The Little Prince: Understanding Life?

Question

My english teacher recently assigned us a book to read called "the little prince". After reading the first 4 chapters he wants us to ask him a question as if we understood life...

1. I don't understand understanding life
2. I don't know a question to ask

I've been thinking about this for 20 minutes, please help.

I want the understanding of life question to ask, that's the difference between adults and childern... I also tried sparknotes while i was trying to come up with a question or should i say answer. :S

Answer 1

ask him if he is an existentialist thinker.

existentialism is the underlying theme of the little prince.
defined as a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one's acts.
basically, it means we were put on this earth to fulfill one thing in life, but its not known to us what it is, it just happens.

good luck!

Answer 2

"What differentiates adults from children? Is the distinction simply one of age, or is it based on something else?"

Heck, I'll even give you the answer:

"Throughout The Little Prince, Saint-Exupéry portrays children as innocent and truthful and adults as corrupt and dull. As the little prince journeys from one planet to another, he finds grown-ups such as the businessman and the geographer to lack creativity and imagination. They can only quantify the world in the dullest of terms. The little prince, on the other hand, acknowledges that the most important qualities in life are invisible and mysterious. He constantly asks questions instead of giving answers, and the search for spiritual truth seems to be his sole priority. Above all, he understands that relationships are the most important thing in life and that no one needs an entire well or rose garden when a single drop of water or a single flower will do.
Unlike most adults, the little prince knows what he is looking for and exactly how much of it he needs. The narrator also recognizes the validity of the childhood perspective, even though he occasionally lapses into a grown-up mind-set. By the end of the story, however, the narrator has regained some of his childhood passion, demonstrating that the clear viewpoint of children is not limited by age."