AP+2016+Emile+or+On+Education+by+Rousseau

> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> “Emile, or On Education.” The Literature Network. Jalic Inc., 2000. Web. 6 Jan. 2016. “Progressive Education.” Encyclopedia Britannica. ENcyclopedia Britannica, 2016. Web. 6 Jan. 2016. “Rousseau, Jean-Jacques”. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, n.d. Web. 6 Jan. 2016.
 * 1)  Emile, or On Education by Rousseau - Diana Bantugan
 * 1)  Aim
 * 1)  Emile, or On Education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau is a very prominent piece of literature whose focus is centered around education reform. Emile sparked controversy when it was published and was ultimately banned by Paris authorities once it was published due to its contents. The censorship arose due to the fact that “ Rousseau argues against traditional views of religion” (Rousseau). However, the accusations of such are misguided in that his calls for reform were not directly opposing religious ideals. His idea of reform of education calls for a reform in the understanding of the role of education in the people’s lives in comparison to religion. He teaches that “human beings are good by nature”, even without the influences of religion. Proper education, not devout membership within a church, will result in responsible citizens in society. Emile argues for this change so that less emphasis remains on religion as a foundation of society.
 * 1)  Audience
 * 1)  Emile, or On Education in its first year of publican was severely limited in its ability to reach audience members in France as well as throughout Europe. However, its message of societal and educational reform caught on during the French Revolution. The French rebels and their leaders held this work in high esteem and championed its message before and during the revolution. The novel became a prime example of what their desired society would follow. The reason that such a message spread with fervor was the idea that “ someone who has been properly educated will be engaged in society, but relate to his or her fellow citizens in a natural way” (Rousseau). His audience was mainly composed of French citizens during the French revolution. As a result, the were united under a common ideology that change was necessary and inevitable in order to form a more justified government. The book’s message would carry farther than what he called for in education as it would result in a total reform of France as a country.
 * 1)  Historical
 * 1)  Emile, or On Education was written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and published in 1762. While his book was initially met with controversy during its first year of publication, Emile became a symbol of necessary reform in society. Emile, or On Education had a prominent role during the French Revolution, where “ the work served as the inspiration for what became a new national system of education” (Emile, or On Education). The French Revolution, which started in 1789 and lasted through 1799, was a time period of great turmoil and unrest between the people and the government. And yet, even amongst all the unrest, this book unites the common goal of change in society. The change in the system of education is more than just that; it is the change in the entire system of living that comes with education reform. Historically during this time period, the thirty years since its publication were one of the highlights of the success of this book. Furthermore, the book remains to be an integral part of not only the French Revolution, but revolutions in ideas and traditions since.
 * 1)  Cultural
 * 1)  Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s book Emile, or On Education would continue to have an impact well into the 19th century. In the United States, education reform took hold and transformed how an individual was taught and the high level of esteem an education was regarded with. One of the changes were that “ One of its main objectives was to educate the “whole child”—that is, to attend to physical and emotional, as well as intellectual, growth” (Progressive Education). This was a significant jump in the amount of effort and focus into a child’s education on a more deeper level than superficial level. Instead of just teaching the material, education became a more holistic approach in educating the future. Care and thought was placed into not just the understanding of the material, but the complete comprehension of the subject and its role in the real world. The “progressive” aspect of such changes stems from the government's and society's insistence on more involvement in a child’s education. Emile’s role in such a trend originates in the original idea of education reform in order to improve an individual's relation to society and society's relation to the individuals.
 * 1)  Works Cited