The Confessions: (Annotated Edition)

In 1712, Jean-Jacques is born to his parents in Geneva. He has a rough go of it growing up, having lost his mom and dad to childbirth and prison, respectively. Rousseau grows up in his Uncle Bernard's charge. Although willing to be the boy's guardian and appreciating the companionship for his son -- Bernard Jr., -- Uncle Bernard is unwilling to go out of his way to provide for his nephew. Thus, Rousseau finds himself seeking an apprenticeship as a teenager in order to learn a trade and to earn some food and a place to sleep. He's on his own. As Rousseau works for his master engraver, he quickly becomes disillusioned about the business. He doesn't have the patience or passion to become an engraver, so he starts slacking off. Fortunately for Rousseau, his friend Pontverre has his back and sets him up with a wealthy older aristocrat named Mme de Warens. She falls for Rousseau and flirts with him incessantly. She offers him a stipend and living arrangements with her if he'll only give her what she wants. Rousseau, however, is not convinced that he must resort to such a contract in order to support himself. He runs away to Turin where he pulls a scam on the local Catholic community there. Although not Catholic, he allows the community leaders to lead him through a complex "conversion" process in order to be accepted by them all. They treat him like one of their own, looking after him so that he can secretly slack off and party on his own time. Rousseau does not actually convert to Catholicism, just pretends that he has.