1. Of the various aviators and other friends of the author, which seems to be the one Saint-Exupery admires the most? Cite evidence from the text.

2. Do you agree with Saint-Exupery's claims that only a special kind of person flies for a career? Remember that these early pilots used planes of a very primitive sort, by today's standards.

3. Which of the author's adventures do you find most exciting? What sort of courage was required of Saint-Exupery in this particular episode?

4. Which features of Saint-Exupery's writing style are the most impressive?

Choose several examples of passages that you find especially striking, and explain what contributes to their effect.

5. What seems to be the author's final judgment about the nature of human life? Does he seem to be an optimist at heart or a pessimist, judging by his comments throughout the book?