Перевірка цінностей і артикуляція смислів: аксіологічні аспекти вивчення казки А. Сент-Екзюпері «Маленький принц»

The article examines the possibilities of influencing the emotional-axiological sphere of students in a foreign literature class dedicated to the textual study of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's philosophical fairy tale “The Little Prince”. The value-meaning sphere of the fairy tale is revealed through the analysis of the peculiarities of the formal organization of the work, particularly, the principles of constructing the personasphere, narrative structure, system of symbols, and the visual series created by the author in addition to the verbal-object reproduction of the depicted world. An important aspect in the poetics of the fairy tale is the introduction of the lyrical element into the epic genre form. The lyricism transforms the image of the little prince into a peculiar lyrical hero, representing the “inner person”. According to the author's intention, the reader should see the little prince not only directly by looking at the author's drawing but also “with the heart”, learning this kind of vision along with the narrator-pilot. The transition from external to internal contemplation of the Other becomes the culmination of the work, accompanied by the discovery of water in the desert. The water, which is necessary for the heart, symbolically denotes truth and, along with a number of other images such as the ground, deserts, snakes, apple trees, and children, activates the Christian meaningful subtext of the fairy tale. The imagery system (personasphere) of the work reflects the author's concept of man, relevant to all humanity and each individual, a point the author explicitly emphasizes. To the threat of spiritual decay, the writer opposes the ideal of spiritual coexistence of people based on love and creativity attitudes toward the Other and joyful self-realization of the individual in their vocation. The movement from passive consumption (passengers on a train and buyers of thirst pills) and inert performance of social roles (inhabitants of planets) to creative existence (pilot/writer) and responsible spiritual being (the little prince) in the artistic context of the fairy tale appears accessible to every person, in the depths of whose soul the author is capable of seeing the little prince — a spiritual being whose essence is revealed in loving interaction with the other.