Is the Lamplighter Mad? (Antoine de Saint-Exupery “The Little Prince”)

Essays on literary works - 2024

Is the Lamplighter Mad? (Antoine de Saint-Exupery “The Little Prince”)

The Little Prince encounters a variety of eccentric characters on his travels. There's the king who believes he rules over everything, the conceited man who demands constant admiration, and the drunkard who drinks to forget his shame. These adults, engaged in seemingly pointless pursuits, highlight the absurdity of human behavior.

Among these strange figures, the lamplighter stands out as a particularly poignant character. His job is simple: to light his lamp at sunset and extinguish it at dawn. However, due to the rapid rotation of his planet, the lamplighter is caught in an endless cycle of lighting and extinguishing. His task, once meaningful, has become absurd.

Is the lamplighter mad? Perhaps. But he seems unable to break free from his routine. Even though his job has lost all purpose, he continues to perform it. At first glance, this seems foolish, a product of habit and a fear of change. However, upon deeper reflection, one wonders if there are countless others who, like the lamplighter, continue to perform meaningless tasks.