The Ingenu

The Ingenu

Le Connaissance Nouveau de L'Ingenu

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). Instead of

in a roundabout way in which was inevitable if their roles are to be reversed.

"The Huron did not turn a hair" (Voltaire, 191). But does speak his mind when

the questions were coming too fast. He simply and clearly tells them,

"Gentlemen, where I come from, people take it in turns to speak" (Voltaire,

191). Upon questioning him, they find out that he has no particular religion.

He ...

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..."Doubtless he was the most alarmed and upset of all, but he had

learned to add discretion to all the happy gifts which nature had showered upon

him, and a ready sense of what is proper was beginning to dominate in

him"(Voltaire, 249). He has learned of the horrors of the world. He shares in

on the radical views of the time. After all of his adventures, big and small,

he comes to the conclusion that "an ill wind blows nobody any good"(Voltaire,

255).

The Child of Nature becomes enlightened through his experiences with French

society by having no prior knowledge, being taught by the French, and

disregarding everything they have taught him to learn for himself the lessons of

French society. He starts representing Locke's "blank tablet" which opens itself

to beliefs of any kind. This tablet is filled with the thoughts of the cruel

French society. The Child of Nature's enlightenment comes when he takes it upon

himself to erase the thoughts and beliefs on this tablet and fill it up with his

own. Voltaire's L'Ingenu is just an example of a man becoming enlightened during

the Age of Enlightenment. It classifies itself as a standard for other stories

of enlightenment.