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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What kind of opinions does Rousseau seem to hold, as he talks about book learning?

2. What was Rousseau's childhood household like?

3. How did the man to whom Rousseau was apprenticed treat Rousseau?

4. How does Rousseau suggest telling students about where babies come from?

5. What innate ability allows a child to exceed his limits?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Rousseau say about man's inherent moral nature?

2. What does Rousseau mean when he says that he wants children to learn ignorance?

3. What does Rousseau say has a corrupting effect on men?

4. What is epistemology and how did it affect Rousseau's "Emile"?

5. Why does Rousseau say that it is vital, when relating to a child, to be responsive while yet retaining authority?

6. What does Rousseau believe the parents' roles should be in raising a boy?

7. How does Rousseau say a child can be managed without interest?

8. How was "Emile" received?

9. What kind of strength does Rousseau want to engender in a child?

10. What kind of behavior is Rousseau urging people to avoid?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Rousseau's biography affect your reading of his work? Does it make a difference that he gave away five children, or that he was helped by his relationships with women? Does he gain or lose authority for his biography?

Essay Topic 2

What qualities, other than age, define a man's readiness to marry? Use examples from the text. Is the tutor the one who recognizes the student's readiness, or can the student say for himself?

Essay Topic 3

What are the pitfalls to Emile's education, and how does Rousseau recommend that a tutor avoid these pitfalls?

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