Francios-Marie Arouet's, assuming the pen-name of Voltaire, L'Ingenu is a
satirical story that begins in 1689 when a ship of English merchants are coming
to France to trade. This is when the Ingenu is first introduced. The French
are most intrigued by his appearance. Because of a picture believed to be the
brother and sister-in-law of the Abbe de Kerkabon and Mademoiselle de Kerkabon,
the Kerkabons felt that they saw a resemblance and take him in as their nephew.
This is only the beginning. With no set beliefs, the Huron comes to live with
these people of France and is taught to live as they do. Under appearingly
unfortunate circumstances, he becomes imprisoned and able to educate himself.
He learns of the French society on a hands-on basis by feeling their cruelty.
This Child of Nature symbolizes John Locke's "blank tablet". The Ingenu, also
known as the Child of Nature, Becomes enlightened through his experiences with
French society by having no prior worldly knowledge of his own, being taught by
the French, and disregarding everything they have taught him to learn for
himself the lessons of French society.
The Child of Nature comes into the French society with no worldly knowledge of
his own or beliefs. He is a spontaneous, curious young Huron and is viewed as
quite naive. The French feel that they can easily mold him into their society.
All he has are his youthful charming looks, "HE was hatless, and hoseless, and
wore little sandals; his head was graced with long plaits of hair; and a short
doublet clung to a trim and supple figure. He had a look about him that was at
once martial and gentle" (Voltaire, 190) and an awkward manner of being
courteous to the Kerkabons "all with such a simple, natural air that brother and
sister both were charmed" (Voltaire, 190). When asked countless questions, "the
traveler's answer would be very much to the point" (Voltaire, 191). Inste...