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The little prince's encounter with the drunkard is certainly the most despondent, launching "the little prince into deep dejection." Symbolized by the collection of both empty and full bottles surrounding him, the drunkard lives a hollow and cyclical life, trapped in a constant loop of self-destruction. He explains to the little prince that he drinks in order to forget that he is ashamed of drinking. His life, then, is dictated entirely by shame. Saint-Exupéry uses the drunkard to comment on the concept of alcoholism—or, more broadly, any form of escapism used to avoid truly looking at oneself and confronting what is found. Rather than seeking self-improvement or addressing the root cause of his pain, he numbs his emotions and erases his memories and in doing so, only deepens his despair. The drunkard exists in complete isolation, surrounded only by his bottles. His depressing existence reflects the irrationality and futility of the adult world. The drunkard foolishly condemns himself to an unfulfilling life of loneliness and drunkenness, and his pain is entirely self-inflicted and avoidable. Through the drunkard, Saint-Exupéry highlights how adults, instead of facing their flaws or emotional pain, often resort to destructive behaviors that amplify their misery and eliminate the possibility of healing or growth.
