This book is an educational novel with narration and discussion. It takes Emily, an orphan from a rich family, as the protagonist, discusses the educational reform of men, criticizes the absurdity and decay of the old education in Britain, and puts forward the principles and ideals of the new education. And through the education of Emily's future wife Sophie, it shows the innovation of women's education. The book embodies the naturalistic educational thought and expounds the theory of good nature. His thoughts inspired and influenced many educators in later generations.
The book systematically put forward the new concept of children's education for the first time in the history of western education, thus setting off a "Copernican revolution" in the history of education. Emile consists of five volumes. Rousseau put forward different educational principles, contents and methods for children of different ages, namely, physical education, sensory education, intellectual education, moral education and love. The emphasis of each stage is different, but there is no obvious division.
The first four volumes of the book, with Emily as the protagonist, put forward the natural important period of children's growth and the corresponding educational principles, contents and methods. The first volume focuses on how to carry out physical education for babies before the age of two, so that children can develop naturally. The second volume focuses on the sensory education of children aged 2 ~ 12. The third volume discusses the intellectual education of teenagers aged from 12 to 15. The fourth volume focuses on the moral education of teenagers aged 15 -20.
The fifth volume, taking Sophie as an example, puts forward the mode of women's education reform and discusses the love education of young men and women. In this book, Rousseau describes himself as an ideal teacher, Emile as an ideal student, and describes the whole process of Emile's growth and education from birth to 20 years old, from which his thought of "natural education" is expounded.