Written amidst the horror and confusion of the war, The Little Prince is widely viewed as a reaffirmation of Saint-Exupéry's belief in the importance of friendship, altruism, love, and imagination. The story is narrated by a pilot who has crashed in the desert and is attempting to repair his plane before his supplies run out. A child abruptly appears, and, as the two spend time together, the pilot learns the story of the boy, a prince who has come from an asteroid called B 612. Having left his asteroid to escape the tyrannical demands of his only companion there, an animate rose, the prince has visited six planets before coming to Earth, and the narrative of his experiences on those planets forms a catalog of human weaknesses and failings. During his travels, the prince discovers the true nature of his relationship with his rose: that it is his responsibility to the rose, rather than any intrinsic property of beauty or goodness, that makes her special to him. In order to return to his asteroid to be reunited with her, he allows himself to be bitten by a serpent, which will kill his body but free his spirit.