The story of The Little Prince is crafted as a fable or allegory, so the characters are not given specific names, instead being referred to as "I" and "he." Other characters are identified by their roles: the astronomer, the geographer, the king, the businessman, the lamplighter, and so forth. Each character symbolizes a particular aspect of human life. For instance, the king embodies authority, the lamplighter represents dedication to duty, and the businessman signifies greed. The flower symbolizes a coquettish woman, cherished by the Prince; the serpent stands for death, and the fox, true to its literary portrayal, symbolizes cunning. Most secondary characters appear briefly, engaging in dialogues that clearly convey their meanings.

The only characters who persist throughout the narrative are the narrator, who is stranded in the Sahara, and the Little Prince. Both share a kindred spirit, marked by simplicity, a deep love for humanity, and a quest for the ideal. The narrator, as a child, drew pictures that adults failed to understand, a trait mirrored by the Prince upon his arrival on Earth. They both cherish a world beyond their own; the narrator loves his plane as it takes him to new places on Earth, while the Prince sacrifices his life to return to his home planet, which he left to seek friends. This creates an immediate connection between them and with the reader. The author's illustrations, present in every edition, enhance this warmth, but it is the characters' immediacy that truly endears them to the audience.