Chapter 2, Premonitions Summary and Analysis

Victor and Genie are only two of more than fifty children who have suffered, for one reason or another, total social isolation during the most important years of child development. However, Genie and Victor's cases most closely relate to one another because of what happened after they were found. Victor was found at a time when a shift had taken place in the treatment of the deaf, the blind, and the mentally ill. Although Victor was declared mentally retarded and rejected by other doctors as teachable, Itard took him on with a determination to prove his ability to be taught to interact with others. Itard even taught Victor how to recognize words and to write certain words. However, when Victor failed to progress to speech, interest in him was lost. Victor would live the rest of his life quietly...