The Parable of the Little Prince

A parable is more than just a brief and vivid anecdotal lesson: it is a complex pedagogical tool capable of initiating a complete cognitive transformation in the reader or listener. In his book Peace, Violence, and the New Testament, Michel Desjardins documents the way in which Jesus used parables to challenge the widely-held beliefs of his audiences. Desjardins explains that parables differ from other forms of narrative in three key ways: by implicitly challenging the listener to re-evaluate their beliefs; by initiating the process of re-evaluation without explicitly providing an alternative to their current way of thinking; and, if successful, by transforming the listener into a more compassionate person.