Amour-propre
Kept far from the competitive world of urban society, Emile has been able to preserve his amour de soi and avoid social contacts that would foment amour-propre. With adolescence, however, will come the inevitable need to compare oneself with others as part of the natural process of finding a mate in order to perpetuate the species. The forestalling and management of this powerful instinct will be the main pedagogical challenge of Book IV.