François le champi : A new Émile

Abstract

Despite its frequent classification as a pastoral novel, George Sand’s François le champi advocates forcefully for better treatment of abandoned children. During the nineteenth century, much debate centred on how best to ensure their care, education and integration into society. Sand’s solution, embodied by her eponymous protagonist, bears a striking resemblance to the ideal Jean-Jacques Rousseau proposes in his Émile, ou de l’éducation. Sand’s modelling of François on Rousseau’s Émile had personal roots, but would also have resonated with contemporary readers, many of whom considered Rousseau an authority on child-rearing and education. Sand’s use of Émile as intertext lends weight to her argument that abandoned children are not lost causes. Rather, with a devoted caretaker and a healthy environment, they can grow up to be not just ordinary, but even exemplary members of society.