connection can occur. Its extreme conditions and remote isolation parallel the emotional journey of the characters, forcing the pilot narrator to slow down and become open to the magical encounters that follow.

  • sahara desert
  • desert
  • survival
  • isolation

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Little Prince, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Little Prince tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies with melancholic whimsy like The Little Prince

Stories that blend enchanting fantasy with poignant reflections on life and loss. If you enjoyed the bittersweet, imaginative journey of The Little Prince, explore more movies like it. This list features films that masterfully combine a whimsical, fantastical tone with reflective, melancholic themes. You'll find similar stories about imagination, childhood wonder, and poignant life lessons in beautiful animated and live-action dramas.

  • whimsical
  • melancholic
  • reflective
  • dreamlike
  • bittersweet
  • contemplative
  • Tone: whimsical, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, contemplative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often unfold through a frame story or a journey into a symbolic world. A character, often disillusioned or lonely, is introduced to a realm of wonder that helps them process real-world emotions like grief or loneliness. The conflict is more internal and philosophical, leading to an ending that acknowledges sadness but finds hope in the lessons learned.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a unique and specific emotional blend: the light, playful energy of whimsy is consistently balanced with a deep, reflective melancholy. They have a steady pacing that allows for contemplation and a moderate emotional weight that deals with heavy themes in an accessible, often beautiful way.

Movies with stories within stories like The Little Prince

Films where a main character's journey is illuminated by allegorical tales. For viewers who loved the narrative structure of The Little Prince, this collection highlights other films that use a similar story-within-a-story device. Discover movies where a central plot is enriched by allegorical tales, flashbacks, or fantastical recounts that reveal deeper truths about the characters and themes, perfect for fans of layered, contemplative storytelling.

  • allegorical
  • reflective
  • contemplative
  • layered
  • imaginative
  • philosophical
  • Tone: reflective, allegorical
  • Pacing: steady, episodic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a character in a specific situation (the frame) who encounters or is told a series of allegorical stories. These tales are not mere diversions; they are essential to understanding the frame narrative's central conflict. The pacing is often steady, alternating between the grounded reality of the frame and the symbolic world of the inner stories, building towards a unified thematic resolution.

Why they belong together: These movies are connected by their distinctive plot structure. They create meaning through the dialogue between two narrative layers—one immediate and concrete, the other symbolic and imaginative. This approach allows for exploring complex themes like personal growth and existential questions in a more digestible and emotionally engaging way.

Every angle

The Little Prince (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Little Prince in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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