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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. How does Emile feel when his tutor assigns him the task that must be completed before he can marry?

2. Where did the priest find that philosophers were exceptional?

3. Who is at greatest risk in the courtship of Emile and Sophy?

4. What is Emile reminded to be, at the beginning of Book 4, Chapter 3, "Managing the Sexual Desires"?

5. What is Rousseau's feeling about the disparity between men's and women's roles?

Short Essay Questions

1. What form of education does Rousseau imagine that will help Emile resist the possibility of corruption?

2. What does Rousseau say about the conflict between the sexes?

3. What is it that the priest says will allow Emile to return to his childhood religion?

4. What does Rousseau say about travel?

5. What skills in particular does Rousseau say Sophy should possess?

6. What is Rousseau's perspective when he writes about sexual desire in Book 4, Chapter 3?

7. What does Rousseau say about how much Emile should be worked, and how he should be worked?

8. What does Rousseau say are the benefits and dangers of book learning?

9. What does Emile's father tell Emile about sexual fidelity in men and women?

10. How does Emile react to the news that he and Sophy have to separate?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is radical about "Emile"? Cite three examples of Rousseau's radical ideas for children and children's education that made "Emile" controversial in its day. Is his work still radical today?

Essay Topic 2

Does Rousseau give men a privileged position relative to women? In what ways does he? In what ways does he ascribe powers to women that compensate or surpass the powers of men?

Essay Topic 3

Is Rousseau's book consistent with epistemological theories about knowledge coming from the senses? Does Rousseau design an education for Emile that is delivered through other channels? Use examples from the text.

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