The Confessions

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1782

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Access Full Guide

Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Books I-III

Part 1, Books IV-VI

Part 2, Books VII-IX

Part 2, Books X-XII

Key Figures

Themes

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

How do Rousseau’s childhood experiences influence his interactions and intimacy with women? How does Rousseau conflate emotional and sexual intimacy with women, and how does this affect his understanding of romantic and platonic relationships?

How did Rousseau’s experiences contribute to his rejection of rationalism and his embrace of naturalism and romanticism?

What evidence suggests that Rousseau is an unreliable narrator? How do his deceptions and exaggerations interact with the text’s themes of truth and hypocrisy?